Gary Vaynerchuk Discusses VaynerMedia’s Rapid Ascent [Video]

For most of VaynerMedia’s decade-long existence, it’s been seen in agency circles as a social media shop or, among the more cynical, a vanity project of its outspoken CEO, Gary Vaynerchuk.

With more than 15 million followers across social platforms and an often polarizing demeanor, Vaynerchuk certainly isn’t the first influencer or serial entrepreneur to launch an agency, but he is the first to see that agency grow to 900 employees and produce three Super Bowl ads in one year—this year, specifically.

Last year, VaynerMedia made its Super Bowl debut with “Crunch Time,” a Planters spot starring Mr. Peanut, Charlie Sheen and Alex Rodriguez. Perhaps not surprisingly given the agency’s background as a social-first shop, the spot won Twitter’s #BrandBowl by generating the most mentions.

This year, VaynerMedia returns with Planters (as you might have heard from the buzz around Mr. Peanut’s supposed death and the subsequent pausing of the campaign after Kobe Bryant’s fatal accident). In addition, the agency made in-game ads for …