Geek Tropical, creator engine

Ten creators, one shirt rack, one number

A first roster for Geek Tropical: ten creators in six weeks, seven videos each per week, paid to a ceiling of $15,000 per month.

creators live by week six: 10
creator videos a month at the full roster: 303
weeks from the first creator to the full roster: 5

Game night, button-up on

Illustrative: a creator films a tabletop night in an Autumn Moth Button Up Shirt, says the fabric line from the claims sheet and links the product page.

Illustrative post

Part 1 of 14

Summary

Creator engine summary
Roster	10 creators live by week six	Two a week: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 live by week. The ramp is a proposal.
Who	Fans of games, tabletop and horror	Creators who already post fandom content, each matched to one Geek Tropical print.
Production	7 videos per creator per week	303 creator videos a month at 10 creators. The script calculates it.
Pay	$300 to $800 fee, $600 to $1,500 cap	Starter, Standard, Premium. All 10 at the top cap is a $15,000 monthly ceiling, bonuses excluded.
Bonus	$50 flat past 100,000 views	One bonus per creator per month, organic views only. None on a video that broke the claims sheet.
Compliance	Claims sheet in the site's own words	Creators quote only copied lines, such as free shipping on orders of $75+.
Category rule	Sun and eco claims stay in the brand's words	The UPF 50+ and 97% recycled lines are quoted whole. Youth shirts: a parent holds the camera.
Goal	$1 per 1,000 views	The simulator starts at $5.74. Closing that gap is the work of the first three months.
Report	Every Monday, one page	Videos posted, cost per 1,000 views, top hooks, losers killed, bonus flags.
Decision	You approve the roster and the sheet	Nothing goes live before you sign off on the first ten creators and the claims sheet.

Part 1 of 14, continued

The program in numbers

Creators live at full roster: 10; Proposed
Videos per creator per week: 7; Proposed
Creator videos a month: 303; Calculated
Base pay per creator: $1,000; Proposed
Bonus past 100,000 views: $50; Proposed
Bonus at the top cap of the highest band: $700; Calculated
Program cost a month, bonuses included: $10,050; Calculated
Views a month at the assumptions: 1.8M; Calculated
Cost per 1,000 views: $5.74; Calculated
Target cost per 1,000 views: $1; Proposed

Part 2 of 14

Track record

Former COO of Tabs. I built its creator program to 100M monthly social impressions, and the paid ad engine alongside it. The numbers below come from videos that program produced.

At Tabs I ran this playbook: a creator program feeding a paid ad engine, losers killed early. Geek Tropical is a different category, fandom apparel built on licensed art, and I have not run apparel. The loop carries over. What a fan finds funny, your creators will have to teach me.

monthly social impressions at Tabs: 100M+
views on one reel: 17.7M
views on one video: 8M
views on one video: 6.5M

Part 3 of 14

Why now

4.8 / 5
A rating creators can point to
The page shows an overall rating of 4.8 / 5 from 3450 reviews. That is social proof a creator can mention without inventing anything.
Published
$75+
A clear free shipping line
Free shipping on orders of $75+ gives every video a concrete close. A Long Sleeve Button Up Shirt at $48.00 plus a $29.00 tee clears it.
Published
10%
A first-order offer
Subscribers get a 10% discount on a first purchase. It is the one offer I would let creators mention, and only in those words.
Published

Part 4 of 14

Principles

One number to protect
Cost per 1,000 views, target $1. The simulator starts at $5.74, so the first job is lifting the median video, not adding creators.
One variable per test
Seven videos per creator per week is a lot of tests. Change the hook or the shirt, never both. Losers killed early, winners go into the hook library.
Ramp, don't flood
Two creators a week up to ten, over six weeks. Each new cohort sees what worked for the last one before it films.
Pay for work, bonus for breakouts
Fees and caps are fixed by band. The $50 flat bonus past 100,000 views is the only upside, so nobody games volume.

Part 4 of 14, continued

One channel for everything

#briefs

Briefs, drafts, reviews and the weekly numbers

Illustrative

MartaMon 8:30 AM
This week's brief: seven videos each. Two on the Autumn Moth Button Up Shirt at $42.00. One hook per video, and no sizing promises beyond the product page.
JulesMon 11:10 AM
Can I say the long sleeve shirt blocks UV rays?
Only in the brand's words: UPF 50+ certified sun protection, blocks over 98% of UV rays. Nothing about burns or skin.
Weekly botAppMon 9:00 AM
Report is in: videos posted against seven per creator, cost per 1,000 views against the $1 target, top hooks, losers marked for killing.
MartaWed 2:15 PM
Draft sent back: the hook implies every shirt ships free. Free shipping starts at orders of $75+. Re-record the first three seconds.
BotAppFri 4:40 PM
Bonus flag: the Web Bats Dark Sleeveless Dress video passed 100,000 views. $50 flat, one per creator per month, pending the organic check.
DaniFri 5:05 PM
The dress video is moving. Want a second cut with the lining shot, or do we leave it alone while it climbs?
Leave it. Film the next hook from the comments, and keep one variable.
MartaThu 10:00 AM
Check before Friday: every post carries the paid-partnership label and links the product page it features. Replies in #claims-check.

The messages illustrate the working channel, with invented people: briefs go out on Monday, claims questions get an answer the same day, and nothing posts without the check.

Part 5 of 14

Formats

Brief 01
Pattern guess
“Guess the nerd reference hidden in this shirt.”
Close on the print, pan slowly, then wear it. Comments become the next hook. No sizing or fabric claims.
Brief 02
Game night fit
“Four of us, one cabin, matching button-ups.”
Film a real session at the table, shirts visible, one wide shot and one close-up. Natural light, no script.
Brief 03
Flat-lay pick
“Which one hits the table first?”
Shirts laid on the floor, top-down, creator's hand points at each. End on a poll in the comments.
Brief 04
Artist story
“Meet the artists behind the print.”
Talk to camera with the artist collage on screen, then show the shirt. Say only the licensed-art line from the sheet.
Brief 05
Arcade tropical
“Hawaiian shirt, but make it arcade.”
Two friends in video game button-ups in chairs, play a retro game, one shirt close-up at the end.

Every product line in a video comes off the claims sheet word for word, for example “Licensed artwork—every design supports the original artist directly”, “Tag-free design for itch-free wear and clean neck comfort”, “Free shipping on orders of $75+”. Product names are said as printed.

Part 6 of 14

Recruiting

Four sources in

Tabletop and RPG creators
Game masters and actual-play channels. Their audience already wears fandom, and the button-up fits a session on camera.
Cozy horror and book-talk creators
The I Am Fully Boooooked T-Shirt at $29.00 is a ready-made joke for readers who film their shelves.
Existing customers
The page shows 4.8 / 5 from 3450 reviews. I would ask you to invite those buyers who already post, as a warm list.
Affiliate or ambassador page
I did not find an affiliate or ambassador page on the site, so recruiting starts from cold outreach and a test brief.

Five filters, fewer each step

1Fandom fit
Already posts about games, comics or horror reading, not generic fashion.
2Real audience
Human comments and steady views across recent videos, not one spike.
3Shirt on camera
Comfortable wearing a button-up in frame and showing the print up close.
4Clean claims record
No history of health or income promises in past sponsored posts.
5Reads a brief
One hook rewrite on a test brief before any fee is agreed.

Part 7 of 14

Who we want

Tabletop game master
Runs weekly sessions and would film the whole table in matching button-ups.
Likely product: Autumn Moth Button Up Shirt
Cozy horror reader
Book-talk creator for whom the ghost reading horror stories is their own joke.
Likely product: I Am Fully Boooooked T-Shirt
Halloween all year
Autumn decor and mushroom-core creator who films the black cats and candles art.
Likely product: Cogumiaus Halloween Cats T-Shirt
Gothic stylist
Thrift and dark-romantic outfit videos, strong on dresses and layered looks.
Likely product: Victorian Pumpkin Gothic Sleeveless Dress
Curvy fashion creator
Fit and styling videos on the curvy cut, honest about how it wears.
Likely product: Web Bats Dark Curvy Button Up Shirt
Parent of a young fan
Family look videos where the parent decides what the child shows on camera.
Likely product: Autumn Moth Youth Hawaiian Shirt

Left off, every time

Always out: creators who film minors without a parent holding the camera, anyone who has attacked other fans or artists, and accounts with a bought audience. Category rule: no sun, health or sizing promises beyond the brand's own sheet.

Part 8 of 14

First twenty

Actual-play Dungeons & Dragons streamers
Game masters who film their table
Board game reviewers with a cozy audience
Horror book-talk creators
Retro arcade and pixel-art collectors
Comic shop vloggers
Cosplayers who sew their own outfits
Halloween-all-year decorators
Mushroom-core and cottagecore creators
Dark academia stylists
Gothic thrift hauls
Curvy fashion try-on creators
Plus-size fandom stylists
Parents of young fans who film family looks
Anime watch-along hosts
Space and sci-fi fan channels
Dinosaur and creature-art fans
Pop culture gift guide creators
Tropical shirt and vacation outfit creators
Small artist-supporting creators who credit illustrators

Part 9 of 14

Claims sheet

Approved, word for word

Quoted exactly as the brand publishes it.

“Licensed artwork—every design supports the original artist directly”
Artist story, any T-shirt video
“Tag-free design for itch-free wear and clean neck comfort”
T-shirt videos, close-up of the neckline
“Lightweight 4.2 oz fabric designed for all-day comfort in any climate”
T-shirt wear tests
“Lightweight 120 GSM weave that wicks moisture for all-day comfort.”
Long sleeve button-up videos
“UPF 50+ certified sun protection, the highest rating a fabric can earn. Blocks over 98% of UV rays.”
Long sleeve button-up videos, said as the brand's wording
“Made with 100% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton for a buttery-soft feel and smooth print surface (Heather colors contain polyester)”
T-shirt videos, read in full
“Free shipping on orders of $75+”
Close of any video

Never said

Each one with the reason it stays out.

All our shirts ship free
Free shipping starts at orders of $75+, not on every order.
This shirt keeps you from getting sunburned
A health outcome. Only the brand's own UPF wording, attributed to the brand.
The softest shirt you can buy
A comparison the site does not make.
Zero impact on the planet
The site says a lower carbon footprint than new polyester, nothing more.
Official merch from the franchise
The site speaks of licensed artwork supporting the artist, not franchise endorsement.
Use my code for a discount
No creator code exists. The only offer is the first-purchase discount for subscribers.
Guaranteed to arrive before Halloween
Delivery depends on order value and country. No creator may promise dates.

To confirm with the brand

Held until someone on the brand side signs off.

Ethically made and responsibly sourced, ensuring fair labor and environmentally safe production
The site says it. Please confirm what documentation backs it before creators repeat it.
Subscribe to receive all our updates and offers, and get a 10% discount on your first purchase.
Confirm the offer is permanent before creators mention it.

Part 10 of 14

Pay

Starter
$300–600
a month, by band
Starter: new voices with a real fandom niche, a smaller fee and an early cap while we learn their hooks.
Bonus at the cap: $300
Standard
$500–1,000
a month, by band
Standard: creators who hit seven videos a week and keep one hook per test, with room to grow.
Bonus at the cap: $500
Premium
$800–1,500
a month, by band
Premium: proven reach in tabletop, horror or fashion, a higher cap, same claims sheet as everyone.
Bonus at the cap: $700

Under 100,000 views
$0
The base pay covers the work.
100,000 views
+$50 flat
Whatever the band.
1,000,000 views
Top-up to your cap
Bonus = band cap − base pay.

One bonus per creator per month, no matter how many videos break out.
The bonus is per video: one video passing 100,000 views earns the $50 flat.
Organic views only. Paid boosts of the same video do not count.
No bonus on a video that broke the claims sheet or the category rule.

Starter: $600 cap − $300 fee = $300 bonus; Standard: $1,000 cap − $500 fee = $500 bonus; Premium: $1,500 cap − $800 fee = $700 bonus.

The bonus pays for reach after the work is done, never instead of it. One bonus per creator per calendar month keeps it an incentive and keeps the program cost predictable.

Part 11 of 14

Simulator

Today's inputs give $5.74 per 1,000 views against the $1 target. To close it, 4.2% of videos go viral or the median video reaches 21,711 views. Those shares are assumptions the sliders expose.

Program facts

Geek Tropical creator engine, per month

Monthly cost: $10,050
Base pay: $10,000
Est. bonuses: $50
Videos / month: 303
Est. views / month: 1.8M
Cost per 1,000 views: $5.74

Above the $1 target at these inputs.

To hit $1, the roster needs about 10.1M views a month. That means about 4.2% of videos going viral, or a median near 22K views per video. That is why the day-90 gate exists: keep the accounts that clear it, replace the rest.

Proposed, not measured. Views = videos × median, breakouts at 10× the median, viral at 750K. Bonus: +$50 for a viral video, one per creator per month.

Part 11 of 14, continued

What moves the result

Cost per 1,000 views by median views per video
If the median is	Views / month	Monthly cost	Cost / 1K	Hits target
750	1.4M	$10,050	$6.96	No
1,500	1.8M	$10,050	$5.74	No
3,000	2.4M	$10,050	$4.24	No

Cost per 1,000 views by share of viral videos
If the viral share is	Views / month	Monthly cost	Cost / 1K	Hits target
0.3%	1.2M	$10,000	$8.44	No
0.5%	1.8M	$10,050	$5.74	No
1%	2.9M	$10,150	$3.52	No

The math. Videos a month = 10 creators × 7 a week × 52 ÷ 12 = 303. Views per video = (1 − 4% − 0.5%) × 1,500 + 4% × 10 × 1,500 + 0.5% × 750,000 = 5,782.5; 303 videos × 5,782.5 = 1.8M views a month. Cost = 10 × $1,000 = $10,000 base + 1 bonus × $50 = $10,050. Cost per 1,000 views = $10,050 ÷ 1.8M × 1,000 = $5.74 against a $1.00 target. To hit the target, either 4.2% of videos go viral or the median video reaches 21,711 views, other inputs held.

Move the sliders and the label recalculates. The result is only as good as the guesses behind it, so the median views, the share of breakouts and the share of viral videos are marked as Assumptions until the first month of posts replaces them.

Part 12 of 14

Phases

Creators live by week (proposed): 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10

0Wk 1
2Wk 2
4Wk 3
6Wk 4
8Wk 5
10Wk 6

Creator ramp by week
Item	Wk 1	Wk 2	Wk 3	Wk 4	Wk 5	Wk 6
Creators live	0	2	4	6	8	10
Videos a week	0	14	28	42	56	70
Base pay a month	$0	$2,000	$4,000	$6,000	$8,000	$10,000

Warm-up
Sheet, briefs, first creators
Claims sheet and Autumn Moth briefs ready first. Two creators go live each week: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 by week, ten live in six weeks.
Month 1
Seven videos each, kill losers
Seven videos per creator per week, one hook per test. Losers are killed early, the first hook library starts from what held attention.
Month 2
Double down on what works
The best formats from the library go back to every creator. Bands move only on posted videos and views, not on follower counts.
Month 3
Aim at the $1 target
Compare the real cost per 1,000 views with the $1 target and the $5.74 starting point. Cut formats and creators that sit far above it.
Day 90
Renew, reshape or stop
You get the numbers and my recommendation: keep the roster, change the bands, or stop. The decision is yours.
Monthly ceiling
$15,000 and no higher
All ten at the top cap, bonuses excluded, is $15,000. Going past it needs a new decision from you, not a quiet drift.

$15,000 Monthly ceiling, all 10 creators at the top cap, bonuses excluded Proposed

The roster grows by two creators a week, so hook performance can be read week over week instead of by anecdote.

Part 13 of 14

Reporting

Every Monday: videos posted against seven per creator, cost per 1,000 views against $1, top hooks, losers killed, bonus flags. One page, no chasing.

Creator engine, last 4 weeks

Target $1 per 1,000 organic views Illustrative

Creators reporting: 5
Posts last week: 32
Avg cost per 1,000 views: $8.94
Bonuses owed: $0
Keep / Watch / Replace: 1 / 1 / 3

Per-creator results, last four weeks, sorted by cost per 1,000 views
Creator	Band	Format	Posts	Median	Best	Cost / 1K	Bonus	Flags	Call
Creator A	Starter	Pattern guess	7	2.1K	25K	$3.37	$0	None	Keep
Creator B	Standard	Game night fit	7	1.4K	8.4K	$9.83	$0	Claim check	Replace
Creator C	Premium	Flat-lay pick	6	1.8K	54K	$7.94	$0	None	Watch
Creator D	Starter	Artist story	5	900	3.6K	$12.99	$0	Over cap?	Replace
Creator E	Standard	Arcade tropical	7	1.2K	11K	$10.59	$0	Release missing	Replace
All creators	not applicable	not applicable	32	1.5K	54K	$8.94	$0	not applicable	not applicable

Illustrative rows with invented creators, coherent with the pay bands above. Keep means the cost per 1,000 views is at or under the program average, Watch is up to half again over it, and Replace is anything higher.

Part 14 of 14

Category rules

Apparel with youth sizes, sun and eco wording

Geek Tropical sells fandom apparel from $25.00 hats to $48.00 long sleeve shirts. These six rules keep creators inside the brand's own wording.

Sun claims in the brand's words
Say only: UPF 50+ certified sun protection, blocks over 98% of UV rays, attributed to the brand. Never promise no burns, never speak of skin outcomes.
Eco claims verbatim
The brand says 97% recycled polyester with a lower carbon footprint than new polyester. Read it whole. Never say zero impact or fully sustainable.
Youth shirts: parent holds the camera
Youth Hawaiian Shirts are $35.00. A parent films and decides what the child shows. No sizing or safety promises, and no child alone on a brief.
Credit the artist, not the franchise
The site says designs are licensed and support the original artist. Name the artist when the product page does, and never imply the franchise endorses the video.
Offers only as written
Free shipping on orders of $75+ and the 10% first-purchase discount for subscribers. No invented codes, no delivery dates, no stacking promises.
Disclose every post
Each paid or gifted post carries the platform's partnership label in the first line. A post without it is pulled and earns no bonus.

The brand’s legal team sets the final rules. This is the operating floor I’d start from, not legal advice.

Want to see the first briefs?

Grab a time here

A rating creators can point to

A clear free shipping line

A first-order offer

One number to protect

One variable per test

Ramp, don't flood

Pay for work, bonus for breakouts

Pattern guess

Game night fit

Flat-lay pick

Artist story

Arcade tropical

Four sources in

Five filters, fewer each step

Tabletop game master

Cozy horror reader

Halloween all year

Gothic stylist

Curvy fashion creator

Parent of a young fan

Left off, every time

Approved, word for word

Never said

To confirm with the brand

Starter

Standard

Premium

Sheet, briefs, first creators

Seven videos each, kill losers

Double down on what works

Aim at the $1 target

Renew, reshape or stop

$15,000 and no higher

Apparel with youth sizes, sun and eco wording

Sun claims in the brand's words

Eco claims verbatim

Youth shirts: parent holds the camera

Credit the artist, not the franchise

Offers only as written

Disclose every post

Want to see the first briefs?