Ryan Trahan Just Gave Us the Future of Marketing
And your 10-year-old is already taking notes.
If you have a 9–to 13-year-old in your house, then you already know who Ryan Trahan is.
Because every morning this summer at 9 a.m., kids across the country are racing to YouTube to catch the next episode of his latest series:
50 States in 50 Days.
Here’s the premise:
Ryan is traveling across all 50 states, staying in a different (and usually quirky or themed) Airbnb each night, creating and uploading a full video every single day — and raising money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital along the way.
And the numbers?
They’re wild.
-Every video gets 2 million+ views (some more than 4M).
-He’s already raised over $3 million for St. Jude — blowing past his original $1M goal.
-And he’s done it all while growing his following, promoting his own product, and collaborating with major brands and creators.
This is not just a fun YouTube series.
It’s a masterclass in the next generation of marketing.
It’s HEART Marketing in real time — and there’s so much we can learn from it.
What Is HEART Marketing?
HEART marketing is the opposite of “bro marketing.” It’s not built on pressure, FOMO, or fear. It’s rooted in connection, community, and content.
Here’s the framework I teach:
Hear – Understand what your audience wants and needs
Engage – Create content that draws them in and keeps them there
Assemble – Build a community and brand ecosystem
Rally – Invite people into a bigger mission or movement
Transform – Change how they see themselves, your brand, or the world
And that’s exactly what Ryan is doing — whether he knows it or not.
So let’s break it down. What can we learn from Ryan Trahan’s summer takeover? And how can you use the same strategies in your business, without needing 50 Airbnbs or a candy line?
1. Create a Signature Series
Ryan’s entire series is built on a simple but genius format:
Each day he travels to a new state, stays in a unique Airbnb, eats something local, buys his candy, and shares a piece of the experience — all while raising money.
Every video follows the same structure:
Leave the current Airbnb
Road trip montage
Arrive at the next Airbnb
Explore the local town or eat somewhere fun
Tour the Airbnb (sometimes in character, always creatively)
“Jammy time” and donation updates
End with a hook for tomorrow
It’s repeatable. It’s fun. It’s predictable in the best way.
And that’s what makes it so easy to keep watching — and sharing.
As a creator or business owner, you can do this too. A signature series:
Makes content easier to plan and produce
Builds anticipation and loyalty
Positions you as a leader in your niche
You’ve seen me do this with my Reel Love Challenge — where I post a reel every day for a month, giving you a trending hook and audio to use. You can do the same thing weekly, monthly, or for a set time period.
Give it a clear name. Make it consistent.
Let your audience know what to expect — and then deliver on it.
2. Lead With Personality, Not Perfection
One of the most charming things about Ryan’s content is that it’s so human.
He films everything on an iPhone. He’s a little awkward. He tells dumb jokes. He talks about how much he hates vegetables. And he makes it work.
In a sea of over-produced content, this is refreshing.
He’s not trying to look perfect — he’s just trying to be himself.
And guess what?
That’s what people connect with.
When you lead with your real voice, quirks, and point of view, you build trust. You give people something to root for. And you show them that showing up imperfectly is still powerful.
Whether you're posting Reels, newsletters, YouTube videos, or just writing captions — don’t wait to be perfect. Start with your personality.
3. Collaborate Often and Creatively
Ryan isn’t doing this alone. He’s invited dozens of others to join him — creators, brands, even everyday people.
Some standout collabs:
Dr. Mike gave him a luxury car and let him choose: drive it or sell it and donate the money. (He donated it.)
MrBeast kicked off the fundraising by donating $50,000.
A bike brand pledged $10,000 for every state Ryan rides their e-bike in (he brings it with him).
Fans and strangers submit challenges, dares, and donation incentives via social media.
The result?
His audience feels like they’re part of the journey. Brands get real visibility. And Ryan stays rooted in community, not just content.
You can collaborate too.
Who in your space could you team up with — for a giveaway, joint live, podcast series, or launch event?
Collaboration increases reach, builds trust faster, and lets you create something bigger than you.
4. Make the Mission Bigger Than You
This is one of the most powerful parts of the entire series.
Yes, Ryan’s staying in cool Airbnbs and eating at fun places.
But that’s not what’s driving the impact.
What’s driving the momentum is the mission:
Raise $1M for St. Jude’s.
That mission gives the content purpose. It gives the audience a reason to invest emotionally. And it creates a shared goal that turns watchers into participants.
Ryan’s created multiple ways to get involved:
A public donation leaderboard
Shoutouts for major donors
A “Wheel of Doom” that triggers when someone donates a big amount (he has to do something he dreads, like eating carrots)
A system where he donates a penny for every new follower he gets
He’s made it so everyone can play a part — even if all they can do is watch, follow, or share.
What would it look like to rally your audience around something greater than just your business?
What cause or mission could you invite them into?
Remember: people want to buy from brands that make them feel like they’re doing something good.
5. Master the Art of Product Placement
Ryan has a better-for-you candy brand. And it shows up in every episode — but not like an ad.
He weaves it in.
He goes to 7-Eleven or Target, buys it, eats it on camera, jokes about it, shares it with strangers.
And because you’ve been watching his journey, when he finds the candy in-store, you’re like, “Yes! He found it!”
You’re rooting for him and his product.
That’s what product placement should be:
Casual, personal, story-driven, and integrated into the experience.
He’s also partnered with brands (like the e-bike company) in a way that makes the sponsorships part of the content, not an interruption.
In your own content, think less “promo” and more “placement.”
Show, don’t sell. Weave your product into your daily content. Let your audience see it in action, used by real people (you, your clients, your family).
Marketing today is about being real, not being loud.
6. Build the System to Make It Happen
Let’s not overlook what it takes to pull this off.
Ryan is traveling cross-country while uploading a full video every 24 hours.
That’s not just creativity — that’s infrastructure.
He and his wife film each day’s video on an iPhone.
They upload the raw footage to a shared cloud drive.
Their editing team gets to work — cuts the video, adds graphics, syncs audio, and uploads it to YouTube the next morning.
Then they do it all again. 50 times.
Without that system, this project would be impossible.
And honestly? It’s a reminder that most of us don’t need to work harder — we need to work smarter.
So ask yourself:
What kind of system would make your content easier to manage?
What could you batch in advance?
What templates or formats would help you move faster?
What could you delegate to a VA, editor, or scheduler?
Content creation at this level requires planning.
Consistency is not about hustle.
It’s about building the machine that makes it possible.
7. Ryan Trahan Is Doing HEART Marketing
Let’s map what he’s doing to the HEART framework:
Hear – He knows what his audience loves: road trips, jokes, Airbnbs, heartwarming stories
Engage – Daily videos, donation incentives, collabs, candy hunts — they keep people watching
Assemble – Creators, fans, brands, and donors are all part of this journey
Rally – He’s united everyone around the goal of helping kids with cancer
Transform – Viewers become part of a movement. And marketing becomes something you want to watch
Your Turn
You may not be staying in 50 Airbnbs or raising $3M, but you can take this playbook and apply it to your own brand.
Here’s where to start:
Name and launch your own signature content series
Show up with your real voice and style
Partner with aligned creators or businesses
Connect your brand to a cause bigger than yourself
Weave your product into your storytelling
Build a repeatable system so you can create with ease
Ryan Trahan is showing us the future of content, marketing, and mission-driven influence — and he’s doing it with heart.
So tell me…
What’s your version of the 50 States Series?