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Great Big Story

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uuid0002ure

Namestring
Great Big Story
Company typeenum
Private
Founded yearint
2015
Descriptiontext

Great Big Story is a private, for-profit digital media company founded in 2015 and headquartered in New York. Per its stated positioning, the company is devoted to cinematic short-form storytelling aimed at a global digital audience. Its core product is a library of video stories produced and distributed through digital channels, consistent with the short-form video media category that scaled rapidly in the mid-2010s via social platform distribution.

The company was co-founded by Andrew Morse and Chris Berend (who also serves as Chief Evangelist), with Courtney Coupe heading the Great Big Story unit. It has 11–50 employees as of the latest firmographic snapshot. The only disclosed capital event is a $40,000,000 funding round dated June 20, 2017; investors and lead investor are not specified in the available data.

The business model, pricing, customer mix, distribution specifics, product surface area, and technology stack are not characterized in the input data — the company website source returned only a verification/loading screen rather than substantive content. Revenue mechanics, advertiser relationships, and any platform partnerships are therefore undetermined. The investment-relevant conclusion is that Great Big Story's fundamentals cannot be fully verified from the provided sources, and any diligence beyond the founding, leadership, and single 2017 raise would require primary research.

Short descriptiontext

Great Big Story is a private digital media company founded in 2015 in New York that produces short-form cinematic video stories for a global online audience. It operates with 11–50 employees and was last capitalized with a $40M round in 2017.

Ownership categoryenum
Headcount rangeband
11–50
akta.pro rankint
HeadquartersNew York, United States
HQ citystring
New York
HQ countrystring
United States
HQ regionstring
North America
Markets served

Serves global market

Keyword5 values
branded video content, digital storytelling, video production, short-form video, online media
Industry3 codes
1Branded Documentary / Nonfiction (Corporate & NGO)
CodeMPADADAKPrimaryYes
2Feature-Length Documentaries
CodeMPADADAAPrimaryNo
3Event & Experiential Brand Coverage (Recaps, Sizzle Reels)
CodeMPADAEAFPrimaryNo
NAICS code2 codes
  • Motion Picture and Video Industries5121
  • Broadcasting and Content Providers516
Product category
Digital Video Content
Social media profiles2 records
Cost components4 values
Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
GTM typeB2B
B2B
Offering typeDigital Commerce or Conte…
Digital Commerce or Content
Core offering1 text field

Great Big Story is a media company that produces and distributes cinematic, short-form video storytelling content aimed at a global audience. The company develops original video stories covering a range of human-interest and cultural topics for distribution through digital and social channels.

Differentiator
Functional benefit
Problem solved
Product and service1 record
1Cinematic Short-Form Video Stories
CategoryDigital Video Media
Description

Original cinematic, short-form video stories covering human-interest, cultural, and global topics, produced for distribution across digital and social media platforms to reach a global generation of viewers and brand partners.

Recent move3 records

Each record includes

Date, Type, Title, Description, Source

Expansion highlight1 record

Each record includes

Type, Description

Peers10 records
TypeDirect peer
Description

ATTN: produces short-form video content aimed at millennial and Gen Z audiences on social platforms. Directly comparable to Great Big Story in target demographic, distribution approach, and short-form factual storytelling format.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

BBC StoryWorks is BBC's branded content division producing cinematic, documentary-style storytelling for global brands. Directly comparable to Great Big Story in producing premium branded documentary content for advertisers worldwide.

TypeDirect peer
Description

NowThis creates mobile-first short-form news and documentary video content for social platforms with strong branded content partnerships. Closely mirrors Great Big Story's cinematic short-form factual video focus and advertiser-supported business model.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Insider Studios produces branded documentary and video content for advertisers through Business Insider's editorial infrastructure. Comparable as a high-production branded video studio targeting similar premium brand clients.

5USAF Network (Kin)
TypeEmerging player
Description

Kin is a creator-led branded content network producing short-form documentary and editorial video for advertisers. Comparable to Great Big Story as a newer entrant in the branded cinematic storytelling space.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Condé Nast's video and branded content division produces documentary-style video across its portfolio of lifestyle publications. Compares to Great Big Story in producing high-production branded video for premium brand partners.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Vox Media's branded content arm produces cinematic sponsored editorial and video content for major advertisers. Comparable to Great Big Story as a competing branded documentary/storytelling studio serving global brands with premium editorial production.

TypeEmerging player
Description

VR and immersive content studio creating cinematic narrative experiences. Compares to Great Big Story as a content production company focused on premium storytelling formats with brand-sponsored projects.

9Apt Studio (formerly BBC Studios branded)
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

BBC Studios' commercial content arm produces branded and factual content for global advertisers. Comparable to Great Big Story in producing documentary-style branded content for international brand budgets.

TypeBroad incumbent
Description

The Atlantic's branded content division produces long-form and video storytelling for premium advertisers. Comparable to Great Big Story in producing high-quality branded editorial content with a cinematic sensibility.

Market position
Strengths3 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Weaknesses4 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Competitive moat2 records

Each record includes

Type, Details

Key risks4 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Key highlights4 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Customer concentration

Classification, Details

Ideal customer profile2 records

Each record includes

Profile, Firmographic size, Sales motion, Sales cycle length, Buying structure, Purchase trigger, Buyer persona, Geography, Industry vertical, Primary use case, Description, Pain points, Evidence proof points, Target buyer

Technology focused
No
API detail
Has APIbool
No

Docs URL, Description

AI maturity
App detail

Has app

Core technology
Revenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Number of profiles
Profiles3 records

Each record includes

Name, Designation, Designation category, Overview, Profile commentary, Source

No data
No data
Funding overview

Funding stage, Last funding date, Total funding USD

Funding rounds1 record

Each record includes

Round, Amount USD, Date, Pre money valuation, Total investors, Investors, News

Investors

Each record includes

Name, Type, Date of entry, Rounds participated, Website

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Each record includes

Name, Acquisition type, Announced date, Completed date, Status, Website, News

Investment

Each record includes

Name, Round, Announced date, Lead investor, Website, News

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Great Big Story

Digital Video Contentgreatbigstory.com

Great Big Story is a private digital media company founded in 2015 in New York that produces short-form cinematic video stories for a global online audience. It operates with 11–50 employees and was last capitalized with a $40M round in 2017.

What Great Big Story does

Great Big Story is a private, for-profit digital media company founded in 2015 and headquartered in New York. Per its stated positioning, the company is devoted to cinematic short-form storytelling aimed at a global digital audience. Its core product is a library of video stories produced and distributed through digital channels, consistent with the short-form video media category that scaled rapidly in the mid-2010s via social platform distribution.

The company was co-founded by Andrew Morse and Chris Berend (who also serves as Chief Evangelist), with Courtney Coupe heading the Great Big Story unit. It has 11–50 employees as of the latest firmographic snapshot. The only disclosed capital event is a $40,000,000 funding round dated June 20, 2017; investors and lead investor are not specified in the available data.

The business model, pricing, customer mix, distribution specifics, product surface area, and technology stack are not characterized in the input data — the company website source returned only a verification/loading screen rather than substantive content. Revenue mechanics, advertiser relationships, and any platform partnerships are therefore undetermined. The investment-relevant conclusion is that Great Big Story's fundamentals cannot be fully verified from the provided sources, and any diligence beyond the founding, leadership, and single 2017 raise would require primary research.

Great Big Story firmographics

Firmographics
Name
Great Big Story
Website
https://greatbigstory.com
Company type
Private
Founded year
2015
Headcount range
11–50 employees
Short description
Great Big Story is a private digital media company founded in 2015 in New York that produces short-form cinematic video stories for a global online audience. It operates with 11–50 employees and was last capitalized with a $40M round in 2017.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Great Big Story industry classification

Industry
Product category
Digital Video Content
NAICS
Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)
akta.pro primary industry
Branded Documentary / Nonfiction (Corporate & NGO) (MPADADAK)
akta.pro secondary industries
Feature-Length Documentaries (MPADADAA), Event & Experiential Brand Coverage (Recaps, Sizzle Reels) (MPADAEAF)

Keywords

  • Branded video content
  • Digital storytelling
  • Video production
  • Short-form video
  • Online media

Where Great Big Story is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city
New York
HQ country
United States
HQ region
North America

Markets served

Great Big Story business model

Business model
GTM type
B2B
Offering type
Digital Commerce or Content
Cost components
Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Great Big Story product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Great Big Story is a media company that produces and distributes cinematic, short-form video storytelling content aimed at a global audience. The company develops original video stories covering a range of human-interest and cultural topics for distribution through digital and social channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

  • Cinematic Short-Form Video Stories Original cinematic, short-form video stories covering human-interest, cultural, and global topics, produced for distribution across digital and social media platforms to reach a global generation of viewers and brand partners.

Companies that use Great Big Story

Customer profile

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Great Big Story technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API
No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Great Big Story partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights1 record

Great Big Story competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

  • ATTN: ATTN: produces short-form video content aimed at millennial and Gen Z audiences on social platforms. Directly comparable to Great Big Story in target demographic, distribution approach, and short-form factual storytelling format.
  • NowThis: NowThis creates mobile-first short-form news and documentary video content for social platforms with strong branded content partnerships. Closely mirrors Great Big Story's cinematic short-form factual video focus and advertiser-supported business model.

Broad incumbents

  • BBC StoryWorks: BBC StoryWorks is BBC's branded content division producing cinematic, documentary-style storytelling for global brands. Directly comparable to Great Big Story in producing premium branded documentary content for advertisers worldwide.
  • Insider (formerly Business Insider) Studios: Insider Studios produces branded documentary and video content for advertisers through Business Insider's editorial infrastructure. Comparable as a high-production branded video studio targeting similar premium brand clients.
  • Condé Nast Entertainment: Condé Nast's video and branded content division produces documentary-style video across its portfolio of lifestyle publications. Compares to Great Big Story in producing high-production branded video for premium brand partners.
  • Vox Media Brand Studio: Vox Media's branded content arm produces cinematic sponsored editorial and video content for major advertisers. Comparable to Great Big Story as a competing branded documentary/storytelling studio serving global brands with premium editorial production.
  • Apt Studio (formerly BBC Studios branded): BBC Studios' commercial content arm produces branded and factual content for global advertisers. Comparable to Great Big Story in producing documentary-style branded content for international brand budgets.
  • The Atlantic Brand Studio (Re:think): The Atlantic's branded content division produces long-form and video storytelling for premium advertisers. Comparable to Great Big Story in producing high-quality branded editorial content with a cinematic sensibility.

Emerging players

  • USAF Network (Kin): Kin is a creator-led branded content network producing short-form documentary and editorial video for advertisers. Comparable to Great Big Story as a newer entrant in the branded cinematic storytelling space.
  • Mighty Coconut: VR and immersive content studio creating cinematic narrative experiences. Compares to Great Big Story as a content production company focused on premium storytelling formats with brand-sponsored projects.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

Great Big Story social profiles

Digital presence

Great Big Story financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Great Big Story leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Great Big Story funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Great Big Story M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Great Big Story

What does Great Big Story do?

Great Big Story is a media company that produces and distributes cinematic, short-form video storytelling content aimed at a global audience. The company develops original video stories covering a range of human-interest and cultural topics for distribution through digital and social channels.

Is Great Big Story a public or private company?

Great Big Story is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed.

When was Great Big Story founded?

Great Big Story was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.

Where is Great Big Story based?

Great Big Story is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.

Who are Great Big Story's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are ATTN: and NowThis. Broad incumbents are BBC StoryWorks, Insider (formerly Business Insider) Studios, Condé Nast Entertainment, Vox Media Brand Studio, Apt Studio (formerly BBC Studios branded) and The Atlantic Brand Studio (Re:think). Emerging players are USAF Network (Kin) and Mighty Coconut.

Does Great Big Story have an API?

No public API is recorded for Great Big Story.

What industry is Great Big Story in?

Great Big Story's product category is Digital Video Content. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADADAK, Branded Documentary / Nonfiction (Corporate & NGO), with a secondary code of MPADADAA, Feature-Length Documentaries. Its NAICS code is 5121.

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Live signals
MediaguidesNew Revenue Models for Media CompaniesMedia companies are transitioning from declining traditional advertising revenue to new digital revenue models such as subscriptions and partnerships. The New York Times is cited as a successful example of this shift, having achieved robust growth in digital subscription revenue. Additionally, collaborations like CNN's partnership with Great Big Story are highlighted as strategies to reach younger audiences and diversify income streams.PR NewswireLove Has No Labels Celebrates Fourth Anniversary with Original Two-Part Facebook Documentary Series in Partnership with Great Big Story Featuring Stories of Unity in the Wake of CrisisThe Ad Council, in partnership with Facebook and Great Big Story, premiered the first installment of a two-part Facebook Anthology docuseries celebrating the fourth anniversary of the Love Has No Labels campaign, featuring stories of diverse individuals forming friendships during crises such as Hurricane Harvey and the Pulse nightclub shooting. The series, hosted by Jay Shetty and produced by Great Big Story's brand studio Courageous, aims to encourage inclusive behavior and unity. The campaign also partnered with Grammy-nominated artist Lukas Graham and Warner Bros. Records to release a special music video version of "Love Someone" on February 14th.VarietyAdvertisers Start to Sniff Out CNN’s Great Big StoryCNN's streaming hub Great Big Story is launching advertiser-sponsored content, including three short films from General Electric and an eight-part series "The Dreamers" sponsored by Hewlett Packard Enterprise, set to appear Thursday. Co-founder Chris Berend said the site produces three to five vignettes daily, reaching about 25 million unique weekly views, and is signing over-the-top broadband deals.