Whalerock Industries
| Company type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Media and technology |
| Founded | January 2014 |
| Founder | Lloyd Braun |
| Headquarters | West Hollywood, California , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Lloyd Braun (Founder) |
| Products | Multimedia applications, content development (film, television, theater), custom emoji keyboards |
Whalerock Industries Holding Company, LLC, commonly referred to as Whalerock Industries, is a privately held American company specializing in media and technology, headquartered in West Hollywood, California. Established in 2014 by Lloyd Braun, Whalerock collaborates with celebrities and brands to develop and manage direct-to-consumer multimedia applications that integrate music, video, live streaming, e-commerce, and gaming features. Among its prominent collaborators are Sirius XM, Howard Stern, Warner Bros., Pottermore, MTV, Comedy Central, CMT, MSN, Microsoft, the Kardashian/Jenner sisters, and Tyler the Creator. These platforms have been recognized by Wired for enabling artists to gain enhanced control and revenue streams while delivering exclusive content to their most dedicated fans.
In addition to app creation, Whalerock develops content across film, television, and theater, as well as designing custom emoji keyboards for notable clients including Kim Kardashian (Kimoji), the Los Angeles Lakers (Showtime! Stickers), Ellen DeGeneres (Emoji Exploji), and the NFL Players Association (Any Given Emoji).
History
Whalerock Industries was launched in January 2014 by Lloyd Braun, who formerly served as president of Brillstein-Grey Entertainment, chairman of the ABC Entertainment Group, and led the Yahoo! Media Group. As early as 2005, Braun anticipated that celebrities would increasingly connect directly with their audiences online, circumventing traditional television platforms. By 2015, he was bringing this concept to fruition through mobile applications and over-the-top internet distribution methods that operated independently from conventional networks or dominant social media platforms.
The company was formed following Braun’s acquisition of full ownership of BermanBraun, a media production firm he co-founded with Gail Berman. In 2015, GF Capital invested by purchasing a minority interest; MGM extended its television and film partnership with Whalerock; and the company introduced direct-to-consumer over-the-top media hubs. The following year, minority ownership was also acquired by Insight Partners.
In September 2018, RockYou purchased Mom.me and Purple Clover from Whalerock for an undisclosed amount.
Film and television
- Nuts + Bolts (television)
- Battlebots (television)
- The Jellies! (television)
- The Addams Family (film)