Bragster

Bragster was a London-based social media company that operated a global online community platform centered on user-generated dares and video proofs, or "brags."

The company was established in 2006 as Gottabet.com by co-founders Wim Vernaeve and Bertrand Bodson. Bodson's prior experience included roles at Amazon and Boston Consulting Group, and he held an MBA from Harvard Business School. Initially conceived to merge social networking with gambling, the business model pivoted to focus purely on dares and bragging rights, a move intended to better integrate corporate advertisers through sponsored challenges. This rebranding included changing the company's name to Bragster.

Bragster's platform allowed users to challenge each other to perform stunts, which were then validated by uploading photo or video evidence. This content fueled a competitive environment where participants earned medals and climbed rankings. The primary revenue stream was derived from creating branded content campaigns for major corporations. Companies like Adidas, Britvic (for its Tango drink), Lionsgate, and Hasbro engaged Bragster to develop viral marketing initiatives. A notable campaign involved daring Tango to produce 2.5 million upside-down cans, which featured the Bragster logo. Another promotion for the film "Crank: High Voltage" successfully dared a user to legally change his name to the film's protagonist, Chev Chelios, for a cash prize.

In February 2008, the company secured a significant milestone with a $3.5 million Series A investment led by Intel Capital. This funding supported its growth and solidified its market position, leading to a Red Herring 100 award in 2008 as a top technology company. By February 2010, Bragster was acquired by Guinness World Records (GWR), which aimed to expand its digital footprint. However, the integration proved challenging. A clash between Bragster's edgy user community and GWR's family-friendly brand image emerged, with users reportedly protesting changes by uploading videos of themselves burning GWR books. Consequently, GWR shut down the Bragster platform in August 2010.

Keywords: user-generated content, branded entertainment, viral marketing, dare community, social video platform, brand challenges, digital advertising, content marketing campaigns, social competition, online community, Guinness World Records acquisition, Intel Capital portfolio, Bertrand Bodson, Wim Vernaeve, Red Herring 100, sponsored content, social media marketing, stunt videos, brand engagement, London startup