Houseplant, creator engine

Ten creators for Houseplant's shelf

Seven videos per creator per week, ten creators by week 10. Ceramics, candles and rugs shot in real rooms, with a claims sheet built from your own lines.

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

The Mini Ashtray lives on my bookshelf now

Illustrative post: a creator films the Mini Ashtray and its little plate/coaster on a shelf, says one hook, and names the price of $70.00.

Illustrative post

Summary

Creator engine summary
Roster	Ten creators, live by week 10	Two creators a week for six weeks: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. Losers are replaced early.
Who	Home, design and ritual creators	People who already show objects in rooms: shelves, tables, rugs, candles. Not smoking influencers.
Production	7 videos per creator per week	303 creator videos a month at 10 creators. One hook, one product, one variable per test.
Pay	Three bands, flat pay plus a cap	Flat pay from $300 to $800, caps from $600 to $1,500. Ceiling of $15,000 with all ten at the top cap.
Bonus	At the cap, plus $50 past 100,000 views	Cap bonus of $300, $500 or $700 by band. One $50 bonus per creator per month, organic views only.
Compliance	Claims sheet in every brief	Creators quote only your own lines. Every draft is checked against the sheet before it posts.
Category rule	Objects on camera, no health claims	Legal-age audience only, no use shown, no outcomes promised. Six rules in the category tab.
Goal	$1 per 1,000 views	The simulator shows $5.74 today on Assumptions. It needs 4.2% of videos to go viral or a median of 21,711 views.
Report	Every Monday, one page	Hooks ranked, cost per 1,000 views against $1, the videos to push to paid and the ones I killed.
Decision	Approve the first two creators	Two creators go live in the first week. If the hooks lose, I change them before I add the next two.

Part 1 of 13, 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 13

History

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 creators and paid ads as one engine: many cheap tests, losers killed early, winners moved to paid. I would run the same loop for Houseplant's ceramics, candles and rugs. I have not run a lifestyle or smoking-accessories brand, so the first month is learning, and I will say so in the reports.

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 13

Why now

201
reviews on the Ashtray Set by Seth
The Ashtray Set by Seth ($98.00) carries 201 reviews on the site. That is a ready pile of buyer language for creator hooks.
Published
155
reviews on the Glass Grinder
The Glass Grinder ($95.00) shows 155 reviews. A product with that much proof is a safe place to start a creator test.
Published
106
reviews on the Standing Ashtray
The Standing Ashtray ($295.00) has 106 reviews. A high price point with buyer proof is a good fit for a creator walking through a room.
Published

Part 4 of 13

Principles

One number to protect: $1 per 1,000 views
Every format, creator and bonus is judged against the $1 target. If a video does not move cost per 1,000 views, it does not get a second brief.
Seven videos per creator per week
Volume is how we find hooks. Ten creators at seven a week gives 303 videos a month, enough to see which Houseplant lines carry a video.
Your lines, not mine
Creators quote the claims sheet. They never improvise about smoking, effects or health. A draft that breaks the sheet goes back unpaid for the bonus.
Ramp slowly, cut early
Two creators a week, six weeks, ten at the top. Anyone whose first videos lose on hook is replaced before the next pair goes live.

Part 4 of 13, continued

One channel for everything

#briefs

Briefs, drafts, reviews and the weekly numbers

Illustrative

MartaMon 8:30 AM
This week's brief: the Mini Ashtray and its little plate/coaster. Shoot it on a real shelf, one hook, claims sheet open beside you.
TheoMon 9:10 AM
Can I say the candle will help me unwind after work?
Marta: Not in your words. Quote the notes only: Bergamot · Jasmine · Sandalwood. No outcomes, no health talk.
Weekly botAppFri 4:00 PM
Weekly report posted: videos logged per creator, hooks ranked, cost per 1,000 views against the $1 target, and the formats to cut.
MartaTue 11:15 AM
Ines, your draft goes back. A hand holding a roll-up is in the first shot. Reshoot with the object only, then resend.
Ines: Understood. Reshooting the ashtray on the side table, no hands, back to you tonight.
TrackerAppWed 6:45 PM
Theo's candle video passed 100,000 views on organic reach only. A $50 flat bonus is queued for review. One bonus per creator per month.
MartaThu 10:00 AM
Check before you post: is the legal-age line in the caption, and does every claim match the sheet word for word?
Theo: Both done. Caption has the age line and only sheet language. Posting at noon.

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 13

Formats

Brief 01
Lighter in the pocket
“A lighter you won't wanna lose.”
Show The Sidekick Lighter ($5.00) in your hand beside keys and a wallet. Pick a colour on camera. Object only.
Brief 02
Mini ashtray on a shelf
“Multi- use? Groovy, dude.”
Place the Mini Ashtray on a shelf, then show its plate/coaster on the side table. Natural light, one slow pan.
Brief 03
Candle at wind-down
“Gloops never smelt this good.”
Close-up of the Gloopy Candle vessel on a table. Read the notes from the sheet. No effects or mood claims.
Brief 04
Basement tour
“Take it Downstairs”
Walk a basement or den and name three Houseplant pieces in the room, each with its price. Hold each shot a beat.
Brief 05
Rug underfoot
“A high / low situation.”
Film the Gloopy Rug - 6' Round from above, then at floor level. Pair it with one object on a table. Say the price.

Every product line in a video comes off the claims sheet word for word, for example “A lighter you won't wanna lose.”, “13oz · Two-Wick · Gloopy Ceramic Vessel”, “Fragrance notes: Bergamot · Jasmine · Sandalwood”. Product names are said as printed.

Part 6 of 13

Recruiting

Four sources in

Home and interior creators
People who already film shelves, side tables and rugs. Houseplant sells ceramics, rugs and furniture, so a room tour is native to them.
Ceramics and design makers
Potters, collectors and vintage-object people who can speak to the ceramics and the Seth's vintage collection inspiration.
Existing buyers
Customers who already post their Ashtray Set or Glass Grinder. I would ask them to join as a first test, never assume they will.
Affiliate or ambassador page
I did not find an affiliate or ambassador page on the site. That means no existing creator list, so we start from zero.

Five filters, fewer each step

1Object-first feed
Their last videos show home objects and rooms, not people consuming anything.
2Legal-age audience
Their audience skews adult and they do not target minors.
3Reads a brief
Sends a clean first draft that follows the claims sheet without a second ask.
4Voice that sounds like them
Hooks come out natural, not like a script. Houseplant's tone is playful, so the creator should be too.
5Fast turnaround
Can ship seven videos in a week. Slow starters are replaced before the next pair goes live.

Part 7 of 13

Who

Shelf stylist
Films bookshelves and side tables. A small object that lives anywhere fits her style.
Likely product: The Mini Ashtray by Seth 3.0
Evening-ritual creator
Soft-lit room videos about the end of the day. She reads the scent notes from the sheet.
Likely product: The Gloopy Candle - 13oz
Rug and colour nerd
Builds whole rooms around one loud floor piece and talks about colour.
Likely product: Gloopy Rug - 6' Round
Scent and incense fan
Shows small home fragrance for entryways and desks without making effects claims.
Likely product: Droplet Reed Diffuser
Plant-and-planter person
Houseplants in loud ceramics. The name Houseplant is already a hook for them.
Likely product: The Gloopy Planter Set
Den and basement decorator
Tours a lower-level room and fills it with a chair and a few pieces.
Likely product: Director's Chair

Left off, every time

Always left out: anyone who targets minors, anyone who shows smoking or use on camera, anyone who makes health or effect claims, and anyone who will not use the claims sheet. The category rule beats reach every time.

Part 8 of 13

Claims

Approved, word for word

Quoted exactly as the brand publishes it.

“A lighter you won't wanna lose.”
Lighter hook; say it with The Sidekick Lighter on screen.
“13oz · Two-Wick · Gloopy Ceramic Vessel”
Candle specs in captions and voiceover.
“Fragrance notes: Bergamot · Jasmine · Sandalwood”
Candle scent line; read as written.
“A mini version of the Ashtray by Seth 3.0.”
Intro line for the Mini Ashtray video.
“Inspired by Seth's vintage collection”
Stacking Ashtray origin line, spoken as written.
“Ceramics, Home Goods & Accessories”
Brand descriptor in bios and captions.

Never said

Each one with the reason it stays out.

This candle helps you relax or sleep
A health or effect outcome; only the brand's own wording is allowed.
Seth Rogen personally recommends this
A name mention is not an endorsement.
Better than other ashtray brands
No comparison is on the claims sheet.
Every product has five-star reviews
Ratings differ by product, so this is false.
Free shipping on everything
No free-shipping rule was found on the site.
Use code for a discount today
No creator code or offer exists in what I collected.

To confirm with the brand

Held until someone on the brand side signs off.

Welcome discount exclusions
The site has a first-purchase offer page. Confirm exactly which items are excluded before creators mention it.
Shipping outside the United States
The site shows a Canada option as well as the US. Confirm what creators can say for Canadian viewers.

Part 9 of 13

Pay

Starter
$300–600
a month, by band
Starter band: new creators with a clean feed and a first test; pay is flat and capped low.
Bonus at the cap: $300
Standard
$500–1,000
a month, by band
Standard band: creators whose first videos hold their hooks; flat pay and a higher cap.
Bonus at the cap: $500
Premium
$800–1,500
a month, by band
Premium band: the few who keep winning on cost per 1,000 views; the highest pay and cap.
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 cap bonus per creator per month. It pays only when the creator hits the band's cap.
The $50 video bonus applies per video, once the video passes 100,000 views. Still one bonus per creator per month.
Only organic views count toward any bonus. Views bought by paid spend do not.
No bonus on a video that broke the claims sheet or the category rule, even if it took off.

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 10 of 13

Simulator

Today's simulator result is $5.74 per 1,000 views against $1. It would need 4.2% of videos to go viral, or a median of 21,711 views.

Program facts

Houseplant 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 10 of 13, 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 11 of 13

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
Claims sheet and first two
Finish the claims sheet from the site's own lines, send the first brief and put the first two creators live. Nothing posts before the sheet is signed off.
Month 1
Ramp to ten
Two creators a week, six weeks, to ten live. Seven videos per creator per week. Kill the weakest hooks early.
Month 2
Cut to the winners
Keep the hooks that beat the median. Move creators between bands. Pick the first videos to send to paid.
Month 3
Scale what works
Brief more creators on the best two formats. Retest the losing products with a different hook.
Day 90
Honest review
One page: cost per 1,000 views against $1, which creators stay, which formats die, and whether to continue.
Monthly ceiling
$15,000 cap on creator pay
With all ten at the top cap and bonuses excluded, the most this program can cost in a month is $15,000.

$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 12 of 13

Report

Every Monday: videos live, cost per 1,000 views against $1, the hooks ranked, the creators I would cut and the videos worth testing in paid.

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	Lighter in the pocket	7	2.1K	25K	$3.37	$0	None	Keep
Creator B	Standard	Mini ashtray on a shelf	7	1.4K	8.4K	$9.83	$0	Claim check	Replace
Creator C	Premium	Candle at wind-down	6	1.8K	54K	$7.94	$0	None	Watch
Creator D	Starter	Basement tour	5	900	3.6K	$12.99	$0	Over cap?	Replace
Creator E	Standard	Rug underfoot	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 13 of 13

Want to see the first briefs?

Grab a time here

reviews on the Ashtray Set by Seth

reviews on the Glass Grinder

reviews on the Standing Ashtray

One number to protect: $1 per 1,000 views

Seven videos per creator per week

Your lines, not mine

Ramp slowly, cut early

Lighter in the pocket

Mini ashtray on a shelf

Candle at wind-down

Basement tour

Rug underfoot

Four sources in

Five filters, fewer each step

Shelf stylist

Evening-ritual creator

Rug and colour nerd

Scent and incense fan

Plant-and-planter person

Den and basement decorator

Left off, every time

Approved, word for word

Never said

To confirm with the brand

Starter

Standard

Premium

Claims sheet and first two

Ramp to ten

Cut to the winners

Scale what works

Honest review

$15,000 cap on creator pay

Rules for a smoking-accessories lifestyle brand

Legal-age audience only

Show objects, not use

No health claims

No unverified offers

Respect shipping limits

Platform rules come first

Want to see the first briefs?