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Wah!Banana

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Wah!Banana is a YouTube channel based in Singapore that is best known for its comedy skits. As of February 2020, Wah!Banana has more than 1,300,000 subscribers on YouTube with a weekly average of over 2,000,000 views.[1][2] The channel has also accumulated more than 143,000 followers on Instagram[3] and 203,000 followers on Facebook.[4] Wah!Banana was founded in 2012 as a trademark channel under Garena.[5] In 2016, it became the trademark YouTube channel for 01 Studio Private Limited.[6] Wah!Banana has collaborated with YouTubers like Wong Fu productions, Chubby Ninja, Night Owl Cinematics, Dee Kosh and Thomas Kopankiewicz.

With more than a million subscribers, Wah!Banana is one of the most subscribed to YouTube channels in Singapore.

Background

 
The cast of Wah!Banana pictured in 2017. Photo from Forbes.

Early years

The founding management team of Wah!Banana consisted of Janice Wong, Aaron Khoo, Elliot Lucas Marcell Tan,[7] Xiong Lingyi[8] and Jason Hau.[9] By August 2013, the YouTube channel had a following of 100,000 subscribers.[10] In January 2014, the original cast consisting of Aaron, Elliot and Janice left Garena to start up the YouTube channel - TreePotatoes.[11]

New owners (2016)

 
Lingyi, the co-founder and primary producer of Wah!Banana. Photo from SHOUT.

Xiong Lingyi bought over Wah!Banana when she founded her own media company - 01 Studio Private Limited - in March 2016.[12] Since then, Lingyi and Jason have been leading Wah!Banana's content production in their capacity as Producer and Creative Director respectively.[13] Wah!Banana's cast has also expanded to include personalities such as Eden Ang, Kishan and Audrey.

Business model

Wah!Banana initially made profits using Google AdSense, where their YouTube videos were monetised through advertisements.[14] However, YouTube advertising alone did not generate enough revenue to sustain the company. In a 2017 interview with Forbes, Lingyi shared that they also advertised on Facebook, among other social media platforms, to gain traction for the Wah!Banana brand.[15] With an established online following, Wah!Banana secured paying clients through branded videos and native advertising.[16]


Wah!Banana’s first client was IKEA in 2013.[17] Over the years, Wah!Banana has worked with a variety of notable travel, lifestyle, beauty and fashion brands like Airbnb, Disney, UNIQLO, UOB and Resorts World Singapore.[18] More recently, Wah!Banana partnered with the Health Promotion Board (HPB) in 2019 to promote the National Steps Challenge campaign.[19]

Content growth

 
Wah!Banana's "The New Guy in Town" won Best Singapore Online Video in the “My Singapore Future” Micro Film Competition (2017).

Comedy YouTube channel

Under Garena, Wah!Banana was primarily a gaming YouTube channel producing gaming-related comedies. Their content has evolved over the years to include comedy skits inspired by trending topics and pop-culture.[20] This ensured that their content remains relatable to the majority of Singaporeans. In 2018, about 40% of the channel's viewers are based in Singapore.[21] It also has an international viewership from countries like the US, UK, Australia, Hong Kong and the Philippines.[22]

Wah!Banana Too (2017)

In January 2017, Wah!Banana debuted its sister YouTube channel - “Wah!banana Too”. Wah!Banana Too differs from the main channel in that it uploads lifestyle,[23] travel[24] and entertainment videos compared to just comedy skits. It also occasionally uploads behind-the-scenes footage[25] and more informal videos featuring the cast members.[26] As of February 2020, the channel has 115,000 subscribers with a weekly average of 300,000 views.[27]

Awards & accolades

Year Awarding Organisation Event Award Title Refs.
2018 YouTube - YouTube Gold Play Button [28]
2017 Gushcloud Influence Asia 2017 Top YouTube Channel [29]
Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Association (SFCCA) “My Singapore Future” Micro Film Competition Best Singapore Online Video Award [30][31]
2015 Singapore Media Awards (SMA) Singapore Social Media Awards Comedy Video of the Year [32]

Charitable partnerships & advocacy

Year Organisation Event Refs.
2018 Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) Suicide Prevention Day 2018 [33]
2016 World Wildlife Federation (WWF) Sustainable Seafood Challenge [34]
2015 KindnessInspired and Make a Wish Foundation Malaysia Fundraising @ Sunway Pyramid, Kuala Lumpur [35]

References / Citations

  1. ↑ Wah!Banana. YouTube. Accessed on 17 February 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/user/wahbanana/videos
  2. ↑ Wah!Banana. Socialblade. Accessed on 17 February 2020. Retrieved from: https://socialblade.com/youtube/user/wahbanana
  3. ↑ Wahbananasg. Instagram. Accessed on 17 February 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.instagram.com/wahbananasg/
  4. ↑ WahBanana. Facebook. Accessed on 17 February 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.facebook.com/pg/WahBananaSG/about/?ref=page_internal
  5. ↑ Goody Feed Team. “10 Relatively Unknown Facts About Wah!banana You Should Really Know Now”. Goody Feed. May 18, 2016. Accessed on 31 January 2020.
  6. ↑ Xiong Lingyi. LinkedIn. Accessed on 17 February 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lingyi-xiong-2705326b/?originalSubdomain=sg
  7. ↑ Wan, Munirah. “We had a chat with Foxy and Djehuty from Wah! Banana. And we asked them about their love for bananas too!” YouthSG. March 22, 2013. Accessed on 17 February 2020.
  8. ↑ Xiong Lingyi. LinkedIn. Accessed on 17 February 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lingyi-xiong-2705326b/?originalSubdomain=sg
  9. ↑ Jason Hau. LinkedIn. Accessed on 17 February 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-hau-30583250/
  10. ↑ Tang, Nicholas. “Interview with Aaron Khoo (Djehuty) of Wah!Banana”. TheSmartLocal. August 11, 2013. Accessed on 26 June 2019.
  11. ↑ TreePotatoes. “Why We Left (Tree Potatoes AMA)”. YouTube. January 13, 2014. Accessed on 26 June 2019.
  12. ↑ Xiong Lingyi. LinkedIn. Accessed on 17 February 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lingyi-xiong-2705326b/?originalSubdomain=sg
  13. ↑ “Meet The Team”. Wah!Banana. Accessed on 26 June 2019.
  14. ↑ Escobedo, Joe. “How Singapore's Most Popular YouTubers Promote And Monetize Their YouTube Channel”. Forbes. March 1, 2017. Accessed on 17 February 2020.
  15. ↑ Escobedo, Joe. “How Singapore's Most Popular YouTubers Promote And Monetize Their YouTube Channel”. Forbes. March 1, 2017. Accessed on 17 February 2020.
  16. ↑ Chan, Choy Yu. “A Day In The Life: Lingyi From Wah!banana”. SHOUT. August 24, 2018. Accessed on 26 June 2019.
  17. ↑ Escobedo, Joe. “How Singapore's Most Popular YouTubers Promote And Monetize Their YouTube Channel”. Forbes. March 1, 2017. Accessed on 17 February 2020.
  18. ↑ “Our Clients”. Wah!Banana. Accessed on 26 June 2019.
  19. ↑ “NATIONAL STEPS CHALLENGETM SEASON 4 WAH!BANANA TAKES ON NSC4 WITH MUSIC TERMS & CONDITIONS”. HPB. Accessed on 17 February 2020.
  20. ↑ Escobedo, Joe. “How Singapore's Most Popular YouTubers Promote And Monetize Their YouTube Channel”. Forbes. March 1, 2017. Accessed on 17 February 2020.
  21. ↑ Chan, Choy Yu. “A Day In The Life: Lingyi From Wah!banana”. SHOUT. August 24, 2018. Accessed on 26 June 2019.
  22. ↑ Chan, Choy Yu. “A Day In The Life: Lingyi From Wah!banana”. SHOUT. August 24, 2018. Accessed on 26 June 2019.
  23. ↑ Wah!Banana Too. “Fatness Challenge Round 2”. YouTube. April 12, 2019. Accessed on 17 February 2020.
  24. ↑ Wah!Banana Too. “Amazing Race in Tainan”. YouTube. October 25, 2019. Accessed on 17 February 2020.
  25. ↑ Wah!Banana Too. “Bloopers: If Everbody Was Sarcastic”. YouTube. September 30, 2018. Accessed on 17 February 2020.
  26. ↑ Wah!Banana Too. “Wah!Banana O'Clock - Fish AMA”. YouTube. January 24, 2020. Accessed on 12 February 2020.
  27. ↑ Wah!Banana Too. Socialblade. Accessed on 17 February 2020. Retrieved from: https://socialblade.com/youtube/channel/UC2KpFcpMiYXaomrhQEtx5Mw
  28. ↑ Chan, Choy Yu. “A Day In The Life: Lingyi From Wah!banana”. SHOUT. August 24, 2018. Accessed on 26 June 2019.
  29. ↑ “Winners”. Influence Asia. Accessed on 12 February 2020.
  30. ↑ WahBanana. Facebook. June 24, 2017. Accessed on 12 February 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.facebook.com/WahBananaSG/photos/a.142753205883258/775332879291951/?type=3&theater
  31. ↑ “My Singapore Future” Micro Film Competition Award Ceremony”. SFCCA. June 24, 2017. Accessed on 12 February 2020.
  32. ↑ Liang, Hwei. “Singapore Social Media Awards Kicks Off With Wins For Night Owl Cinematics, MunahHirziOfficial, & Caracal”. Vulcan Post. May 4, 2015. Accessed on 12 February 2020.
  33. ↑ “World Suicide Prevention Day 2018”. SOS. Accessed on 31 January 2020.
  34. ↑ WWF Singapore. “Wah!Banana challenges Chef Lucas of Grand Hyatt for a sustainable salmon dish! | WWF-Singapore”. YouTube. December 8, 2016. Accessed on 12 February 2020.
  35. ↑ Wah!Banana. Facebook. December 17, 2015. Accessed on 12 February 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.facebook.com/WahBananaSG/photos/a.142753205883258/512311108927464/?type=1&theater
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