Since 2004, ViralBrand has launched campaigns for Disney, Walmart, Paramount Pictures, Chick-fil-A, Warner Bros., Mercedes-Benz, Samsung, and hundreds of growth-stage brands. Founder-led by Rick Schirmer (CEO) and Rachel McCord, we've spent two decades proving that real human advocacy — not ad spend — is what makes a brand truly viral.
Today, we run managed creator affiliate programs for growth-stage DTC and CPG brands, entertainment companies, and mission-driven organizations that need a turnkey affiliate program — not software to run themselves, and not a $50K+/mo enterprise agency.
We built ViralBrand for growth-stage DTC and CPG brands ($3M–$50M in annual revenue) that are too big for DIY creator tools and too smart to overpay an enterprise agency. We also serve entertainment companies, mission-driven organizations, and brands running product launches, seasonal activations, or tentpole campaigns.
We're not a software platform. We're not an influencer marketplace. We're a managed agency — which means a dedicated account lead handles everything from strategy to activation to reporting.
You approve creators. We run the program.
Who We Serve
RICK SCHIRMER, MBA
Founder and CEO
Rick is a Disney-trained, Oxford-educated brand strategist who has pioneered creator affiliate marketing since 2004 — building fan-fueled advocacy programs for some of the world's most iconic brands — from the MySpace era through today’s managed creator economy. He designed ViralBrand’s managed program infrastructure: the 10-step flywheel, CollabsHub AI scoring, and the 3-tier activation system that powers every client engagement.
Rick’s award-winning experience includes campaigns for Disney, Chick-fil-A, Little Blue Menu, Universal Pictures, Walmart, ABC Television, Hershey, NBC, P and G, Coca-Cola, "Harry Potter," "Toy Story," "The Chronicles of Narnia," "The Purge," "The Cove," "Food, Inc.,” Pacific Dental Services, Burst Oralcare, and countless early stage startups.
Rick is the husband of celebrity fashion influencer, CEO, and media personality Rachel McCord. He’s also a super proud daddy to Richard Schirmer IV, aka “Jude.”
