About Us — ViralBrand
About ViralBrand

We didn't enter this category.
We invented it.

Since 2004, ViralBrand has pioneered creator affiliate marketing — building fan-fueled advocacy systems for some of the world's most iconic brands. From the first influencer event ever produced to becoming the agency of record for TikTok Shop's U.S. launch, we've been first to every major inflection point in the creator economy.

The most powerful marketing force on earth isn't an ad. It isn't an algorithm.

It's a human being telling another human being: you have to try this.

Word of mouth. Brand advocacy. People raving about your brand because they genuinely love it. That's what builds a viral brand — and it always has.

A viral brand isn't a brand that goes viral. It's a brand owned by its fans. Chick-fil-A, In-N-Out, Disney — these brands didn't get lucky. They're structurally designed to be powered by communities of fans, creators, and advocates who drive awareness, engagement, and sales every month.

ViralBrand builds that system. Then we run it.

Your sales team just got a whole lot bigger.

25 Years of Firsts

2004

The Passion of the Christ

Pioneered grassroots faith-community marketing that contributed to $612M worldwide box office. The origin story.

2005

First Influencer Event, PR Box & Video Syndication

Narnia. We invented both formats. First to use embeddable video syndication for movie trailers — January 2005, a month before YouTube was founded.

2009

First Influencer Platform

Founded DBA West and built PartnersHub — one of the first influencer platforms. Acquired by Gloo (Nasdaq).

2010

First Live Hollywood Chat

Produced the first live social media chat in Hollywood history with Angelina Jolie. Millions of live viewers.

2013

Hollywood Influencer Scene

Created the blueprint for Coachella, Cannes, Fashion Week, Super Bowl weekend, and every major brand activation.

2020

Amazon Live Launch

Early pioneer of livestream commerce in the U.S. Activated creators on Amazon Live before it was a category.

2022

TikTok Shop U.S. Launch

Agency of record. 20,000+ creators activated. Built the early-adoption engine for what's now a category-defining platform.

TODAY

We're Still Ahead

Platforms still call when they need a category built. ViralBrand Intelligence™ powers every activation.

The People Behind the System

Rick Schirmer, MBA
Founder & CEO

Disney-trained, Oxford-educated brand strategist. Pioneered creator affiliate marketing in 2004 at Motive Entertainment — contributing to $2.4B+ in worldwide box office. Founded DBA West and PartnersHub in 2009, acquired by Gloo (Nasdaq). Designed the ViralBrand operating system: the 10-step flywheel, ViralBrand Intelligence™ scoring, and the managed affiliate program infrastructure that powers every client engagement.

DISNEY · PIXAR · PARAMOUNT · WALMART · CHICK-FIL-A · THE CHOSEN · SAMSUNG · MERCEDES-BENZ
Rachel McCord
Founder

One of Hollywood's most recognized social media influencers and celebrities — referred to by the Daily Mail as the "Influencer of Influencers." Rachel has led the creative community in Hollywood for over 15 years. She is the host of the nationally syndicated television show The McCord List Today and Founder & CEO of The McCord List Media Network — a creator-led media company producing 18 talk shows and creator-hosted programs. She also founded the MAGIC Convention's influencer integration, bringing the iconic fashion convention into the modern creator era. Author, producer, host of Bloomberg TV's "Female Founders," and the operator who built one of the most engaged personal brands in lifestyle and fashion. Rachel brings deep creator-side expertise to the ViralBrand model.

THE MCCORD LIST TODAY · BLOOMBERG TV · DAILY MAIL · 18 CREATOR-LED SHOWS · MAGIC CONVENTION · FASHION · LIFESTYLE
"A viral brand is owned by the people who love it. They drive awareness. They drive engagement. They drive sales. They become the most powerful sales force a brand can have — because they're not paid to promote, they're powered to advocate."
RICK SCHIRMER — FOUNDER & CEO, VIRALBRAND
ViralBrand HQ

MBS Media Campus.

One of Hollywood's most iconic production lots. Home to Avatar, The Mandalorian, Beyoncé's Renaissance, and Marvel's biggest productions. This is where we build viral brands.

CREATOR LOUNGE

Private creator space for brand activations, community events, masterminds, and VIP experiences.

PRODUCTION STUDIO

Content production, creator shoots, podcast recording, and campaign asset creation. LED soundstage access.

BRAND OPERATIONS

Strategy, client services, campaign management, and the ViralBrand Intelligence™ engine. Everything runs from here.

1600 ROSECRANS AVE · MANHATTAN BEACH, CA 90266 · MBS MEDIA CAMPUS · SILICON BEACH
LOS ANGELES · HQ LAS VEGAS DETROIT ATLANTA BOULDER · LONDON HONG KONG SEOUL
U.S. + INTERNATIONAL · ONE OPERATING SYSTEM

Build a viral brand.
With us.

Apply for a Brand Match Session and see if we're the right fit.

Apply Now
© 2026 ViralBrand · LaunchPreneur, Inc. d/b/a ViralBrand · Manhattan Beach, CA viralbrand.com