Company:Portal A Interactive

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Portal A
TypeIndependent
IndustryMedia Development and Production
Founded2009
HeadquartersSan Francisco, Los Angeles
Key people
Zach Blume - Managing Partner
Nate Houghteling - Executive Producer
Kai Hasson - Creative Director
Number of employees
53
Websitehttp://portal-a.com/

Portal A is a brand and original content company [1][2] founded in 2009 by three childhood friends, Nate Houghteling, Kai Hasson, and Zach Blume.[3] As of 2024, Portal A is independently owned and based in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York.

In 2019, Portal A entered into a strategic partnership with Brent Montgomery and Jimmy Kimmel's Wheelhouse Entertainment,[4] with Wheelhouse taking a minority stake in the company.[5]

Original Content

One of the company's first projects was White Collar Brawler, an original digital series that later ran for multiple seasons on TV with the Esquire Network.[6]

Portal A released Song Voyage, a comedy series shot in Asia following YouTube musical group The Gregory Brothers.[7] The show was distributed by Disney's Maker Studios, and reached over 30 million views, including the viral "Chicken Attack".[8]

The studio released One Shot with YouTube Originals in February 2018, an unscripted special with WilldaBeast Adams on a journey to find the next underground dance star.[9] Portal A produced State of Pride for YouTube Originals, a documentary feature film directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman.[10] The film premiered at the opening night of South by Southwest[11] and was named Best Documentary at the GLAAD Awards.[12] In 2020, Portal A released the 60-minute special Ultimate Home Championship with YouTube Originals.[13]

Portal A produced the scripted original series Action Royale with Snapchat Originals,[14] and released Level Up with Stephen Curry,[15] an episodic series with Snapchat Originals and The Best Snaps Show[16], a daily talk show for Snapchat Originals.

Portal A developed and produced 5 Minutes From Home,[17] a series starring Stephen Curry. The series received 6 million views[18] over its first three episodes. Lyft sponsored the second season[19] of 5 Minutes From Home. The company produced Year Five with Anthony Edwards[20] and Ben Shelton's The Long Game.[21]

In 2023, Portal A announced Moonshots,[22] a content fund for investing in independent projects with creators. In 2024, Portal A reported that they had allocated $1m in production and staff resources[23] to over 20 Moonshots projects, including Five Star.[24]

Branded Content

Portal A works with YouTube and Google on social video series and campaigns, and with brands like Lenovo, Target, Lego, GM, Clorox, Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, and others.[25]

Portal A is known for producing the annual YouTube Rewind, which has accrued over 1 billion views in aggregate[26][27] since 2011.[28] The company also produced YouTube Rewind 2018, noted as the most disliked video on YouTube.[29][30][31]

The company has worked with Clorox for various projects, including "Best Roommate Ever" with Stephen Curry and King Bach.[32] Portal A won the Streamy Award for Best Branded Content and Best Influencer Campaign for its work with Clorox.[33]

Portal A's work on the "#MotoMods + YouTube Heroes" campaign for Lenovo won a One Show Pencil.[34] Portal A's work with Lenovo includes Quest for the Impossible for Lenovo Legion and #CreatorOdyssey,[35] a global creator campaign featuring artists from around the world. The project was named an Official Selection of BrandStorytelling at Sundance.[36]

Portal A released Let's Target with Target featuring Laverne Cox, Tabitha Brown, Emma Chamberlain and others and works with Target on several YouTube series like Teammates of Target.

Portal A has worked on a variety of political initiatives,[37] partnering with the Hillary Clinton 2016 campaign to reach young voters in swing states.[38] In 2020, Portal A worked with the Joe Biden presidential campaign for the social media initiative #ImVotingFor[39].

Recognition

Portal A was named Agency of the Year by the Streamy Awards,[40] Brand Entertainment Agency of the Year by Campaign US,[41] Content Agency of the Year by Digiday,[42] Video Agency of the Year by Digiday,[43] and Digital Studio of the Year by Cynopsis.[44]

Portal A was profiled by Adweek as "creating branded and original content for next generation of digital" [45], Campaign Magazine wrote that "Portal A's goal has been to help brands evolve from advertisers to content creators"[46], and Business Insider wrote that Portal A is "a go-to for social video work for marketers" and "Portal A has found success bypassing the traditional agency model."[47]

References

  1. ↑ "We make videos for the Internet. And you.". http://portal-a.com/work/. 
  2. ↑ Tate, Ryan. "Constructing This Summer's Viral Video Hit". Wired. https://www.wired.com/2012/07/portal-a-airtime/. 
  3. ↑ "Portal A videos appeal to young voters". SFGate. https://www.sfgate.com/politics/joegarofoli/article/Portal-A-videos-appeal-to-young-voters-3700819.php. 
  4. ↑ "Brent Montgomery's Wheelhouse Invests in Digital Studio Portal A (Exclusive)" (in en). 10 January 2019. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/wheelhouse-entertainment-investing-digital-studio-portal-a-1175018. 
  5. ↑ Coffee, Patrick (10 January 2019). "Wheelhouse Entertainment and Partner Jimmy Kimmel Buy a Minority Stake in Content Agency Portal A" (in en-US). https://www.adweek.com/agencies/jimmy-kimmels-wheelhouse-entertainment-buys-minority-stake-in-content-agency-portal-a/. 
  6. ↑ "How Esquire Network Was Sold on White Collar Brawler". 8 November 2013. https://variety.com/2013/digital/news/how-esquire-network-was-sold-on-fight-club-like-reality-web-series-1200809443/. 
  7. ↑ Hamedy, Saba (30 November 2016). "YouTube musical comedy group The Gregory Brothers launch new series". http://mashable.com/2016/11/30/maker-studios-the-gregory-brothers-new-series/. 
  8. ↑ schmoyoho (2017-01-25), Chicken Attack // SONG VOYAGE // Japan //, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miomuSGoPzI&list=PL8JttaK4Km_Ho803ulT5LHtIVdiTUSgY7, retrieved 2017-02-21 
  9. ↑ "Miami's Underground Dancers Get 'One Shot' on YouTube Red" (in en). http://brief.promaxbda.org/article/miamis-underground-dancers-get-one-shot-with-youtube-red-series. 
  10. ↑ Spangler, Todd (2018-09-13). "YouTube Orders LGBTQ Documentary About Pride Movement" (in en). https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/youtube-state-of-pride-lgbtq-documentary-1202940467/. 
  11. ↑ "YouTube And Portal A's 'State of Pride' Chosen As Opening Night Feature For SXSW 2019" (in en-US). 2019-02-08. https://www.tubefilter.com/2019/02/08/youtube-portal-a-state-of-pride-raymond-braun/. 
  12. ↑ "UPDATING: Award Recipients at the 31st Annual GLAAD Media Awards" (in en). 2020-07-30. https://www.glaad.org/blog/winners-31st-annual-glaad-media-awards. 
  13. ↑ "Stephen Curry Is Hosting a Stay-at-Home ‘Sports’ Competition Fundraiser on YouTube". 24 June 2020. https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/stephen-curry-is-hosting-a-stay-at-home-competition-fundraiser-on-youtube-1234647883/. 
  14. ↑ Spangler, Todd (2020-06-11). "Snapchat Renews Content Deals With Disney, ESPN, NBCU and More; Unveils Original Shows From Kevin Hart, Catherine Hardwicke" (in en-US). https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/snapchat-originals-content-renewals-disney-espn-nbcu-kevin-hart-catherine-hardwicke-1234631560/. 
  15. ↑ "NEW Webby Gallery + Index" (in en). https://winners.webbyawards.com/2023/social/features/best-social-video-series/244066/level-up-with-stephen-curry. 
  16. ↑ Jarvey, Natalie (2021-03-11). "Snapchat Plans Show to Spotlight Top Creator Posts" (in en-US). https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/snapchat-plans-show-to-spotlight-top-creator-posts-4147464/. 
  17. ↑ Spangler, Todd (2018-04-25). "Stephen Curry to Relaunch YouTube Channel With Show Featuring His Postgame Chats With Guests" (in en-US). Variety. https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/stephen-curry-youtube-relaunch-1202782091/. 
  18. ↑ Stephen Curry (2018-06-26), Rudy Mancuso & Stephen Curry Drop a New Track | 5 Minutes from Home, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k3-CzTlLy8&list=PLi98pUBYA-vSbxgVJjmYj7N80EZpxc3_v, retrieved 2018-07-30 
  19. ↑ Ramos, Dino-Ray (2019-03-14). "Stephen Curry's '5 Minutes From Home' Sets Joel Embiid, Daveed Diggs And Others As Guests For Season 2" (in en). https://deadline.com/2019/03/stephen-curry-5-minutes-from-home-season-2-daveed-diggs-e40-youtube-lyft-unanimous-media-1202574713/. 
  20. ↑ Schneider, Michael (2025-02-07). "NBA All-Star Anthony Edwards Launches Sports Docuseries ‘Year Five’ With Wheelhouse (EXCLUSIVE)" (in en-US). https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/nba-anthony-edwards-sports-docuseries-year-five-wheelhouse-1236300247/. 
  21. ↑ White, Peter (2025-12-11). "Tennis Star Ben Shelton Strikes Deal With Wheelhouse, Serves Up Docuseries" (in en-US). https://deadline.com/2025/12/tennis-star-ben-shelton-docuseries-wheelhouse-1236645328/. 
  22. ↑ Hale, James (2023-02-22). "Portal A is dedicating a "Moonshots" fund to finance creators' indie projects" (in en-US). https://www.tubefilter.com/2023/02/22/portal-a-moonshots-500000-creator-projects-2023/. 
  23. ↑ Hale, James (2024-11-22). "Portal A has spent $1 million trying to make premium short-form work. Is it?" (in en-US). https://www.tubefilter.com/2024/11/22/portal-a-moonshots-investment-premium-short-form/. 
  24. ↑ Monllos, ByKristina. "Why one agency made an indie short film" (in en-us). https://www.marketingbrew.com/stories/2025/09/03/why-one-agency-made-an-indie-short-film. 
  25. ↑ "Portal A Work". https://www.portal-a.com/work/. 
  26. ↑ Watercutter, Angela. "How YouTube Crammed an Entire Year Into Its Epic Rewind Video". Wired. https://www.wired.com/2014/12/youtube-rewind-2014-making-of/. 
  27. ↑ "The Folks Behind YouTube Rewind Video Are Portal A". AdAge. http://adage.com/lookbook/article/production-companies/folks-youtube-s-rewind-video-portal-a/302158/. 
  28. ↑ "Close To 300 Creators Recreate 2017's Top Online Video Trends In Latest Edition Of YouTube Rewind - Tubefilter" (in en-US). Tubefilter. 2017-12-06. https://www.tubefilter.com/2017/12/06/youtube-rewind-2017/. 
  29. ↑ "YouTube Rewind 2018: Everyone Controls Rewind". 6 December 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbJOTdZBX1g. 
  30. ↑ "Inside the Making of YouTube's End-of-Year Video and the Company Behind It" (in en). 9 December 2015. https://adage.com/article/digital/youtube-portal-a-created-year-s-rewind-video/301665/. 
  31. ↑ Spangler, Todd (2018-12-13). "YouTube Rewind 2018 Officially Becomes Most-Disliked Video Ever" (in en). https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/youtube-rewind-2018-most-disliked-video-ever-1203088810/. 
  32. ↑ "Brita uses social influencers to target millennials - Think with Google" (in en). https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/advertising-channels/video/millennial-social-influencer-endorsement-marketing/. 
  33. ↑ "Portal A, Kevin Hart, 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Honored At First 'Streamys Brand Awards'" (in en-US). 2018-10-11. https://www.tubefilter.com/2018/10/11/portal-a-kevin-hart-rupauls-drag-race-streamys-brand-awards/. 
  34. ↑ "Lenovo / Moto Mods + YouTube Heroes" (in en). http://www.oneclub.org/awards/theoneshow/-award/26888/moto-mods-youtube-heroes. 
  35. ↑ "Lenovo collaborated with seven creators on a huge global art project—using a single laptop" (in en). 2024-12-16. https://adage.com/creativity/work/lenovo-collaborated-seven-creators-huge-global-art-project-using-single-laptop/2596666. 
  36. ↑ "BrandStorytelling Announces 2026 Official Selections – BST". https://brandstorytelling.tv/brandstorytelling-announces-2026-official-selections/. 
  37. ↑ "Portal A videos appeal to young voters". SFGate. https://www.sfgate.com/politics/joegarofoli/article/Portal-A-videos-appeal-to-young-voters-3700819.php. 
  38. ↑ Spangler, Todd (2016-10-27). "Hillary Clinton Campaign Enlists YouTube Stars for Fan-Surprise Videos (EXCLUSIVE)" (in en-US). https://variety.com/2016/digital/news/hillary-clinton-youtube-glozell-todrick-sam-tsui-1201902383/. 
  39. ↑ Weiss, Geoff (2020-10-09). "Joe Biden Taps Portal A For #ImVotingFor Influencer Campaign On Instagram, Twitter" (in en-US). https://www.tubefilter.com/2020/10/09/biden-campaign-taps-portal-a-imvotingfor/. 
  40. ↑ @streamys. "Register" (in en). https://twitter.com/streamys/status/1469879180007333890.  Missing or empty |date= (help)
  41. ↑ "Brand Entertainment Awards 2023: Brand entertainment agency of the year" (in en). June 6, 2023. https://www.prweek.com/article/1825101/brand-entertainment-awards-2023-brand-entertainment-agency-year. 
  42. ↑ "Digiday Awards on Twitter" (in en). https://twitter.com/DigidayAwards/status/994387181786591233. 
  43. ↑ Hayes, Melissa (2019-03-08). "Complex, NBCU and Group Nine win at the Digiday Video Awards" (in en-US). https://digiday.com/awards/complex-nbcu-group-nine-win-digiday-video-awards/. 
  44. ↑ "Winners - Cynopsis Digital Model D Awards 2016" (in en-US). http://www.cynopsisdigitalawards.com/#best-digital-studioproduction-company. 
  45. ↑ "Portal A Creates Branded and Original Content for the Next Generation of Digital" (in en-US). http://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/portal-creates-branded-and-original-content-next-generation-digital-173318/. 
  46. ↑ "Brand Entertainment Awards 2023: Brand entertainment agency of the year" (in en). https://www.prweek.com/article/1825101?utm_source=website&utm_medium=social. 
  47. ↑ "A new breed of social-video specialists is stealing business from old-school, TV-obsessed ad agencies". Business Insider. http://www.businessinsider.com/a-new-breed-of-social-video-specialists-are-stealing-business-from-old-school-tv-obsessed-ad-agencies-2017-12. 



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