Koia, creator engine

A first creator roster for Koia

Ten creators in six weeks, a claims sheet built from drinkkoia.com, and one number to protect: cost per 1,000 views.

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

Tried the shake that isn't chalky

Creator holds an Elite Chocolate bottle, takes the first sip and reads one line from the claims sheet: 32g of plant-powered protein.

Illustrative post

Part 1 of 15

Summary

Creator engine summary
Roster	10 creators, two joining each week	Live by week: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. Six weeks of ramp, then a steady roster.
Who	Six personas, from lifters to home bakers	Matched to Elite shakes, powders and protein sodas. No names yet; they come from the recruiting filters.
Production	7 videos per creator per week	303 creator videos a month at 10 creators, spread across five formats.
Pay	Three bands, each with a base and a cap	Starter, Standard, Premium. Top cap for all 10 creators: $15,000 a month, bonuses excluded.
Bonus	$50 flat past 100,000 organic views	One bonus per creator per month. No bonus on a video that broke the claims sheet.
Compliance	Claims sheet with six approved lines	Creators quote literal lines only. Six forbidden lines sit beside them.
Category rule	Label wording only, no health outcomes	Vegan, creatine and caffeine lines are quoted as written. Anything else goes to Koia first.
Goal	$1 per 1,000 views	A Proposed target. The simulator starts at $5.74 on 1.8M views a month, so the gap is the work.
Report	One table every Monday	Per creator: format, videos, views, cost per 1,000 views, claims check and bonus status.
Decision	Approve the first two creators	That starts the ramp. The ceiling stays at $15,000 a month and Koia can stop at any point.

Part 1 of 15, 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 15

Track record

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 built the creator program to 100M monthly social impressions and ran the paid ad engine beside it. The playbook is the same here: short briefs, one variable per test, losers killed early. The category is new to me. I have not run beverage, so the claims sheet and category rules come first, and Koia's team corrects me where I'm wrong.

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 15

Why now

1
Review on each Elite + Creatine flavor
Elite + Creatine Fudge Brownie and Cinnamon Roll each show one review, rated five of five. Creator videos can add proof where the pages are thin.
Published
40,000
Retail stores nationwide
The site lists over 40,000 stores, among them Whole Foods, Target and Walmart. A video can end at the shelf as well as the checkout. Another page says 35,000, so I'd confirm which is current.
Published
15%
A bundle offer is already live
BUNDLE & SAVE 15% OFF is on the site, with Performance Duo at $84.99. Creators get a real offer to point to, and no invented codes.
Published

Part 4 of 15

Principles

One number to protect
Cost per 1,000 views, target $1. Every creator, format and bonus is judged against it. The simulator starts at $5.74, so the gap is the job.
One variable per test
Each batch changes the hook or the format, never both. Seven videos per creator per week give enough reads to judge a creator quickly.
Claims sheet before camera
Creators quote approved lines, like "Plant protein, but not that chalky stuff." Nothing about health outcomes, weight or medical effects.
Losers killed early
The ramp is two creators a week up to 10. A creator who misses the target after the first batch moves down a band or leaves the roster.

Part 4 of 15, continued

One channel for everything

#briefs

Briefs, drafts, reviews and the weekly numbers

Illustrative

MarcusMon 8:30 AM
This week's brief: Elite + Creatine Fudge Brownie, one hook, three cuts. Open with the chalk test. No health outcomes. Seven videos due by Friday.
PriyaTue 10:15 AM
Can I say all the shakes are vegan in my intro?
Yes. Use the line as written: "Yes, all of our shakes are 100% vegan." Don't go past it.
Report botAppMon 9:00 AM
Weekly report is ready: videos, views, cost per 1,000 views against the $1 target, and a claims check per creator.
MarcusWed 2:40 PM
Draft sent back: the line about results has to go. Keep the chalk test hook and reshoot the last three seconds.
JonasThu 6:05 PM
My Pink Twist soda video just passed 100,000 views, all organic.
Logged. The $50 flat bonus applies, one per creator per month. We test it as a paid ad next.
Check botAppFri 4:00 PM
Check done: every draft this week was screened against the claims sheet and the category rules. A video with a miss is held, not posted.

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 15

Formats

Brief 01
The chalk test
“Plant protein, but not that chalky stuff.”
Pour a Nutrition Shake into a glass and drink it on camera. One take, kitchen light, bottle label visible.
Brief 02
Blender pour
“Blend it, shake it, or bake it”
Overhead shot of a scoop of powder going into the blender, then the pour. Short and fast, no voiceover needed.
Brief 03
Overnight oats
“Most people load up on protein at dinner”
Make the overnight oats on camera, jar by jar, then show the finished bowl. Keep the Koia bottle in frame.
Brief 04
Soda taste reaction
“Capri Splash, Pink Twist, Sour Squeeze: ranked”
Three cans lined up, first sip of each, rank them on screen. Reactions only, no claims.
Brief 05
Case unboxing
“Stock up. We’re not here to play hard to get.”
Open the shake case at the door, line up the flavors and name a first pick. Handheld, natural light.

Every product line in a video comes off the claims sheet word for word, for example “Plant protein, but not that chalky stuff.”, “Yes, all of our products are 100% vegan.”, “Koia Elite Protein Shakes pack a hefty 32g of protein per serving”. Product names are said as printed.

Part 6 of 15

Recruiting

Four sources in

Fitness and training creators
People who film gym bags and training days. Elite and Elite + Creatine fit them. I'd start with micro creators who already post protein.
Recipe and snack makers
Koia's own recipe pages cover oats, pumpkin spice and iced lattes. Home cooks and dietitian-style snack creators who film that lane fit.
Fans who already write in
The Customer Love Letters section shows people writing to Koia. I'd invite the most active into a trial batch, with no promise of a deal.
Affiliate or ambassador page
I did not find a dedicated affiliate or ambassador page on the site. A creator code does appear in blog posts, so I'd ask Koia how that works.

Five filters, fewer each step

1Taste on camera
Drinks it on camera, reacts honestly and reads the label.
2Claims discipline
Passes a short quiz on the approved lines before the first brief.
3Hook range
Shows three different hooks in a sample set, not one idea repeated.
4Real audience
Engagement looks organic on recent posts, with no bought followers.
5Category fit
Adult audience, no competing protein brand in the last posts.

Part 7 of 15

Who

Gym-bag lifter
Films training days and post-workout routines, shaker in hand.
Likely product: Elite + Creatine Fudge Brownie
Breakfast meal-prepper
Overnight oats and smoothies on a weekly series.
Likely product: Vanilla Bean
Iced-coffee regular
Makes a vanilla iced latte at home and shows the steps.
Likely product: Cold Brew Coffee
Fizzy snack lover
Soda-first reviewer who ranks flavors on camera.
Likely product: Capri Splash
Home baker
Bakes muffins and bars with protein powder.
Likely product: Chocolate Protein Powder
Plant-based newcomer
Just moving off dairy and wants an easy first switch.
Likely product: Strawberry

Left off, every time

Always out: creators under eighteen, anyone who posts health outcomes or medical advice, creators who put down other brands, and anyone who won't use the claims sheet. Beverage rule: no weight-loss framing and no alcohol mixing.

Part 8 of 15

First twenty

Micro lifters who film post-gym routines
Meal-prep creators who show breakfast prep
Overnight oats and smoothie recipe makers
Home baristas making iced lattes
Dairy-free creators tired of chalky powders
Runners who post weekend long-run routines
Plant-based cooks with a weekly recipe series
Dietitian-style snack creators
Protein-soda reviewers who rank flavors
Unboxing creators who cover grocery hauls
Busy-morning routine creators
Commuters who film desk-drawer snacks
Bakers who use powder in muffins and bars
Yoga and pilates instructors with a loyal feed
Students filming dorm-room routines
Home-gym creators who film a full week
Taste-test creators who rank flavors on camera
Grocery-run creators who film the shelf hunt
Hiking and walking creators who post movement days
Snack-drawer organisers and lunchbox packers

Part 9 of 15

Claims sheet

Approved, word for word

Quoted exactly as the brand publishes it.

“Plant protein, but not that chalky stuff.”
Hook of the chalk test and any intro line
“Yes, all of our products are 100% vegan.”
Spoken or captioned vegan line, any format
“Complete plant-based protein shakes, 18 grams of protein with only 4 grams of sugar.”
Nutrition Shake videos, label close-up
“Koia Elite Protein Shakes pack a hefty 32g of protein per serving”
Elite and Elite + Creatine videos
“no dairy, no gluten, no soy, vegan, kosher & non-GMO”
Strawberry shake videos only
“We guarantee a minimum of 15 days on the products’ shelf life”
Unboxing and online order videos

Never said

Each one with the reason it stays out.

Never say it builds muscle faster than other shakes
A comparison claim the site does not support.
Never say it helps you lose weight
A body-outcome claim that Koia has not made.
Never say it is the best protein shake on the market
An unsupported superlative about the whole category.
Never say the creatine will make you stronger
A performance outcome. Only the brand's own wording may be quoted.
Never say it replaces a meal
A diet-substitution claim that the site does not make.
Never say every store carries every flavor
A retail availability claim. Send viewers to the store locator.

To confirm with the brand

Held until someone on the brand side signs off.

Retail count: over 35,000 or over 40,000 stores
The site gives two different figures. Koia should say which is current before any video quotes one.
Whether creators get their own discount code like the HAILEY one at 20% off
A code appears in a blog post. Koia should say if creators may have one and on what terms.

Part 10 of 15

Pay

Starter
$300–600
a month, by band
Starter: for first-time creators, base pay with a low cap while we learn what their videos do.
Bonus at the cap: $300
Standard
$500–1,000
a month, by band
Standard: for creators whose first batch landed near the target, with a steadier base and a higher cap.
Bonus at the cap: $500
Premium
$800–1,500
a month, by band
Premium: for creators who keep cost per 1,000 views under the target for a full batch. Top 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 bonus per creator per month: $50 flat once a video passes 100,000 views.
The bonus is per video: only the single video that crosses the line earns it.
Organic views only. Paid or boosted views never count toward 100,000.
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 11 of 15

Simulator

At 10 creators, 303 videos reach 1.8M views and cost $10,050: $5.74 per 1,000 views against $1. Either 4.2% of videos go viral or the median video hits 21,711 views.

Program facts

Koia 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 11 of 15, 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 12 of 15

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 creators
Two creators go live. Claims sheet, hook library and tracking are agreed with Koia's team. Live creators by week: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10.
Month 1
Ramp to 10
Two creators join each week up to 10. Seven videos per creator per week. Losers killed early, cost per 1,000 views read every Monday.
Month 2
Move creators between bands
Creators move across Starter, Standard and Premium on cost per 1,000 views. Videos that pass 100,000 views go to the paid shortlist.
Month 3
Hold the target
Aim for $1 per 1,000 views. The simulator starts at $5.74. Cut formats that miss and add volume to the ones that land.
Day 90
Keep, resize or stop
Review cost per 1,000 views, videos past 100,000 views and claims misses. Then keep the program, resize it or stop it.
Monthly ceiling
The most it can cost
All 10 creators at the top cap, bonuses excluded: $15,000 a month. That is the ceiling on base pay.

$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 13 of 15

Report

Every Monday: one table per creator with format, videos, views, cost per 1,000 views against $1, claims check and bonus status.

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	The chalk test	7	2.1K	25K	$3.37	$0	None	Keep
Creator B	Standard	Blender pour	7	1.4K	8.4K	$9.83	$0	Claim check	Replace
Creator C	Premium	Overnight oats	6	1.8K	54K	$7.94	$0	None	Watch
Creator D	Starter	Soda taste reaction	5	900	3.6K	$12.99	$0	Over cap?	Replace
Creator E	Standard	Case unboxing	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 14 of 15

Exit

From organic to paid

Post organic
Every video goes up on the creator's own feed first. Nothing is paid until it has earned views.
Read the numbers
After the first batch I read views and cost per 1,000 views. Videos past 100,000 views are shortlisted.
Agree usage rights
Before a video runs as an ad, the creator agrees to paid use in writing. Terms are set with Koia's team.
Run as paid
Shortlisted videos run as ads, one variable changed per test. Losers are killed early.

From the video to the checkout

Shelf-minded viewers go to the store locator. The site lists Whole Foods, Target and Walmart among its stores.
Checkout traffic goes to the online shop, where Free Shipping is shown.
Bundle videos point to Performance Duo at $84.99 or Wellness Duo at $76.99, with BUNDLE & SAVE 15% OFF.
Online orders ship only to the contiguous 48 states and Washington DC. Everyone else goes to the store locator.
Never promise that a given store carries a flavor. Send the viewer to the locator.

Part 15 of 15

Category rules

Beverage and protein rules

Koia sells shakes, powders and protein sodas. Creators say what the label and the site say, and nothing more.

Label wording only
Quote the claims sheet: 32g of plant-powered protein, only 4g of sugar. No health outcomes, no weight talk, no medical effects. Anything outside the sheet goes to Koia first.
Vegan and caffeine lines
Use the vegan line as written. Cold Brew Coffee lists 110mg of Caffeine: quote it, but never pitch it as a cure for tiredness or a swap for sleep.
Creatine lines
For Elite + Creatine, quote only the brand's own wording: "supporting strength and training days". Never promise results or compare it with other products.
Kids content
No content aimed at children and no Koia Kids posts without Koia's written ok. Protein-by-age tables stay out of creator videos.
Prices and offers
Quote only prices and offers shown on the shop: Performance Duo at $84.99, Wellness Duo at $76.99, BUNDLE & SAVE 15% OFF. No invented codes or discounts.
Disclosure
Every post carries a clear paid-partnership label. Videos with no label are held back and not posted, and they earn no bonus.

The brand’s legal team sets the final rules. This is the operating floor I’d start from, not legal advice.

Want to see the first briefs?

Grab a time here

Review on each Elite + Creatine flavor

Retail stores nationwide

A bundle offer is already live

One number to protect

One variable per test

Claims sheet before camera

Losers killed early

The chalk test

Blender pour

Overnight oats

Soda taste reaction

Case unboxing

Four sources in

Five filters, fewer each step

Gym-bag lifter

Breakfast meal-prepper

Iced-coffee regular

Fizzy snack lover

Home baker

Plant-based newcomer

Left off, every time

Approved, word for word

Never said

To confirm with the brand

Starter

Standard

Premium

Claims sheet and first two creators

Ramp to 10

Move creators between bands

Hold the target

Keep, resize or stop

The most it can cost

From organic to paid

From the video to the checkout

Beverage and protein rules

Label wording only

Vegan and caffeine lines

Creatine lines

Kids content

Prices and offers

Disclosure

Want to see the first briefs?