IShowSpeed visited Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on Tuesday at a cost of around €30,000 for each country. In Estonia, this covered a private jet and extra security, Visit Estonia said. The streamer has a following of over 42 million on YouTube and tens of millions on other social media platforms.

In Tallinn, he met with Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform) and visited an Estonian sauna amongst other activities during his almost three-hour visit. Hordes of young fans gathered to meet him and even caused an accident at Noblessner Harbor, where a floating dock collapsed under the weight of the fans, causing several people to fall into the water.

Maria Murumaa-Mengel, associate professor of media studies at the University of Tartu, explained on the program "Vikerhommik" that although "streamer" and "influencer" are closely related terms, streaming refers primarily to the mode of content delivery – live broadcasting. "If you're a streamer, you're live, meaning you're with your followers in real time." This creates a more intimate and personal feeling for viewers.

The public expressed considerable outrage that bringing the streamer to Estonia cost €30,000. But according to Murumaa-Mengel, that sum is relatively small in the context of national marketing. "If the goal was to promote, strengthen, and raise awareness of Estonia's brand among a young target audience, then I would say we got it for a real bargain," the associate professor said.

To provide some perspective, she cited earlier national marketing projects. For example, creating the "Welcome to Estonia" brand once cost 13 million kroons. "Many still remember the vomiting hedgehog. That branding package alone cost over €200,000. Trips for foreign journalists, which are occasionally organized to showcase Estonia's highlights and newsworthy features, all run into the hundreds of thousands of euros," Murumaa-Mengel noted.

Scandals as a driver of success

The researcher acknowledged that IShowSpeed has been involved in numerous scandals tied to racism, misogyny, sexism, and crypto scams. According to the associate professor, the streamer has skillfully exploited the mechanics of the attention economy, where any kind of attention — even negative — is valuable. "He knows very well that drama brings eyeballs, drama brings clicks, viewers, followers, and that means money," she explained.

She said this reflects a broader trend in a "post-shame society," where public figures can commit scandalous acts, apologize, and then continue their careers as if nothing happened. So far, none of the scandals have derailed IShowSpeed's career. On the contrary, they've only increased his visibility.

Ironically, even the collapse of the floating dock was, in the researcher's view, a kind of success from a social media content perspective, since no one was seriously injured. "This may sound incredibly cynical, but that bridge collapse, and the fact that no one got seriously hurt, makes for really good social media content," Murumaa-Mengel remarked.

Parasocial relationship

The broader phenomenon of streamers and influencers is closely tied to the media consumption of young people, particularly those aged 8 to 13. According to Murumaa-Mengel, young followers form so-called parasocial relationships with their idols, a one-sided bond where the follower feels that the content creator is a close friend. Social media figures become part of their daily lives, and growing up alongside them fosters a strong emotional connection. Additionally, they represent an enviable lifestyle for young people, where fame and money seem easily attainable.

At the same time, the reality of a content creator's life is stressful and exhausting. For example, local influencer Andrei Zevakin, who accompanied IShowSpeed during his visit, admitted the day was overwhelmingly difficult.

Murumaa-Mengel said that academic literature describes a phenomenon known as "YouTube burnout" in detail. "There's constant pressure from your audience or followers to do something interesting," the associate professor explained. That pressure forces content creators to constantly push boundaries and can lead to mental exhaustion.

Murumaa-Mengel noted that while older generations might view these events with bewilderment, the mass hysteria around youth idols is nothing new. She recalled the buzz that accompanied Michael Jackson's visit to Estonia back in the day. "Every era has its own stars, you just have to get used to it," she said.

While IShowSpeed's visit may have harmed the country's reputation in the eyes of those who take such matters more seriously, it was undoubtedly successful in reaching a young target audience, Murumaa-Mengel concluded. "The indirect benefits this brings to our national image are very real," she said.

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