City Bonfires, creator engine
Fire pit videos, ten creators deep
A first roster for City Bonfires: seven videos per creator per week, one claims sheet, and outdoor use only in every frame.
- 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
A bonfire in a tin: no wood, no embers, no soot
Illustrative creator post: she lights the City Bonfire on a backyard table at dusk, lets it burn, then closes the lid to put it out.
Illustrative postContents
Part 1 of 15
Summary
| Roster | Ten creators, two joining each week | Ramp from zero to ten over six weeks (Proposed), so weak fits are caught before the roster is full. |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Hosts, campers, s'mores parents | Matched to the City Bonfire, the Camping Bundle and the S'mores Family Pack. |
| Production | Seven videos per creator per week | Ten creators make 303 videos a month, spread across five formats. |
| Pay | Three bands, caps from $600 to $1,500 | Starter, Standard and Premium. The pay table prints every amount (Proposed). |
| Bonus | $50 flat past 100,000 views | One per creator per month. Reaching the cap adds $300, $500 or $700 by band. |
| Compliance | Every claim comes from the City Bonfires site | Creators get a claims sheet. Anything off the sheet goes to a check before posting. |
| Rule for the category | Outdoor use only, in every video | The site says OUTDOOR Use ONLY. An indoor clip is never approved and never earns a bonus. |
| Goal | $1 per 1,000 views | Target (Proposed). The starting inputs print $5.74 (Assumption), so the job is closing that gap. |
| Report | Every Monday | Views, cost per 1,000 views, winning hooks and which videos get killed this week. |
| Decision | Say yes to the first two creators | Monthly ceiling is $15,000 with all ten at the top cap, bonuses excluded (Proposed). |
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
History
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 and the paid engine beside it. This is the same playbook: a small roster, one number to protect, losers killed early. City Bonfires is a different category, portable fire pits and s'mores kits, and I have not run it. Your team teaches me the product rules first.
- 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
393
Stores carrying City Bonfires
A rural lifestyle retailer debuted City Bonfires in 393 stores. Creator videos can send shoppers to a shelf as well as a checkout.
Published8930
Reviews behind a 4.9 rating
The site shows an overall rating of 4.9 / 5 from 8930 reviews. Creators can show real use, and the reviews already prove people like it.
Published$75+
Free shipping threshold
The site offers free shipping on orders $75+. The Best Seller Bundle at $73.49 sits just under it, a natural story for a gift haul video.
Published
Part 4 of 15
Principles
One number to protect
Target cost per 1,000 views is $1 (Proposed). The simulator starts at $5.74, so every test aims at closing that gap.
Seven videos per creator per week
Volume feeds the hook library. Ten creators at seven a week make 303 videos a month, and the losers are killed early.
One variable per test
Same City Bonfire tin, one change: the hook, the first shot or the product. Then we know what moved the views.
Outdoor use only, always
Every video follows the site wording: OUTDOOR Use ONLY. A video that breaks it earns no bonus, even past 100,000 views.
Part 4 of 15, continued
One channel for everything
#briefs
Briefs, drafts, reviews and the weekly numbers
MarcusMon 8:30 AM
This week: the Glow in the Dark City Bonfire at $26.20. Show the lid, the tin and the lights-out moment. Outdoors only, one hook per video, seven videos.
PriyaMon 9:10 AM
Can I say the bonfire burns all night? My followers keep asking.
No. Use the sheet: 3 to 5 hours of burn time. Say it that way and show the lid going on.
Weekly botAppTue 8:00 AM
Monday report is posted: videos by creator and format, views, and cost per 1,000 views against the $1 target. Two hooks flagged to kill.
MarcusWed 11:20 AM
Draft sent back: the Citronella candle clip says it keeps bugs away. Cut that line, redo the voiceover, and keep the whole demo outdoors.
Weekly botAppThu 6:45 PM
Priya's S'mores Night Pack video passed 100,000 views. The $50 flat bonus is logged, one per creator per month, organic views only.
Check botAppFri 10:00 AM
Pre-post check passed: filmed outdoors, lid shown, only claims from the sheet, partnership label on. Cleared to post.
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
Glow lid at dusk
“Wait until the lid glows once the sun goes down.”
Film at dusk on a backyard table. Open on the glowing lid, then light the City Bonfire and close the lid at the end.
Brief 02
S'mores night in the yard
“Everything for s'mores in one box. No firewood.”
Unbox the S'mores Kit outdoors, build one s'more, and show the City Bonfire burning beside it. One continuous take.
Brief 03
Citronella patio night
“Twenty hours of burn time from one steel tin.”
Film the candle on a patio table at golden hour, then a slow close-up of the tin. No claims about insects.
Brief 04
Concrete fire pit backyard
“A concrete fire pit for the backyard.”
Walk from the back door to the pit, show its size beside a chair, and end on the group around it. Outdoors only.
Brief 05
Camp table stove setup
“The portable camp stove, ready on the camp table.”
Film the camp table from above: stove set up, pan on, the whole setup in one shot, then the first thing you cook.
Every product line in a video comes off the claims sheet word for word, for example “No wood, no embers, no soot!”, “Super easy to light and extinguish”, “3 to 5 hours of burn time”. Product names are said as printed.
Part 6 of 15
Recruiting
Four sources in
Backyard and patio hosts
Creators who already film patio nights, gatherings and home upgrades, matched to the City Bonfire and the Outdoor Candle.
Campers and road-trip people
Outdoor creators who film camp setups, matched to the Portable Camp Stove and the City Bonfires Camping Bundle.
Parents and gift guides
Family s'mores night and gift guide creators, matched to the S'mores Family Pack and the Best Seller Bundle.
Affiliate or ambassador page
The affiliate or ambassador page was not found on the site, so recruiting starts with direct outreach and one paid test video.
Five filters, fewer each step
1Films outdoors
Backyard, patio, campsite or beach. Anyone who lights a fire pit indoors is out.
2Hook in the first seconds
Past videos open on the action, not on a long intro.
3Clean light and audio
The flame and the lid must be readable on a phone screen at dusk.
4Reads the claims sheet
Passes a short check on the sheet before the first brief.
5Fits the buyer
Audience of families, campers or gift buyers, not general entertainment.
Part 7 of 15
Who
Backyard host
Hosts weekend fires and patio dinners; the tin lights outdoors and closes with the lid.
Likely product: City Bonfire
Weekend camper
Films campsite mornings and cooking setups, from the table to the first meal.
Likely product: City Bonfires Camping Bundle
Family s'mores parent
Runs a s'mores night with the kids, adults handling the flame.
Likely product: S'mores Family Pack
Gift guide curator
Builds holiday and birthday gift lists with a clear price in the first shot.
Likely product: City Bonfires Best Seller Bundle
Patio decor creator
Styles porches and tables, so a steel-tin candle fits the scene.
Likely product: The Outdoor Candle - Citronella
Tailgate and ballpark fan
Sits outside for hours on game days and in cold seats.
Likely product: The Chair Blanket
Left off, every time
Always left out: anyone who films a City Bonfire indoors, who puts a child near the flame without an adult in frame, or who makes a health or safety promise. The site says OUTDOOR Use ONLY, so indoor clips are never approved, even from an otherwise perfect creator.
Part 8 of 15
First twenty
- Backyard dads who film weekend projects
- Mom creators who run family s'mores nights
- Campsite cooking creators
- Road-trip couples who film their camper setup
- Patio decor and porch styling creators
- Tailgate and game-day hosts
- Beach day families
- Gift guide creators for fathers and mothers
- Birthday party planners at home
- Halloween decor and treat creators
- Fall season cozy outdoor creators
- Backyard entertaining hosts
- Small-space balcony creators who film outdoors
- Backpacking and hiking gear reviewers
- Weekend cabin and lake house creators
- Outdoor gadget unboxing channels
- Neighborhood block party organizers
- Holiday gifting creators
- Reviewers of portable outdoor products
- Students who film dorm-free campus tailgates
Part 9 of 15
Claims sheet
Approved, word for word
Quoted exactly as the brand publishes it.
“No wood, no embers, no soot!”
Any City Bonfire video, said over the lighting shot.
“Super easy to light and extinguish”
Lighting and lid-on shots in the Glow lid and s'mores formats.
“3 to 5 hours of burn time”
City Bonfire and s'mores pack videos, always with the full range.
“A great portable heat source with no smoke and ashes”
Portable fire pit demos, never for a whole yard.
“20 hours of burn time”
Outdoor Candle videos only.
“Every City Bonfire Purchased Supports Disaster Relief”
Closing line of a City Bonfire video, with no added amounts.
“OUTDOOR Use ONLY”
Every video, spoken or on screen.
Never said
Each one with the reason it stays out.
It burns all night
The sheet gives a burn range, and the candle a separate figure. Nothing says all night.
Safe for kids to handle
Adults handle the flame. No safety guarantee exists on the site.
Works indoors
The site says outdoor use only.
Keeps mosquitoes away
Not on the site. The candle lists citronella as an ingredient, but no outcome is stated.
Better than a real campfire
A comparison the site never makes.
Heats your whole backyard
The site says portable heat source, not a space heater.
To confirm with the brand
Held until someone on the brand side signs off.
Every City Bonfire Purchased Supports Disaster Relief
Confirm which relief cause, and whether creators may name it.
Mini S'mores Kit (for indoor use)
This product wording conflicts with the outdoor rule. Confirm before any creator shows it.
Part 10 of 15
Pay
Starter
$300–600
a month, by band
Starter: new creators who post steadily and prove they can follow the claims sheet.
Bonus at the cap: $300
Standard
$500–1,000
a month, by band
Standard: creators whose hooks keep landing and whose drafts need little rework.
Bonus at the cap: $500
Premium
$800–1,500
a month, by band
Premium: proven creators with strong views, kept close for the highest 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, however many videos pass the line.
- The $50 flat bonus is per video that passes 100,000 views.
- Organic views only: paid boosts and ad views never count toward the bonus.
- No bonus on a video that broke the claims sheet or the outdoor-only rule.
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
Read it as a gap, not a promise: starting inputs give $5.74 per 1,000 views against $1. It closes if 4.2% of videos go viral or the median reaches 21,711 views.
Program facts
City Bonfires 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
| 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 |
| 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
| 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, Week 1
Sheet, brief and hook library
Build the claims sheet and the hook library from the City Bonfire tin, the S'mores Night Pack and the candle. Brief the first two creators.
Month 1
Ramp two creators a week
Seven videos per creator per week. One variable per test. Losers are killed early and the first winning hooks are logged.
Month 2
Ten creators live
About 303 videos a month. Winning hooks go back into the library and weak fits are replaced by the next creator on the list.
Month 3
Bonus and paid tests
Videos past 100,000 views earn the $50 flat bonus. The best organic videos go to paid testing, with the creator's consent.
Day ninety
Read the real numbers
Compare real cost per 1,000 views with $1 and with the simulator's $5.74. Then decide: scale, change formats, or stop.
Monthly ceiling
$15,000, bonuses excluded
All ten creators at the top cap is $15,000 (Proposed). No spend above it without a new yes from the brand.
$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
Weekly report
Every Monday: videos by creator and format, views, cost per 1,000 views against the $1 target, the hooks that won, and what gets killed this week.
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
| Creator | Band | Format | Posts | Median | Best | Cost / 1K | Bonus | Flags | Call |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creator A | Starter | Glow lid at dusk | 7 | 2.1K | 25K | $3.37 | $0 | None | Keep |
| Creator B | Standard | S'mores night in the yard | 7 | 1.4K | 8.4K | $9.83 | $0 | Claim check | Replace |
| Creator C | Premium | Citronella patio night | 6 | 1.8K | 54K | $7.94 | $0 | None | Watch |
| Creator D | Starter | Concrete fire pit backyard | 5 | 900 | 3.6K | $12.99 | $0 | Over cap? | Replace |
| Creator E | Standard | Camp table stove setup | 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
Organic to paid
From organic to paid
Post organic
Every creator video goes live on the creator's own account first, with the partnership label on.
Pick the winners
The videos with the strongest views and the cleanest claims move to a shortlist each week.
Ask for ad rights
The creator agrees in writing before any video runs as an ad, and keeps the bonus rules as they are.
Test in paid
One winning video, one variable, small budget. If cost per 1,000 views stays far from $1, it stops.
From the video to the checkout
- Link the City Bonfire at $26.20 first, since it is the entry product.
- Send gift-minded videos to the S'mores Night Pack at $36.70.
- Mention free shipping on orders $75+ only while the site shows it.
- Point store-minded shoppers to the Retail Locations page, which sits beside the 393 stores the retailer debuted.
- Mention Save 15% on your first order only while the site shows it.
Part 15 of 15
Category rules
Fire, outdoors and gifts
City Bonfires sells portable fire pits, s'mores kits and candles. The rules below keep every video honest and outdoors.
Outdoor use only
Film outdoors every time. The site says OUTDOOR Use ONLY, so a clip that lights a fire pit inside is rejected and never earns the $50 bonus.
Show the lid going on
Every lighting video ends with the lid extinguishing the flame, the way the site describes it. Super easy to light and extinguish is on the sheet.
Adults handle the flame
Children can roast marshmallows in a s'mores video, but an adult lights and extinguishes the City Bonfire on camera.
Burn times as the sheet states
Say 3 to 5 hours of burn time for the City Bonfire and 20 hours for the Outdoor Candle. Never round up, never say all night.
No health or insect promises
Do not say the candle repels insects or that a fire helps anyone's health. Describe the scent and the look only.
Label the partnership
Every post carries a partnership label. A video without it is held back, and no bonus is paid on it.
The brand’s legal team sets the final rules. This is the operating floor I’d start from, not legal advice.