YouTube celebrates its highly-subscribed channels with special “Play Button” plaques – Silver to those with more than one hundred thousand subscribers, Gold for those with more than one million. To celebrate channels with more than ten million subscribers, however, YouTube wanted to create something really spectacular. The company wanted to recognize this elite group with something that would not only stand out but that would motivate creators to work even harder. Enter Society Awards.
We created the Diamond Play Button to be covetous, something to show off. The modern form of this striking award is crafted from aluminum and crystal to stunning effect. The two materials come together to give a contemporary and abstract diamond appearance. The body of each award is machined from a solid piece of aluminum and polished to a high luster. To finish each piece, the crystal play symbol is hand-fitted to the faceted aluminum body. This award is, quite literally, a shining beacon for aspiring creators.
The Diamond Play Button award was announced at VidCon 2015 by YouTube VP of Product Management, Matthew Glotzbach. At the time, only 35 channels qualified. Among the elite 35 were big names like Rihanna and PewDiePie – a famous YouTube creator with over 40 million subscribers.
The Diamond Play Button is already garnering big attention. Everyone who received one of the prestigious awards did what they do best – they shared it with their followers. Even Jimmy Fallon has taken his to prime time, showing it off on The Tonight Show.
The Diamond Play Button is an award unlike any other. Beyond its gorgeous style, the award is a symbol for a newly defined brand of success in the Digital Age. Receiving this highest honor is no small feat. With the Diamond Play Button, there is now a physical manifestation in-line with the weight of this major achievement.