Soon, Founded by a Former Vice Exec, Signs With CAA as Media Company Expands (Exclusive)

CAA broadens Soon’s reach

Soon has signed with CAA, which will represent the company and its founders, Patrick McGuire and Eoghan McCabe. McGuire previously worked at Vice and Red Bull; McCabe co-founded Intercom and is its CEO.

The agency plans to help take Soon beyond its digital content, particularly YouTube, into live events, film and television. Documentary and unscripted projects are a particular focus.

A focus on technology stories

Soon describes its work as covering technology’s machines, people and subcultures, with entertaining documentaries planned each week. Its first documentary followed Rainmaker, a weather modification company based in El Segundo, as it used drones to seed clouds for rain or snow.

McGuire said the company wants to create candid, accessible conversations about technology. He said Soon’s mission is to help the wider public understand developments in Silicon Valley. McGuire spent nearly a decade at Vice before becoming global head of factual entertainment at Red Bull.

AI and new business plans

Soon is addressing divisions in technology coverage, including debate between supporters of generative artificial intelligence and those focused on its risks. McGuire and McCabe plan to make more premium educational videos about data centers, bot farms and AI’s effects on creativity.

McGuire raised questions about whom younger audiences should trust as technology coverage becomes polarized. He said Gen Z is carrying a particularly heavy burden from the AI transition.

The company is also developing its first proprietary data platform, with development aimed toward the end of the year. Other potential business lines include podcasts, branded content and partnerships with media and entertainment companies.