Inoxtag: the inside story of France’s most phenomenal influencer

From Paris to Nice, via the small town of Thionville in the east of France… the same scenes of jubilation. Thousands of overexcited people, teenagers and whole families, wait for hours with one hope: to have their manga signed by their idol, Inoxtag.

The first volume of ‘Instinct’ the YouTube superstar’s latest project, is breaking records : 150,000 copies sold in a fortnight, much more than France’s most prestigious Goncourt Prize and or even the biography of far-right National Rally leader Jordan Bardella.

Inès becomes Inox

To explain such success, we need to go back in time. Inoxtag, who’s real name is Inès Benazzouz, was born in 2002 in Levallois-Perret, near Paris. At the age of 11, just out of secondary school, the youngster had not yet moulted and was already filming himself playing Minecraft on his computer and broadcasting his videos live on YouTube. Inès became Inox the streamer.

Ten years and hundreds of videos later… the child-turned-teenager has created his own eSports team (Croûton), signed a contract with one of the world leaders in online entertainment (Webedia) even before he passed his A-levels, and now has almost 9 million subscribers on his YouTube channel.

According to Soraya Khireddine, an expert at WOO-Groupe Olyn, an agency specialising in influence and digital content, this success is based on a skilful blend of authenticity, audacity and storytelling: “He has been able to build an intimate relationship with his community by remaining true to himself and interacting regularly with his subscribers. This closeness strengthens the attachment of his audience, a key lever in influencer marketing”, she tells Euronews Culture. “Its eclectic and captivating content that ranges from gaming to spectacular projects.”

Changing dimension

Spectacular projects have even become his trademark. From swimming with sharks, surviving seven days on a desert island or cycling the 320km-long Paris-Roubaix… Inoxtag is constantly innovating and no longer content with only playing video games. Vlogs, documentaries, songs… He’s diversifying, expanding his audience by exploring new platforms like Instagram, X and Twitch. It’s a winning bet: “what he does is more original than the others. For example, I like watching his travel videos”, explains Darius, aged 10.

It’s a recipe that has enabled him to stand out from the crowd and survive in the ultra-competitive sector of content creators. Inoxtag has 20 million subscribers on social networks. And with success has come money: It’s estimated the Parisian earns on average €15,000 a month from YouTube – not counting deals with his sponsors and partnerships. It’s enough to make anyone dream even bigger.

Kaizen – Inoxtag heads for the top of the world

2023: Mathis Dumas, a mountain guide in Chamonix, receives a phone call from Inoxtag. “At first, we were a bit suspicious of each other,” he tells Euronews Culture.** They were worlds apart. But after several exchanges, the mountaineer accepted a challenge, convinced that the Youtuber was not looking “to create a buzz.” He taught him how to belay, clip, unscrew… and to listen to the mountain. A year of intense preparation, right up to the big start.

The rest is history, even for those who had never heard of Inoxtag: in just 24 hours, Kaizen, the documentary, racked up 11 million views, an exceptional record according to YouTube. “This type of challenge goes beyond the boundaries of traditional entertainment to become a unifying event”, explains Khirredine. 340,000 tickets were sold, including 40,000 abroad for previews in cinemas before its free online broadcast.

“We weren’t expecting such a huge response,” admits Dumas,“the media coverage has been crazy. Many people see the documentary as an illustration of the need to surpass oneself, a theme dear to the Youtuber’s own heart. “The second message is to disconnect from screens and social networks and go out and explore nature. Even though we know it’s ambivalent, as we’re making a documentary for YouTube,” admits the Chamonix native.

That’s the Kaizenparadox. By making others want to follow him, he risks contributing to the problems he takes time to denounce – such as mountain pollution. “At the end of the day, criticism helps us to question ourselves and move forward,“ says the Haut-Savoyard. “Compared to the Alps, there isn’t really mass tourism. A season on Everest is like a single day on Mont Blanc.”

Two months after its release, the documentary racked up 40 million views and more than 140,000 comments, while Inoxtag has gained more than 400,000 subscribers – and a lot of money. And those numbers are continuing to climb.

From streamer… to opinion leader

Kaizen has cemented Inoxtag transformation from streamer into that of an influencer for the younger generation. For Julian, a 17-year-old fan from the start: “Inox is more intelligent than other Youtubers, he makes people think. Do more sport, be less on your phone, spend more time with your family… But also believe in your dreams”. It’s a philosophy that has even convinced his mother, Véronique: “It’s not my generation, and at the beginning I had a lot of prejudices. You think these young people don’t have anything intelligent to say, but when you take an interest, you realise that there are a lot of relevant videos.”

Inoxtag has no hesitation in expressing his views on social, environmental and cultural issues, giving him”*a crucial role in educating and raising awareness among young people”, says Khirredine.

The multiple brands with him or chasing him are not mistaken. The 22-year-old Youtuber represents a golden opportunity for them to target new customers and boost their visibility: “It all took off in 10 minutes online. It was crazy. In the shops, some customers took whole stacks,” says a stunned Salimata, a sales assistant for a clothing brand that has created a collection with Inoxtag, inspired by his manga Instinct. Further proof, if proof were needed, of the star’s influence.

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While his next project is still unknown, Inès Benazzouz has already set his ultimate goal: to be remembered when he leaves the digital world. In his own words, “you might as well dream the impossible.”