
BuzzFeed's Tasty Names Mike Aho As Branded Entertainment Lead
In this strategic role, Aho is tasked with building a high-impact slate of premium, unscripted originals for Tasty that combine top brands, the most dynamic content creators, and A-list talent to create cinematic, story-driven shows at the intersection of food, travel, and lifestyle. These projects are designed to expand Tasty's digital footprint, and compete for industry accolades utilizing Aho's acclaimed experience.
An Emmy-nominated producer and innovative content creator, Aho's career spans both traditional television and digital-first platforms. Prior to joining Tasty, Aho served as the Head of Streaming for Tastemade, transforming their longform TV shows into premium branded series. At Tastemade, Aho led the creative production of award-winning series like Street Somm and Worth the Hype, and launched Deliciously Entertaining, Pinterest's first-ever streaming TV show. His credits also include producing for iconic franchises such as American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance at Core Media, co-creating breakout hits like Dance Moms (with Bryan Stinson) for Collins Avenue, and launching wildlife-adventure series like Vet Gone Wild for Endemol Shine and A Wild Ride with Tuf Cooper for Apparatus, currently streaming on Roku.
Prior to joining Tasty, Aho held senior unscripted roles at leading production companies including Collins Avenue, Shine, Core Media, and Tastemade, where he specialized in developing talent-led formats that successfully bridged brand integration and premium storytelling.
'We're thrilled to have Mike step into this new role to partner with Jake Frankenfield and our branded team to push the boundaries of innovative storytelling and lead Tasty's branded, longform content creation into the future,' said Richard Alan Reid, President of BuzzFeed Studios. 'Mike brings a bold vision for unscripted series and culturally relevant programming that also offers brands a chance to be part of something truly meaningful and lasting.'
'I'm excited to harness Tasty's connection to its passionate global community of food lovers to collaborate with brands, talent, and innovators,' said Mike Aho, Branded Entertainment Lead for Tasty 'Our aim is to create cinematic, culturally relevant series that feel less like traditional branded content and more like must-watch entertainment — stories that inspire, bring people together, and celebrate food in a way that resonates with our growing, food-obsessed audience.'
With Aho combining creative and commercial, Tasty is poised to redefine what longform unscripted looks like in the digital age.
About Tasty
Launched in 2015, Tasty is a community for home cooks who play with their food. As the internet's most-viewed food brand and largest digital food community, Tasty inspires a global community of food lovers to watch, engage, buy and create.
About BuzzFeed, Inc.
BuzzFeed, Inc. is home to the best of the Internet. Across pop culture, entertainment, shopping, food and news, our brands drive conversation and inspire what audiences watch, read, and buy now – and into the future. Born on the Internet in 2006, BuzzFeed is committed to making it better: providing trusted, quality, brand-safe news and entertainment to hundreds of millions of people; making content on the Internet more inclusive, empathetic, and creative; and inspiring our audience to live better lives.
Press Contact:
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
Patricia Arquette talks season 3 of ‘Severance'
Patricia Arquette talks season 3 of 'Severance' Emmy-nominated actress Patricia Arquette chats with CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister about what she knows about season three of 'Severance.' 01:40 - Source: CNN Vertical Trending Now 16 videos Patricia Arquette talks season 3 of 'Severance' Emmy-nominated actress Patricia Arquette chats with CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister about what she knows about season three of 'Severance.' 01:40 - Source: CNN Panic in Milan airport as man sets fire to check-in desk A 28-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday after setting fire to a check in counter at Milan's Malpensa Airport, causing significant damage and injuring at least one person, police say. The man was tackled by airport police, and is facing charges of aggravated damage to public property. 00:43 - Source: CNN Fugitive father and kids living in wilderness Fugitive Thomas Callam Phillips vanished into the remote forests of New Zealand's North Island in 2021 with his three children—now 12-, 10-, and 9-years-old— sparking a four-year search that has gripped the country. Now, after years of silence, his family is making a heartfelt public appeal: they miss him and their grandchildren—and they're urging him to come home. 01:26 - Source: CNN 'The Nicest Judge in the World' dies at 88 Judge Frank Caprio has died at the age of 88 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, according to a post on his Instagram page. Caprio is known for starring on the reality TV series "Caught in Providence" and for spreading kindness on social media. 00:36 - Source: CNN What happened to Target? Target CEO Brian Cornell is stepping down after 11 years, as the company faces slumping sales and backlash to its DEI rollback. Here's what happened to Target. 01:59 - Source: CNN Viral Labubus boost company's profits by nearly 400% CNN's Anna Cooban reports on the viral Labubu dolls that have helped boost Pop Mart's profits by almost 400%. 00:56 - Source: CNN MAGA merch stocked in room near Oval Office President Donald Trump was seen in a social media video and photo showing off "Trump 2028" hats and a wall stocked with merch to the leaders of foreign countries at the White House. 01:13 - Source: CNN Young girl receives heart transplant after 200 day wait Born with multiple heart defects, 11-year-old Ava has undergone four open heart surgeries by the age of 5. Video captured the moment she told her father she had been matched with a donor for a full transplant, and her return home from surgery. 01:10 - Source: CNN 'The Last of Us' actor reflects on loss of her mom Emmy-nominated actress Kaitlyn Dever, who stars on HBO's 'The Last of Us,' reflects on her mother's memory after she lost a 14-year battle to breast cancer. 01:34 - Source: CNN Vikings face backlash after two male cheerleaders join team Napoleon Jinnies, one the NFL's first male cheerleaders, joined CNN's Boris Sanchez to discuss the backlash the Minnesota Vikings are facing after the team announced this year's cheer squad which included two male cheerleaders. Since the announcement, the two cheerleaders have been receiving hateful comments online. 01:49 - Source: CNN Gas line explosion sends debris flying Three firefighters were injured Tuesday following an explosion caused by a ruptured gas line in Wilmington, North Carolina, fire officials told CNN. 00:58 - Source: CNN Zines not hashtags: Gen-Z's new protest playbook Gen-Z activists are rethinking protest tools. Opting to go offline over concerns of misinformation and surveillance, zines offer another way to organize. For the latest "The Assignment" podcast episode, CNN's Audie Cornish speaks with artist and organizer Kennedy McDaniel about what's prompting the shift from hashtag activism. 01:51 - Source: CNN Spike Lee's Reaction to Trump's Smithsonian Orders 'To roll back the clock' says Director Spike Lee to CNN's Victor Blackwell in response to President Donald Trump's Smithsonian orders. 01:14 - Source: CNN London's toxic trash 'volcano' Arnolds Field landfill on Launders Lane in east London is better known to locals as the 'Rainham volcano.' The site was used as an illegal dump for years and now, every summer, it bursts into flames, sending plumes of acrid smoke over nearby homes, parks and schools. CNN's Laura Paddison speaks to residents who feel abandoned and trapped. 02:05 - Source: CNN Hong Kong twin pandas turn one Giant panda twins Jia Jia and De De celebrated their first birthdays in Hong Kong on Friday. The cubs were born last August to Ying Ying, who became the oldest giant panda on record to give birth. 00:43 - Source: CNN Football player's emotional press conference sparks conversation University of Nebraska freshman punter, Archie Wilson, left his home in Australia to play for the Cornhuskers. During a press conference, a reporter asked Wilson how he was doing being so far away from his family and his emotional reaction sparked a conversation around masculinity. Writer and philosopher Ryan Holiday joined CNN's Boris Sanchez to discuss. 01:29 - Source: CNN


Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Lil Nas X Arrested After Police Say Nearly Naked Rapper Charged at Officers
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Rapper Lil Nas X was arrested early Thursday in Los Angeles after police said he charged at officers responding to reports of a naked man walking on Ventura Boulevard. Lil Nas X, whose legal name is Montero Lamar Hill, was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor obstructing an officer and held at Valley Jail in Van Nuys, according to LAPD spokesman Officer Charles Miller. Officers encountered the 26-year-old shortly before 6 a.m. in Studio City and, after he allegedly rushed at them, took him into custody. Believing he may have overdosed, police transported him to a hospital first, where he was treated for several hours before being released back into custody. Video obtained by TMZ appeared to show the Grammy-nominated artist wearing only underwear and boots on the boulevard. His representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lil Nas X, an Atlanta native, rose to global fame in 2018 with "Old Town Road," a viral hit that topped the Billboard Hot 100 for a record 19 weeks. His debut full-length album Montero followed in 2021, earning Grammy nominations and solidifying his reputation for genre-bending music and bold artistic style. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.


Forbes
3 hours ago
- Forbes
Meet HANA: The J-Pop Group You Want To Say "Yes" To
In October 2024, BMSG x CHANMINA Girls Group Audition Project 2024 No No Girls premiered in Japan on YouTube, Hulu, and NTV. The music survival series was focused on forming a girl group around women who have been rejected or told 'no' by the entertainment industry, society, or themselves. Nothing else mattered – no weight, height, or age, just their voice. Produced by Japanese-Korean rapper CHANMINA and BMSG's CEO SKY-HI, they had over 7,000 applications from all over the world, but only 30 made it onto the show. The series was arduous and emotional. Several contestants were eliminated with each round, building more pressure among the remaining group. But, at the end of the competition in January, only seven women were chosen to form HANA – Chika, Naoko, Jisoo, Yuri, Momoka, Koharu, and Mahina. Signed to CHANMINA's No Label Music and Sony Music Japan's Mastersix Foundation, Hana debuted in April with their single, 'ROSE.' It became a hit in Japan, debuting at #1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100. Since then, the girls have been releasing more hit singles, performing at festivals such as Taiwan's Central Music & Entertainment Festival and Summer Sonic, and holding fan meets for their 'HONEYs' – their fandom name. The group has been enjoying the experiences of meeting fans and performing, and is excited for more to come. 'We've been doing well,' Mahina says through an interpreter over Zoom. 'We've been eating lots of great food and sleeping a lot as well.' The girls have a brief break before heading to their next festival performance in Tokyo. It's 11 am in Tokyo when the girls join the Zoom interview. They look refreshed and dressed comfortably as if they're preparing for dance practice. They are all smiles, waving at the camera as we were in the same room. They shared that they just had Thai food for lunch. After watching several of their performance videos, it's hard to believe anyone could say 'no' to these girls. Their energy could be felt through the screen with their singles, '... Drop,' 'ROSE,' 'Burning Flower,' and their latest single, 'Blue Jeans.' Yet, each member has faced a moment of rejection, told throughout the competition series. It's inspiring to see how much they wanted this. Jisoo, who hails from Korea, applied for the competition because 'she was not a big fan of herself in Korea.' As a former K-pop trainee, she believed she could become a completely different person in a new country. So, she auditioned for No No Girls and found herself. 'Through the audition, I am able to rely on the other teammates and producers,' says Jisoo. 'Now, I am the same me, but I'm a big fan of myself now, thanks to the audition.' Many were intrigued by the concept of the competition, especially Koharu, who had a dance background but no singing or rapping experience before the audition. Yet, she loved the idea that the core of the program was to find your voice and tell your story. 'It was about looking inwards or looking at who you really are inside,' Koharu says. 'I was very hopeful for what this audition could be, recognizing who you are. I felt this approach would be able to help me grow and show who I am as a person.' They all felt a lot of pressure throughout the competition, especially during their final performance, which was a concert in front of 20,000 people at K-Arena Yokohama. 'When I found out I made the final lineup, I felt a lot of pressure,' Yuri admits. 'I lacked a little bit of confidence at that stage and didn't feel like I was going to make it. But, when I did, I thought, 'Well, I just have to go with this.' I began seeing [everything] in a more positive light and was able to bring this positivity moving forward.' Chika, who trained at Avex Artist Academy Fukuoka and EXPG Fukuoka, and was a finalist in Little Glee's Monster Audition, has participated in several music survival programs. She constantly thought about whether she would make it or get cut. But, with No No Girls, she had to put all of those negative thoughts aside to make her final performance even more exciting. 'My mind was pure blank when I was selected [for HANA],' Chika laughs. 'I had the most confidence. I believe in CHANMINA and SKY-HI so much that I realized that my life from now on was going to be centered and moving forward in a great direction.' Koharu felt the same pressure as Chika, worrying whether she would make it or whether she was good enough. It was only when she performed solo that she felt she was truly allowed to express herself, and she received positive feedback for that performance. 'I was laser-focused on this performance,' says Koharu. 'I was able to release myself in a way. With the final selection, I really got to enjoy that moment being [selected]. I realized when you're having fun from the bottom of your heart and just really focused on something, dreams do come true.' The youngest of the group at 16, Mahina, didn't think much about the cutting process, but took the entire competition as a learning experience in her craft. When she was selected for the final group, she felt a confidence boost, which made her realize she had her own color and voice that only she could express. 'I want to become an artist who is loved by the entire world,' Mahina shares. '[In the audition], I was getting to know different types of music that I didn't know before. I was inspired by seeing everybody's performances and learning and growing a lot.' Nakao, who is of Thai-Japanese descent, also felt she had a great deal to learn about music and the industry, something she had never experienced before. Initially, she felt alone after moving from Osaka to Tokyo for the competition. However, she felt a sense of connection with her fellow participants, seeing how everyone was helping one another. 'I didn't think anybody noticed I was hiding in the bathroom, but Koharu found me,' says Nakao. 'I thought, 'Okay, I have to tell somebody [how I'm feeling.]' When I did, I was accepted. And, watching [everybody's performances], their words resonated with me. I thought, 'I want to make it together with these people.' That's when I really wanted to make the final cut. When I did, I was grateful. There's so much love within this group that I want to continue doing this as long as possible together with everybody.' Throughout the series and after being selected, the members worked closely with CHANMINA to define their sound, look, and style. They built a trust with the iconic rapper and SKY-HI, learning a lot about how music is made. 'I realized that CHANMINA was somebody that you can place your confidence in with the capacity to embrace you entirely,' says Momoka. 'During my final performance in the audition, I sang the song with so much pain and beauty. Through this, all the hurt and pain I felt from the past [was being lifted]. I gave myself permission to live my life the way I choose.' HANA has been praised for their powerful vocals and performances, but also defining their own expectations as a group. The music video to their debut song, 'ROSE,' showcased the members' individuality among identical white-haired clones. HANA is seen getting their white outfits dirty to defy the standards and expectations of the other clones. They then destroy the facility and clones, showing their true, badass selves. Koharu connected and resonated with the message behind 'ROSE,' especially the chorus, 'Just like a rose, full of thorns // My heart ain't yours, it's an ugly world, but // The flower still bloomed though stained in mud // I can't hide no more // With my beautiful thorns' and another part which is interpreted as 'I'm beautiful as I am.' She felt that song best represented who HANA is as a group. 'There's probably no other group like HANA who shows ourselves as who we are,' says Koharu. 'We truly show who we are as humans and as real people. 'ROSE' really expressed that.' HANA recently performed at Tokyo's Summer Sonic and is set for several other festivals, including Nippon Haku Bangkok and 1CHANCE Festival in Kumamoto, Japan. For Nakao, she's looking forward to returning to her birthplace of Thailand. Though she grew up in Japan, she has a connection to her Thai roots and feels emotional there to perform. 'My DNA is definitely there,' says Nakao. 'I am going there to claim a little bit of [who I am] in Thailand. Being able to perform there feels like a release. I didn't realize how happy it would make me doing this, and to go with my members means so much.' As for new music set to be released by the group, they wouldn't reveal anything other than that they're working on it. However, they did express interest in creating songs in different languages, including English and Spanish. 'I would love to do a song in Spanish,' says Jisoo, who speaks Korean, Japanese, English, and a little bit of Spanish. 'I studied Spanish a little before I started learning Japanese. My Spanish and English are gone, so I'd love to study Spanish again.' It is worth noting that Jisoo spoke perfect English throughout the entire interview. With their charismatic appeal and luminary talent, HANA is ready to take on the world as long as they're doing it together. '[When we started performing] initially, I was quite nervous,' says Mahina. 'But, when I got to the stage [surrounded by] the members of my group, it really helped. I didn't lose confidence at all because I know that the [other members] are with me.' Stream HANA's latest track, 'Blue Jeans,' here.