Reaching a rewarding level of success that enables you to take on content creation full-time will take longer than expected unless you’re innovative enough to find shortcuts. 

Today, we sit down with Alec Gappy, the creator behind the hilarious dad pranks, to learn more about how the idea came to him and his strategy for making viral videos one after another. 

Who is Alec Gappy?

The man of many girlfriends, Alec Gappy, is a creator who gained his online fame by shocking fathers and claiming their names. Some of his most popular videos include “Hey Mark, this is Mark” and “Hey John, this is John.”

Making multiple phone calls a day is nothing new to Alec, as his career as a full-time salesman prepared him for the on-spot answers and persuasive techniques to keep callers engaged. 

Before his full-time career pranking dads, Alec’s main content was lowballing car owners from online secondhand websites like Facebook marketplace, craigslist, and more. 

Answering our question, he tells us,” I’m just a creative businessman working on getting things going. I have a few businesses going outside of social media. I take my online brand and content very professionally, even though it’s centered around humor and pranks.”

What Inspired You To Start Content Creation? 

Alec explains, “I was sitting on my corporate job desk and just wondering what getting paid from these social media companies would be like. I’ve always wanted to create content and knew I had what it took, but I never really gave it a shot until recently.”

“The initial start of content creation for me was when I thought of what a cheque from TikTok would feel like.”

Alec adds, “I think building an audience isn’t so hard if you launch your career knowledgeable and strong. Most people will create hit or miss pieces, while they know deep down that they can do better.”

What Was The Shift To Full-time Content Creation Like?

“Going all-in on content creation wasn’t complex or a lengthy process, as I went viral from my second video, which allowed me to invest more time into content creation without affecting my performance at my full-time job.” 

From making endless sales calls every day to planning out and executing his next prank call, Alec’s shift to social media was effortless, as he chose to create content around what he excelled in. 

He tells us, “At this point, I truly feel like I’m doing what I’m destined for; it’s almost like a calling because I can go all day long just pranking dads and not get bored of doing so, and the random personalities and improv are like the cherry on top, it just keeps getting better.”

How It Started Vs. How It’s Going 

Alec’s first-ever online content to take off was simply a satirical phone call to a random number, recorded and posted on Snapchat. After noticing how well it performed, his next move was creatively elaborating upon the base idea, which led to calling homeowners and offering ridiculously low prices. 

“I took what worked from every attempt, and it ultimately led to pranking dads, telling them that I am asking for your daughter’s hand as a man. However, if you pay attention to the content, I integrated everything else that worked in other videos, creating a standard framework or strategy.” 

He adds, “But, I’m a loverboy at heart, so calling dads fits perfectly with my natural personality. The idea itself came to me at the gym. I called my brother and asked him what he thought, and posted the first video, which got 14 million views. 

Alec acknowledges the importance of opening with a hook, and that’s why he uses the same name as the person he’s calling. Doubting whether or not people would find it amusing, this unique approach quickly became his signature. 

Are Your Videos Planned or Scripted?

“Yes and no.” He answers, laughing. Alec adds, “I try to take the prank as far as possible, and sometimes they play out even better than I had in mind, like the vaccinated dad one.”

Alec believes the best practice is to improvise on the spot, as pranks don’t always go how you plan them. Giving us an example of the vaccinated dad video, he tells us, “I had no idea what to expect when going to meet the dad in person. I saw him furious from a mile away and had to wrap things up before the prank went too far.” 

Emphasizing the importance of letting pranks flow unplanned, he tells us as a prank caller, you don’t really have much control over how things go. There are definitely some calls that never made it to TikTok, and that’s because I prioritize quality. 

Are The Girls Your Real Girlfriends? 

Amused by the question, Alec laughs and tells us, “No, most of the girls in my videos are just friends of people I meet through making these videos; sometimes they reach out, other times I ask them if they’d want to prank their dad, just random picks to be honest.” 

“Although it’s often not shown in my videos, I let their dads know that I’m just messing around, that’s if they don’t get overly frustrated, hang up, and don’t answer their phone again.”

He continues, “It inevitably ends with a laugh; even if they get pissed and cuss me out at first, they often recall me. I usually like to give something back in return, like a gift card, to show appreciation and get them to check out my TikTok.

What Tips Do You Have For Aspiring Pranksters? 

“Quality over quantity,” he quickly answers. Alec explains that he is very algorithm-oriented and aims to make every video he posts a hit by observing his follower’s behavior toward the ones before it. Therefore, he recommends taking your time when creating content and believes that anywhere from 2-3 videos a week is more than enough. To break things down, here’s what Alec recommends: 

Be Controversial to grow faster. 

Alec tells us, “It’s easier to go against the norms to gain traction, add a controversial or daring element to your content, and watch your viewership constantly increase, as it makes you more memorable.” 

Prioritize Quality 

“Three popular videos in a week hit harder than 12 average-performance videos. Personally, I want my brand always to be associated with quality, ideally with no flopped skit or prank. Why would you associate your personal brand with hit-or-miss quality videos? I’ll even stop creating content when working on business projects because I know my creative energy is not all present.”

Get More Haters 

Alec’s last piece of advice for creators is to get more haters. He states, “While some shy away from creating once they start to receive negative feedback, I consider it a measuring tool of how well my content is performing. If nobody’s hating on your content, you’re probably doing it wrong.”