Picture of Vahag Karayan

Vahag Karayan

Vahag Karayan is the Co-Founder and CEO of BrandLens, where he leads strategy, product, technology, and go-to-market execution. Under his leadership, BrandLens has served companies, universities, and nonprofits, including Hershey’s, UNICEF, UCLA, and Dartmouth. He has guided the development of capabilities spanning guided mobile video capture, content rights management, moderation, intelligent tagging, AI-assisted discovery, content libraries, and scalable campaign workflows. His recent work focuses on applying AI to video and content operations without losing the human authenticity that makes stories meaningful. Before founding BrandLens, Vahag led product, technology, portfolio, and Professional Services organizations across entertainment, defense, space and regulated medical devices. At Entertainment Partners, he led enterprise PMO and Professional Services functions, managed P&L and distributed teams, and created a new B2B SaaS and API offering. At Boston Scientific, he managed the Deep Brain Stimulation portfolio spanning more than 20 programs and led large cross-functional teams through development, regulatory approval, and market launch. His technical background includes machine learning algorithms, optimization, pattern recognition, embedded systems, and real-time software. Earlier in his career, he served as Principal Investigator on DARPA-funded research at Techfinity and contributed to scientific and mission-critical systems at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and HRL Laboratories. Vahag likes to joke that he may be the only person whose career has included both “rocket science” through JPL, HRL, and Techfinity and “brain surgery” through his work in Deep Brain Stimulation at Boston Scientific. A triple UCLA Bruin, Vahag holds a BS in Electrical Engineering with Computer Science, an MS in Computer Science focused on embedded computing systems, and an MBA from UCLA Anderson. Outside of work, Vahag is a sports and off-roading enthusiast and a meticulous global road-trip planner. He also has a deep interest in the human brain and behavioral psychology, which shapes how he thinks about products, leadership, and human decision-making. Favorite quote: “The future is already here—it’s just not evenly distributed.”

Latest Articles

UGC creative briefs and on-camera instructions working together to improve user-generated video quality, compliance, and participation.
Blog
Vahag Karayan

UGC Creative Briefs: How to Get Better User-Generated Videos

Most brands do not need more random user-generated content. They need better direction before anyone starts recording. That direction usually starts with UGC creative briefs. The brief explains what the brand is asking for, who should participate, what kind of story matters, and what the final video should include. In

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Guided video submission workflow for collecting user generated content at scale, showing on-camera prompts, rights capture, approval, content library, and repurposing.
Blog
Vahag Karayan

How to Collect User-Generated Content at Scale Without the Chaos

Most brands do not have a user-generated content problem. They have a participation and workflow problem. The difference becomes obvious the moment a campaign moves beyond a few friendly customers and starts asking dozens, hundreds, or thousands of people to submit usable content. User-generated content at scale becomes an operational

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Video submission platform interface with guided capture and consent fields
Blog
Vahag Karayan

Video Submissions: Why the Upload and Folder Workflow Is Broken

Most organizations say video is a priority. Nevertheless, they collect video submissions, like it’s tax paperwork. A link goes out. Someone uploads a file. A folder fills up. A teammate renames clips so they look “organized.” Feedback shows up in Slack. Then permissions get weird, and Rights are “handled later.”

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Fan-Created Video is the the future of branding
Blog
Vahag Karayan

Experiences Over Impressions: Why Fan-Created Video Is the Future of Branding

Brands have long relied on identity systems, campaigns, and messaging to define themselves. Today, what defines them most is what customers experience and share. Traditional elements like colors, fonts, and slogans still matter. But real connection comes from human expression. From stadium chants to viral TikToks, modern branding focuses on

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30 Years of World Cup & Olympic Brand Activations (1994–2024)
Blog
Vahag Karayan

30 Years of FIFA World Cup & Olympic Brand Activations (1994–2024)

The FIFA World Cup and Olympic Games aren’t just sporting spectacles; they’re global marketing goldmines. Over the last three decades, brands have leveraged these mega-events to connect with fans, create unforgettable experiences, and push the boundaries of advertising. From Nike’s iconic commercials to Coca-Cola’s immersive fan tours, these activations reveal

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Community, Not Just Reach: Why Fan-Led Storytelling Beats Broadcaster-Only Strategies in 2025
Blog
Vahag Karayan

Why Audience-Driven Storytelling Outperforms Traditional Marketing

If you work in sports, entertainment, or the creator economy, you’ve felt the shift: audiences are no longer satisfied being “reached.” They want to be recruited into inside jokes, fan rituals, live reactions, and shared authorship through storytelling. In 2026, that’s not a trend but the playbook. Social platforms keep

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