However, companies that allow us behind the scenes to watch their manufacturing process, logistics complications, and employee interactions are gaining followers, engagement, and, ultimately Launched in 2020 and gaining popularity in 2022, BeReal is the latest social media app that promises authentic connections. Members receive a random daily notice encouraging them to use a 2-minute window to post videos of themselves and their surroundings. By simultaneously using the front and back-facing cameras, BeReal’s goal is to capture everyday life without a filter.
Time will tell if BeReal or Instagram’s similar Dual feature is the next big thing or the next big flop (sorry Beme). In the meantime, it’s worth pondering two themes that this trend reveals.
First, there’s a deep hunger for authentic content and genuine community. We’re tired of curated vacation photos and shambolic influencers pretending to be real while pushing a product. Heavily branded content that jumps on the latest trends to cozy up to GenZ comes off as cringe.
Candy company Boost Bear chronicles the challenges of starting a new company during the pandemic. Feel Your Soul walks viewers through the journey of making roller skates. Turns out that straightforward, earnest content generates a lot more engagement than polished and produced corporate advertising.
The second nugget of truth unearthed by BeReal’s popularity is that pressure and constraint actually make people freer. Sounds like a contradiction? Think about the power of Snapchat. It liberated users to post non-committal, short content that would disappear. Similarly, BeReal imposes restrictions on content creation: no filters, no edits, no time to prepare, pose or posture.
Ironically, limitations actually enable creativity and innovation because it takes a lot of the options off the table. By laying out a process (you cannot do this and you must do that), creators have a channel to explore and apply imagination.
This advice runs counter to the conventional narrative about content creation, brand awareness, or legacy marketing strategies. However, with the average TikTok user opening the app over 19 times a day, they’re clearly looking for something more from companies than a canned sales pitch.
When audiences see earnest authenticity, they start to care about the message. Not to mention, when they care about your brand, company, or service, you’ll start to see conversion.
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