MySocialBiz remains at the helm of social media trends and fails. While most of it makes great entertainment, a lot of it can be a learning experience. So what is “Be Real”? Some may say a cash-grab to capitalize on the Instagram hate train we have been seeing in recent weeks.
The concept is simple: once a day at random, a user is prompted to “be real,” which is taking a photo within the next two minutes from both your front and back camera. This short time frame and lack of editing (only retakes) seeks to drop the facade of traditional social media and promote authenticity.
What is real, though, and what is fake when we spend so much of our time glued to screens? In a commodified social media landscape, authenticity is as much of a marketing buzzword – but people still love when someone admits they are #NoFilter. Is there something we can learn about B2B or even B2C marketing strategies from this seemingly gimmicky app fad?
What makes it a hit is the fact it deviates from the monolith platforms we are used to. And with a minimal interface and no advertisements, it boils down usage to the most pure form. Instagram is being abandoned in droves due to the complete monetization of every aspect. However, the capitalist evolution of social media is not unique to Instagram. Facebook (now Meta), Twitter, and Tik Tok all boast sponsored ads which usually take place between organic content posts. In small batches, this is palatable. But when it inundated your feed and disrupted the entire UX of the platform, it is understandable that friction between users and suppliers is created.
So what are some of the key takeaways that you can apply to your marketing strategy from the rise of influencer counter-culture? Chiefly, don’t try to shove your product or business down people’s throats. On a high level, it’s obvious. But it also inherently cheapens your brand and can frustrate viewers as they feel what you post has an ulterior motive.
Our fixation on authenticity-posting is perhaps a reflection of our anxieties about the internet and how it debilitates our modern sense of self. Authenticity is a metric to measure content and the celebrities, influencers, brands, and individuals behind the facade. It helps us draw the line between contrived and the truly-captured.
BeReal’s attempt at curating an authentic space is far from perfect, but it creates a much needed dialogue around an previously unanswerable question: Are we ever truly ourselves on the internet? It is impossible to separate ourselves from a persona when we have to digitize a real-life experience. However, giving your marketing a personal spin that anticipates your audience’s attunement to falsification is key. While we’re not saying to make a BeReal for your brand, we would strongly recommend taking a stab at humility and self awareness to make customers and consumers feel like there is a thread of relatability behind the images on a screen.