BeReal: Are Brands Ready to Take Authenticity to New Heights in just 2 Unexpected Minutes a Day… And Is It Sustainable? 

The idea of brands promoting themselves in an authentic way is not groundbreaking. Edible cookie dough brand, DEUX, went to Instagram to explain how the wrong kind of flour almost resulted in a loss of $30,000. Fashion retailer Free People offered products to curvy content creator Remi Bader for her infamous “Realistic Hauls” on TikTok, showcasing the good, the bad, and the ugly of her try-on experience. 

Embracing these real moments is a move brands have had to take in order to scale their audience, especially with the rise of Gen-Z as the most active social media user—with 82% of them using “social media as a way of finding new brands. Simply said: not leaning into this relatable and short-form content is a major miss.  

Social media app BeReal––which has seen a 300+% increase in monthly active users in 2022––takes authenticity to the next level with a once-a-day push notification, calling users to take action within two minutes. Wherever they are, they are encouraged to capture and share their moment. This means that content can’t be planned, edited with filters, or curated for the perfect look, an experience social media users have quickly gravitated to.

Currently, BeReal does not support paid advertising, meaning marketers need to accept authenticity like never before if they want to participate.

Organically, it is possible to join the platform from a brand POV. Fast-casual dining chain Chipotle was one of the first to make a notable splash on BeReal, offering behind-the-scenes footage as well as promo codes to their first and most loyal followers. E.l.f. and INNBeauty, privy to the “no filter” style of content within the beauty space, have also made a splash with in-office moments as well as product sneak peeks. 

But is the platform sustainable? Brands need a dedicated team member running point on a notification that no one can see coming… meaning logistically there are hurdles to catching the moment and pushing out content that would be appealing to your followers and represent your product. This fast and organic CTA means brand guidelines and approval processes are likely not an option in this context (though brand elements can be planned, to a degree). 

Here are a few things you should know if you’re looking to dive into BeReal: 

• Avoid using the platform as another advertising tool, you’ll run the risk of pushing consumers away. Do look at it as a relationship builder.
• Content is only visible for 24 hours, so weigh the use of resources vs. the reward as you build your audience. 
• If you’re going to BeReal… then own it, which means you need to be comfortable showing the good, the bad, and the real of running a brand. Many of your customers may just love you for it. 

If you opt to wait things out to see the longevity of the platform, keep in mind that authenticity and relatability is growing as a key factor for consumers—especially Gen-Z, seeking this kind of content for brands they already trust, serving as an opportune time to start creating relationships on other social platforms like Instagram and TikTok. The trick continues to be providing human community management and content that is meant to engage, not sell. 

Whether or not BeReal will stand the test of time and become another platform for brand recognition and lift, is to be seen. Until then, the app is teaching marketers a lot about the shift in consumer engagement and how digital relationships are being developed in a next-level authentic way, and it’s crucial that they’re listening.