Many have heard of TikTok as one of the most popular social networks that dictates trends; however, there is another interesting application that is worth paying attention to. It is a platform that encourages us to present ourselves in the real world, i.e., without filters, posing and all other aids with which we embellish content – BeReal.
Although it came to app stores in 2020, it only started gaining popularity in early 2022. The BeReal app’s main feature is a daily notification that encourages users to share a photo of themselves and their surroundings in a randomly selected “two-minute window” each day. In doing so, it uses the front and rear cameras to create a collage and show followers what is happening at a given moment without a lot of setup or filters. Users can see their friends’ posts and react to them with a RealMoji – a photo of their facial expression representing an emoji.
Given its simplicity, it’s not surprising that BeReal was named App of the Year at Apple’s AppStore Awards. With authenticity as a driving force, BeReal is popular with members of Generation Z. They typically dislike content they don’t consider ‘authentic’ and instead want to focus on an online world that is realistic.
Open Influence’s creative director Sierra Moore believes that brands’ attitudes toward BeReal are similar to their initial approach to TikTok. Initial indecisiveness and caution turns into panic and FOMO, which means the time is right to harness the power of the app. However, when deciding on communication on this platform, marketers should first assess how their brand looks and what emotions it can evoke when it is “raw or unfiltered”. If the brand relies heavily on grooming or flashy visuals, BeReal might not be the first choice. However, if a brand cultivates a low-key style, it can use BeReal to post behind-the-scenes photos, build a community with Gen Z users, and connect with its followers.
BeReal is a good indicator of the growing popularity of raw or unedited content. Its concept is not new, but it is a kind of breath of freshness among applications that rely heavily on filters. It may not be perfectly authentic and there are certainly some features they could introduce to improve the app, but in a digital world full of fakes, it’s nice to just be real.