BeReal - The next big thing or a fleeting trend?
BeReal has exploded in popularity in recent months.
As of October 2022, BeReal has been installed over 53 million times. Worldwide, it has over 10 million daily active users. But what makes the French app stand out, is its antisocial social media approach.
What is BeReal?
BeReal launched in 2020 to disrupt the manicured nature of social media. Instead of beautified grids or premeditated posts, BeReal users are encouraged to post genuine photos from their day-to-day. Daily notifications give you two minutes to post pics au naturel, which are shared with mutual friends only. No filters. No edits. You also can’t scroll through posts until you’ve shared your own. So no lurking!
The next big thing?
Some tout it as the next big thing, destined to share the stage with Tik Tok as “the Gen Z app.” Gen Z is obsessed with it, populating 80% of its user base.
And there are elements of the app that could make one hopeful. The premise of countering the out-of-your-reach, big-shot influencer culture is sustainable. Long ago social media networks became platforms, and as a counterculture product, BeReal draws from the wholesome spirit of MySpace and MSN. This is highly attractive for Gen Z, who are drawn to solutions that alleviate the pressures of appearing “perfect” online.
The bad and the ugly.
But BeReal’s greatest strength is its weakness. Forced authenticity. The idea of taking a photo in a random two-minute time slot gets old. The method to their madness is not reinventing the wheel. Daily notifications resemble the stressful era of Snapchat streaks, in which there was great pressure to engage digitally on a daily basis. This digital peer pressure is causing BeReal users to report the typical feelings of inadequacy and exclusion they already get in Insta and Tik Tok in spades.
A bright idea with an altruistic vein.
Also, with its deadlines and restrictions, BeReal does make you feel like you’ve unknowingly started an internship with them. To quote Daniel Hövermann's famous line “ If you're not paying for the product, then you are the product”
Whilst we’re talking product, there is also the issue of monetization. Companies are not allowed to create profiles on BeReal for advertising or commercial purposes. Advertising is persona non grata. No subscriptions or in-app purchases. While noble, this casts doubts on the profitability of the app long term. The only cash flow churning the wheel is private investment, which is betting big on the platform, now valued at 600 million$.
Mused’s hot take
Our conclusion? A bright idea with an altruistic vein. Likely become the leading platform for niche, but won’t challenge the Big 5 + Tik Tok. As much as we might need it, BeReal’s not saving us from social media just yet.
