Why creators are redefining aspirational lifestyles 

Reports

Earlier this month, We Are Social launched a new report outlining the trends defining a new era of brand and creator collaboration: Next Gen Influence. Here, we preview one of the five trends featured – Relatable Realism.

To read the full report, download it on our website now. 

Relatable Realism 

Aspirational content – visualising the dream life – is the bread and butter of influence. But research has found that social comparison is only effective if the goal you’re striving for is within the realm of possibility. That body, holiday, or relationship has to be something viewers could imagine themselves attaining. Luxurious escapism still has its place as influential entertainment – just ask Nara Smith. 

But today, truly aspirational content – the stuff viewers model their lives after – is having to change shape to stay realistic. With soaring cost of living, new challenges in forging romantic connections, and the ever-present chance that much of today’s housing could be underwater in a few decades, most people are striving for stability, not luxury. 

Now, creators peddling ‘the good life’ are having to reappraise what that life looks like to make it feel relevant for real people. This shift has also opened up more space for creators who present humorous or calming lifestyles, or even turn those wealthy lifestyles into the punchline of a joke. This ranges from satirical content mocking influencers’ lofty aspirations to deadpan roasts of landlords that highlight the housing crisis in London.

For brands and creators alike, as the dream life evolves, they too must embrace realism as the new aspiration.

Discover what’s driving the trend, the breakthrough creators who personify it, and how brands can use it in the Next Gen Influence report. 

If you’re attending the DMexco conference in Germany in September, schedule a meeting with us and bookmark our exclusive global presentation of the report now.