So You’re Hearing About BeReal – We’re here to explain the latest social media craze

⚠️Time to BeReal. ⚠️:  The notification popping up on almost every phone right now. Once per day, BeReal sends out a daily notification at a random time, prompting users to take a photo of themselves and their immediate surroundings within a two-minute window to “be real.” This new app was developed by Alexis Barreyat and released in 2020, although it didn’t gain popularity until early 2022. It spread widely first on college campuses, partially due to a paid ambassador program.

So, after you post a BeReal, what’s next? BeReal holds you to authenticity, displaying how many attempts you took to post, your location, when you took it, and if you were late (outside the two-minute window). Other users can interact with your BeReal through comments or “RealMojis” – selfies of other users showing their reaction to your BeReal. If you dislike your posted BeReal, you have one chance to delete and repost a new one.

Other social media apps have influenced younger generations to share more curated versions of their lives online, whereas BeReal urges users to post photos exactly as you are, hence the name. 

No advertising, no follower counts, no filters. Just funny photos of what you are up to at that exact moment. Marketing material from the company has simply stated, “BeReal won’t make you famous.”

As of right now, BeReal is not being monetized by influencers as there is no formal way for brands to track metrics. Our prediction at MtoM however is that brands will find a way onto the platform beyond their own accounts. Other platforms like Instagram and TikTok will also follow suit with similar features that drive less contrived content generation.