“Raw authenticity” is the new cool…until it’s scripted.
Experts Say
Expert 1 – Eugene Healey
Brand consultant Eugene Healey argues today’s messy photo dumps and vulnerability tropes are no longer antithesis to curation, but a new performance style. He calls it “vulnerability‑as‑aesthetic” — the polished execution of being flawed. And when brands jump in, “nothing is less authentic than multinationals pretending to be jaded teens.” He warns true authenticity can’t survive under the spotlight of online exposure (theguardian.com).
Expert 2 – Vogue Business
A recent Vogue Business analysis shows the rise of “radical honesty” — brands like Steve Madden and Huda Beauty owning PR missteps, aligning transparency with strategy. But it’s a double‑edged sword: honesty hits only when it’s sustained, not just a one‑off stunt (voguebusiness.com).
Our Take
We’re living in a paradox. Kids are drifting toward BeReal‑style platforms to escape curated feeds, only to end up broadcasting inside curated chaos. Every spill‑the‑tea post becomes content. Brands ride that wave, packaging “messiness” like fashion: staged spills, choreographed vulnerability. The result? Anti‑polish turned charade.
True authenticity lives offline. It’s those unfiltered moments: unshared text strings, quiet tears, inside jokes. Not delayed and scheduled.
3 Action Steps
- Digitally detox for real
- Drop posting on one platform this week. Choose BeReal, IG, TikTok — just one.
- Instead, journal on your phone’s Notes app. Don’t screenshot or share it.
- Drop posting on one platform this week. Choose BeReal, IG, TikTok — just one.
- Archive your edges
- Set one hour for “real time, no censor.” Record a voice memo while cooking, crying, waiting for the bus.
- Keep it private for a month. Learn from how you actually sound, act, feel when nobody’s watching.
- Set one hour for “real time, no censor.” Record a voice memo while cooking, crying, waiting for the bus.
- Check brand authenticity daily
- Next time a brand pushes “raw” content, sniff for signals. Are employees showing up? Is there transparency behind it?
- If it’s pure marketing (hashtags, endorsements, “we get you” memes), unfollow or scroll past. Support brands who share missteps, updates, behind‑the‑scenes over polished releases.
- Next time a brand pushes “raw” content, sniff for signals. Are employees showing up? Is there transparency behind it?
We want real—but we need to reclaim it. Authenticity isn’t a filter or strategy. It’s private, imperfect, and unscripted. Let’s stop performing being raw. And just be.
Written By Lusine Sargsyan
