In a world that feels more chaotic than ever, people are no longer idolizing perfection, they’re craving connection. Today, the most powerful brands and creators win by being real instead of ideal. Not doing this? Get with the program…
If you grew up in the early 2000s, you probably remember what it felt like to idolize people from afar. We grew up in a time where we looked up to brands… Led by celebrities, CEOs, influencers, all on pedestals, living lives we couldn’t even imagine, let alone access. Aspiration was the goal, and perfection was the product.
Of course, we all still have dreams, but when it comes to successful marketing campaigns, the mood has definitely shifted…
Today’s world is chaotic, uncertain, and honestly? Heavy. Between climate anxiety, wars, layoffs, and the daily doomscroll, people aren’t craving unreachable icons anymore. They want someone who gets it. Someone who feels like them. Relatability has become the new currency of influence.
Marketing Successes & Flops Due to Relatability
Just look at how Kylie Jenner’s brands have evolved. Her early success with the Kylie Lip Kit? Absolutely iconic. She nailed the timing, nailed the aesthetic, and basically became the blueprint for 2016 beauty.
But then came Kylie Baby… and let’s be real, it didn’t land the same. Most of her audience (aka teens and 20-somethings) weren’t having kids, ultimately resulting in a quick fail. Meanwhile, Rare Beauty and Glossier were popping off by leaning into softness, imperfection, and realness. So Kylie had to pivot. Fast.
Hot take: I wouldn’t be shocked if the start of the Timothée Chalamet PR romance was part of that pivot strategy 👀
Not to pile on the Kardashians, but Kendall’s Gucci airport ad is another example of marketing being completely tone-deaf ~ unrelatable, overly polished, and detached from reality. Online reactions were brutal, with many saying it looked like it was her first time in a public airport, and honestly, it showed.
For a better example, take Emma Chamberlain. She shows up on YouTube looking like she just rolled out of bed, mid-existential crisis, coffee in hand. No glam squad. No script. Just vibes. And people are obsessed. That kind of unfiltered energy would’ve been a brand-killer in the early 2000s, but now? It’s marketing gold. She doesn’t feel like a celebrity. She feels like your slightly unhinged bestie who gets you.
Even in music: Think about the shift from perfectly polished pop stars like Britney and Beyoncé to Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo. We’re not just getting the hits, we’re getting the heartbreak, the anxiety, the spiral at 2am. It’s messy. It’s honest. And that’s what makes it powerful. Fans don’t connect because they wish they were them… they connect because in some way, they already are them.
Or take Taylor Swift. She’s not just releasing songs, she’s creating eras. Worlds. Narratives you can step into, identify with, and feel like you’re a part of. Her music isn’t just catchy ~ it’s emotionally immersive. Fans don’t just listen, they participate. They feel the heartbreaks, the glow-ups, the revenge arcs.
And in marketing? This shift is massive. If you’re building a brand today, you’re not just creating a product, you’re building a relationship. Your users want to feel seen. They want to know you get what they’re going through. That your product wasn’t made for some polished, idealized version of them ~ it was made for the real them.
Relatability builds trust. Trust builds loyalty. And loyalty? That’s what actually lasts. So whether you’re a founder, a marketer, or a creator, remember this: people don’t want perfection. They want real. They want weird. They want human.
How do you actually implement relatability in marketing?
It’s easy to talk about relatability as a vibe, but building it into your brand? That takes real work. Here are some concrete ways I’ve picked up along the way to stop being just “a brand” and start being someone people want to have in their group chat.
1. Ditch the Polished Aesthetic (When it Makes Sense)
Perfection? Boring. Heavily edited brand videos and overproduced campaigns just don’t hit the same anymore. Raw > refined. iPhone clips > glossy commercials. Real talk > corporate copy.
Look at Duolingo on TikTok. Their chaotic owl has become a full-blown meme icon. Why? Because they stopped trying to look like a brand and started acting like a creator. It’s weird, unhinged, and totally in sync with the culture/drama of the internet.
2. Use Real Voices, Not Brand-Speak
Going along with my first point, nobody wants to read another soulless press release disguised as a caption. Speak like a person. Joke like a person. Behave like a person.
There’s a growing trend right now to avoid giving your brand a defined “identity.” But in my experience, building a consistent brand voice is way easier when you have a clear picture of who the brand actually is.
Is it a geeky older brother trying to be cool? A corporate baddie with a sharp edge? Or maybe you hand the mic over to your audience entirely and let them shape the voice…
Like Poppi, for example. Their TikToks feel like they’re run by a group of friends who are always up on the latest trends, not some health drink startup.
3. Bring Them Along For the Journey
This one’s major. Don’t just market at your users ~ build with them. Let them in. Share the behind-the-scenes. Ask for input. Show your process, not just your polished product. Transparent storytelling has consistently been proving to be not only beneficial for growing a more dedicated audience, but a more tailored product.
People today are emotionally fluent. They can smell BS from a mile away. So instead of pretending everything is perfect, talk about what’s real. Share what’s hard. Be transparent when you’re figuring things out. Because in a sea of overly curated feeds, honesty cuts through.
Figma is a great example. They preview updates, host open Q&As, and involve their community early. Their users feel like collaborators, not customers. And that energy? It creates loyalty that can’t be bought.
Relatability isn’t just casual, it’s collaborative.
4. Feature Your Community, Not Just Your Product
Center the people who use your product. Let them tell the story. Make them the face of the brand. Speaking from my personal experience, when I go online shopping, I always read the reviews before buying. And honestly, with how much influencers get paid for brand deals, I trust online reviews much more than an influencer promo clip.
Glossier built an empire by spotlighting their community, turning them into “micro-influencers”. Canva regularly features creators and small biz owners in their content. It’s not just “look what we made,” it’s “look what you can do with it.” That shift builds emotional connection.
5. Design for Emotional Alignment, Not Status
Overall, don’t try to make users feel “cool” for buying your product. Make them feel understood. When someone feels like your brand gets them, they lean in.
That might mean:
- Talking directly to a niche audience
- Prioritizing accessibility and inclusivity
- Highlighting stories that reflect real life, not aspirational fantasy
The Bottom Line
Relatability wins because it brings people in. It doesn’t say, “be like us.” It says, “we belong in your world.”
The brands that are crushing it right now aren’t trying to be admired, they’re trying to be trusted. They don’t perform perfection. They simply show up for you. And in 2025? That’s the energy people are looking for.
→ So, get clear on who you’re talking to (target user), and figure out how your product can naturally fit into their everyday life ✨
If you’ve made it this far ~ thanks for sticking around. Hopefully something here sparked a new idea or gave you a fresh angle to bring into your marketing work.
Disclaimer, this is just my perspective shaped by years of building and running marketing across multiple industries. I’ve tested a lot, learned a ton, and earned some real wins through consistent, hands-on work. But the one thing I always come back to? Stay curious, keep sharing, and never stop listening.
I’d love to hear your take! Whether it’s a different pov, a question, or something this reminded you of. Find me on X or Linkedin. I’m always up for a good idea swap. Growing together beats going at it alone.