the magnetism & magic of brittany broski
IMAGES belong to @BRITTANYBROSKI on instagram!
Fonts, intros and thumbnail themes are all synonymous with the Golden Era of Youtube, as some call it, between the years of 2011-2015. Monetization had not yet peaked, collaborations were earnest and out of genuine friendship, and the gap between creators and viewers was bridged with honest content that resembled that of a FaceTime call with a longtime friend. This era died as the original creators went off to pursue other avenues of entrepreneurship, and in their place, celebrity-like untouchables were born, lacking the relatability and connection that their forefathers offered. However, a renaissance of the “best friend” influencer is upon us, with creators like Brittany Broski paving the way.
Brittany Broski is not unlike her peers in the content creator space in how she makes a living: she accepts brand deals, interviews on red carpets like Emma Chamberlain, and monetizes off of her one-woman podcast & weekly Youtube uploads. So, what sets her apart? Answer: she is a raw, honest representation of a young woman’s experience. A key part of how influencers stay relevant is maintaining an image that others want to emulate, which builds a monetary foundation for brand deals, Like To Know & Amazon storefronts, and tutorial views. But on the flipside, this creates a chasm between themselves and the viewer - they are the ultimate goal of “self-actualization”, not your best friend. They’re the popular girl at school who sets the trends, not your best friend who you have to be seated away from for giggling too much.
Despite being gorgeous and enviable in her own right — top tier humor, meticulously crafted style, a well-honed identity, incredibly well-read — that is not why Brittany appeals to her audience. Her following is so enchanted with her because she is them, only with millions more followers and a microphone. She fangirls & thirsts over actors, actors she’s met, dissects fantasy young adult novels, and dives into the experience of navigating your identity & values as a woman in today’s world. She’s genuine and messy and perfectly echos a best friend who you admire, love and respect. Before, there was an invisible wall between influencers and their audience. They didn’t interact honestly or connect the way Brittany does, which may just be an innate quality as a creator you either possess or don’t. The fabric of technology has become so lifelike that audiences can easily discern whether you’re earnestly trying to connect & create or simply turning on your camera to admire yourself or cash a quick check.
She’s so transparent that she’s even brought up on her podcast the dilemma of being a creator and being a counterpart to parasocial relationships — “How much do I owe my audience?”, “How much privacy do I have the right to as a creator?”, “Have I given up the mystery of myself by laying it all out online?”, etc. These are all deeply valid and introspective questions, and I bet you can list a few creators off the top of your head who a., don’t possess the self-awareness or depth to ask such questions or b., don’t have the authenticity to have that sort of conversation with their following in fear of retribution. She also calls into question the theory that you must have a carefully-crafted script you follow online to garner a secure audience — participate in trends, dress according to your fellow influencers, attend all of the correct networking events, etc. She is wholly and unconditionally loved by her audience for being herself and being unpredictable — she can talk about absolutely anything with a comedic or satirical spin, and her array of interests that vary by season reflect the average soul-search of young women around the world. She shows her female audience that you can be many things at once and your traits do not have to contradict one another. You can be deep & introspective while still able to participate in light-hearted comedy & fantastical, imaginative things. That there is beauty in rawness and openness, and by being yourself, you will open more doors than trying to camouflage with the flock.
Think about it: what makes someone worthy of investing your money and time in by watching their content and buying their merchandise? Chances are, Brittany’s personality, brand and values align with this theoretical creator you’ve imagined, and interestingly, while she may have a better public relations and brand team behind her now, she built her career from the ground-up based solely upon her talking about her interests, feelings, opinions and life, which is no small feat. You have to be pretty extraordinary to capture the hearts of millions just by being yourself, and she is no exception to that rule.
