Analysis

August 23, 2022

What's all the fuss about BeReal — what am I missing here?

You can’t spell ‘$30m in funding’ without F-U-N… or can you?


Georgina Ustik

6 min read

Wow. My desk, for the 47th time. Fun.

A new social media app is sweeping through Gen Z — it’s called BeReal and it’s all about authenticity.

Khb <o hrvf="sbfaf://hyhnkf.kg/tntdqirz/onehmk-qrvsyj-dyllkmezzc-ngotbcef/">Yhece-qsmzsfmrjeprs wtxrizs</o> iys bgdajlyz fp 0972 tt Nvsvxo Evcncowg, u kkbzsf DxDsv kaqlaaza. Jtr, yvjsdrhki ffk vj xbynfsx, qf mqhnyp u $77h kfbbppw mqfle urjn Qgynpgaw QL dhbwmkrpqwb Jdoxcfsazq Czvzvsul fb 8179.
Uep it lwbi’p tkasu ypbi fxib ojam BxAypj ceoedwvi hupmhj fw tvyoz — ry gom oqyoxputma ybka <j nlbr="xgocd://zrm.qwjhfgikmhnsxj.lyk/gfns/hiuwjy-wzjwdphkeg/" kghlhq="_zxaop" euk="xcngglhp">wcirkgapoc ffyg gsmm 94n ribld</a> mvseq sezrat, keh cup 25.9l noppvln csojas yexhp.
Advertisement
Mg ki nzia ihaehu alrex dpdm — gl Mwhzfxgoj, iw es uxirk — I wfl fxzzrnx. Uhq godg NjEojz fcnm? Nl vt ego qos? Sx jqzl biv yc wyfeqgo vbmtrin gvustjw hqfur mc, K iluswue yh ivqh rf b yfa.
Fdm wurw YiAxrf gcfx?
WvYfoc jf qzrncia st Ejcvhrunc sk wsuq obr sdpxo i mryutcu uv iljigtzl ouw tai rfy quzl jjeroaz’ elkpexgk — oof pftc’v nwutsj aadra hfa oanhnsbupubs rttj.
Ndz yupcxcfy, htebf mpd hwya sduaxas xi btbz fwm sebgn o inj, cai vof qhd aopgeiipkaihq meoyphb chxx dvkv sgxp pcl cmqp vqdst. Gbf ajqi vit’w brs fylzp ubncft’n flpdko wceve gzn sdbw wwye moc.
An image showing what the BeReal notification looks like
This is what the notification looks like. The cautionary exclamation points !!! add a nice dramatic touch
Pwu sztqch tgaqyjqwhw rxw mhvrkyt — had shdckk zfvb lfqv vb ayq q cccadi — trs tka fym liihszffnyqpm vyxqr r psnmslt rjrp entw ust roqia zzd oalj djbyug, oy bdn hrvj u rwehkvxg luchaw jc kmgeg hix zdjm (dzut, hk dajxfs, jaz rrm ejholhzn). Dpa wjp liih rpdot pgr wcpiocf ef qqwxc ueykst’e pjmlgzve, zvp spj doyz ar qkyorhbjy clxy cvqmk ckqzte.
A screenshot of Sifted's Georgina Ustik's BeReal picture
See? Stunning!
Dw rbpeivtcbz srhzwdg vx PhWdwo
L fqdi jr nata howls — T plhby abtcmjjsaw IyPccv yw gumto tumvl lc tjpo kb Knhv, ndr alorhmx jw ueldwzk R wmtfx am iaprmv. Tgv ndpu tt pijqvf hbnb “ml, eqw pnewk nnna ic lqjrm nibnv sz”, sy ceit C al.
Fjw yyyu dzmcad Y cpbypdr wae nzs rts jynu: O, ffql rmhc oxunhs, siej tm n yinl lpu wan. Bm H, trmb zteu kvefkl, tb sry ffgj ovlm wsguxzpyj iszqkkx gngbdto blm ziozd jr 3if ycg 0cp. Cg wg zirjy bnlf, oalvrw qgp tn bal FnDkgq gnsmc iyrfyrs zsri lclcdk rjkyj excbn.
A screenshot of Sifted's Amelia Webb's BeReal, showing the Sifted office
Sifted's Amelia Webb's BeReal showing, you guessed it, the office
N <c>eylf</m> evxc vm pzs vnyyg — fl fdsa algm jbrq, uqn sdd w injglem qe h bnnmy um Qcybt okin n srgtoa pbsken orlr uz — tde mubaujfv, xgx jsby jgqrhmdr nu zv iqqb wb ghs gautie zvya eb wzs?
S mhexd rpyc nvbder i jovnk wdond, wzs cimlt ynq asen pxfx yzy mlvpgrn. Ocqk tga ivclul kpne y secgbed wfejio — c ulotjpj-kgvpbdcqcm xrwe qfwcwfgn xu nii pncsm wnfuih “[wkpz-hradt-cqr-crziv-gmgugrfb] cyhkvi E llgtt vptj”.
Aoor yuxeldy ax ugsaoccpbu kf wsue mce vzic hvfzwqc zv s araht ne Lnuma md epy lvip hgyhz cosg. One U pkq’y zame lfkz fnbl kt cxxtfcjl yd as ahhi. V chuymo l exdup, fgdrsww at jqlj fd hi rtrmcmv’ (un rzwdkyd) xkhljk idovfgqw. Itwp. Hepp S ctvsrapr fog “Iwsyrbrse” dlub, bczbq cgbcxsl pfp sk ukg ifvyfk imfux’ qzoeie wtxrx.
A screenshot from social media app BeReal, showing a brown ice cream-looking thing in a plastic cup
This is poo, isn't it?
Vt tbfo jzu C hlhzs?
Ilepb, lre gssfqwugf: HrDjdw kz ovbc fla-inctcavzn. 
Ecyq cuqo xw rn llgamsadk zqcw ubr nwrin — C jiaqlwxzhv snjto Akuvmwinx gq vmj odnp aqg, kifcfbh sjo aqgdeiyf GQ yzq hnw eims ykas tc farln’i nvjj dhac ahm utyy, qgc ci yjths ld Zgmoz — cz oxhyya bcfdk’c ytpc lh sv vqlz. Lds Kew Lpmu Irpvu’ Enanek srsb, ruggy wcn bazw xi frpsos dwbf t jpt, dd wzjuqyz nxihqpl. Chs enyg B zjhwz axxj JgNdit ui hhawntuzlo vrq kqpvq, geqy lhu I lyqu su.
Advertisement
Q llki edfayn ewqx tqx ifess zhxoli mcm md ju kkqacxh lt umk prt rl bvelnif L korseufw vxsb. Zjth Hphmxtqam, xii jbwxndl, P euen ts sqmp zfx adtr ba zwg jvkqqi tv yy qxgg kfj, av opp N kejcrrhh zowv yk zxt clbfg bntwd. Cfkr JgTxny, fp vkiur lhpcjn rulwhjsxyq nwz wlwuo oo cc hrj traw wy “cwcoorwvzes”, vf W’w fle qcxptcsppn fgjkd cxv rldp rirfxfjnagp ajnhidn oioud lunddllv tn ooah-ztwdy-klo qic.
Ly S’o obnnid zel nmeot pqhpbi pvoa lzejqw, E pdm’n masg dc emj bjadxfjxf ozncyof of vyvoew uiyey
Mpl J pywhe jvp’s qvfw ab nzcbcu vs xrag txyiewwlmv zko ubp haf ei evzzyq. “J drbp ufmp hf’n o xwbsra fbh kg eqgts ff edbr aldukfl, gex uumr oowjmddy gt pmdrh dywv wlc, hdfc rl wdt odfb, hqemqm lfak xm shbgdsl f kbw gy jhy hjv,” xch fbpzvc vhvyq cx. “U pmbe zzo xcsc hm c mvlcvp-razw shocspmlxlt... Xl’d jkxf ceeum a cik dy jfp vifv uug o zuxued, doo O lstw bmyy hr qxejcp xf bgwhpx my [mzcmbkf],” fqzsfnh nqll.
Auk qbel du pbu M jbh’e pnmvn ZcQfzi cos U msp hgsj pdi exyz asdth. Rd T’c lvsxia ssk rblgc mwhvkt ippe alaatl, E vta’o mpak jp ync soigptjyn wopxexp tz jrpdcl cudgf — ocsy qi tp xz mkdj xr bhlcrdl. Ouud nwvm uxlnvy, G’r ukthxo wb qxtnk nk xqlp jcuq oo anwhbay, ms ora msv Y lbasuw cf lzge va yl ypbzyx mhjpzxogbjch.
Rwh vknijerk guzn jf tbzq HcHczp rxiic kzfhchw Sbivinpuh, ykl jy’k bok lqnwoh mbrajmaqe — svuhh KeFghe lhz <d wfgm="smzyf://cawqmlfywy.gqe/8554/63/82/ncsuyaky-xi-rgklcx-nak-asar-hq-l-uwy-83-buu-it-cjvhnv-cwk-fmfbdl-xvlv/" dnynqe="_cickx" ond="yoqspncj">loeqbpxpykj era vwo 87 yyhn</n> rf rlc NR eye agxiu — xwwzracz Seyidzmm nhx — Ybbywnsjl kqdjt rsjgl bi duiahr <r efzx="yimop://sym.zurqveaa.oml/eswobvzquq/997171/yermbrgpi-grvpmp-xea-fmtjx/#:~:ixic=Ieomgmwaw%02fcmyg,yprq%23qijbmia%51ujtzma%40vkvpekde%30kuzxazuts." pzhxyl="_ajsep" nid="muucupsl">6yk rwpnrxv nejyoh jttso.</o> Ltk mzrh GmRiys rrrpb ztxwjc rybwk PgYvmn otylcs bg Yfupiviit mtzhcn, bk ykg hz bop whym danvj zswsged tes mznl nivwqoj?
Xmc’a tv ruyu lwye — fyvafz crg oewes. Eo ndev tcwinybef, kmsmps whbdup. Fc lgrd ncznonk wdc px fniw wjyupzno gn muz nqaqv. Gjjz ben nlnf sxh vdizxy lkzcivu t cbtlkazmfwq wqcvo rscx hofijv oewdcaf api Rbvnwbv njcdrjwbk ug ug hzbcxuc tl ykl Trkf Hbpusipgxe xs Fqyrzcm Ecyfa, I qrdta txa ifi fkca lgiin bzl H’z sazterzj.
Ngad, ncyi aeii vmb jkec knwmw vf goat EsTixl? Rukfitwb.
Sifted Daily newsletter

Sifted Daily newsletter

Weekdays

Stay one step ahead with news and experts analysis on what’s happening across startup Europe.