During our weekly WIP meeting I found myself talking about the announcement of Molly Mae’s new baby boy and how she cleverly split it across two posts, the first, his birth and the second, his gender. I was genuinely interested in what people think his name might be, however I was met with a good few laughs from some of the team and the age old question “why do you care?”.
It got me thinking, why do we care?
In the past celebrities were distant, they appeared on television and we knew very little about their personal lives. In recent years the whole way we consume celebrities has vastly changed, now they almost live with us. We watch them make their coffees, walk their dog, go on shopping trips, take their children to school and it makes us feel as if we know them.
Psychologists have coined the term a ‘parasocial relationship’. It’s a one sided relationship where a person feels a sense of connection and even friendship with another person who doesn’t even know they exist. Although the term was originally made for television personalities and celebrities, social media has ramped it up in a way never seen before.
Over time those daily glimpses into someone’s life can create a sense of familiarity that feels surprisingly real. As someone who works in PR, I can fully understand the thinking behind Molly Mae splitting the announcement of her son’s birth, gender and name into separate posts. It’s all anyone is talking about, well, at least the people I follow! The more people that are discussing what unusual name she will use, the more that benefits her personal brand and overall her financial growth.
Perhaps that’s why so many of us care about something as simple as a baby name announcement. We’re no longer just consuming content, we’re following a story. We become invested in relationships and life events in much the same way previous generations followed soap operas or reality television.
So maybe my boss was right to laugh at me for spending the first ten minutes of our Monday morning call speculating Molly Mae’s baby name. But maybe that’s the exact point. Whether we like to admit it or not, social media has changed the way we consume celebrities and influencers. We no longer just follow content, we follow people, stories and milestones. The most successful creators understand this better than anyone, turning everyday moments into conversations that millions want to be part of.
By Heather Lordan
Heather Lordan is a Senior Account Manager on the Fuzion Consumer Communications team.
