The Death of Perfection: Why Authenticity Rules the Roost
For over a decade, social media has been a gallery of the ideal with filtered photos of polished makeup and hyper-saturated landscapes. Now, the human experience is in high demand because AI slop is emotionally hollow. And while we all strive to make connections, it’s wildly difficult to make a connection with mechanical apathy. So if you want to build a brand, perfection is no longer the goal.
Authenticity Is the New Luxury
In his year-end memo, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri noted that "nothing is real by default anymore.” So while we still care about what is being said, we care more about who is saying it.
In a sea of infinite synthetic abundance, the human flaw, such as a shaky camera, imperfect lighting, or an unscripted stutter, has become the only reliable sign of truth. And with trust as a highly-valued currency, truth matters.
Why Social Follower Counts Are Fading
If you’re a content creator, the old metrics are crumbling. Brands are moving away from vanity metrics, like follower counts, and toward micro-communities.
We want quality over quantity. A creator with 5,000 deeply loyal followers now often outperforms an influencer with 500,000 passive ones (Verlynk, 2026).
CreatorIQ (2026, January) noted that 86% of creators now use generative AI, which makes human nuance and authenticity the defining competitive advantages.
Consumers and brands now seek unfiltered creators with specific niches because they possess something AI cannot replicate: a unique perspective and lived experience.
The Business of Being Real
For businesses, this shift is high-stakes. Social media has the power to make or break a brand in hours. Consumers are already hyper-skeptical so when a brand tries to fake a movement or hide behind a polished corporate veneer, the internet is super quick to air their dirty laundry.
Today, authenticity isn't just a marketing strategy; it’s a form of insurance. By being truthful and transparent from the start, you can prevent the kind of social backlash that stems from perceived deception.
Moving Forward
Create content that is original and unique. AI can generate images and topical content, but it can't create your specific story or original artwork.
Embrace the Handmade Approach: Stop smoothing things over and show the reality…as much as possible.
Make Connections: Use social feeds for discovery and remember that real community building happens in smaller, unfiltered spaces.
Human-Centric Storytelling: Use AI as a tool for efficiency and ideation, but never let it be the voice of your brand.
The future belongs to those willing to embrace their flaws. And the most premium value you can offer is your humanity.
– Patrick Baxter, Chief Creative, BaxterBranded.com
