More TikTok users are gaining brand deals and major sponsorships, with some seemingly paid more than reality stars nowadays.
The Big Picture
- Gen Z favors influencers over traditional reality TV stars, leading to a shift in entertainment preferences.
- TikTok’s popularity among Gen Z has surged, with users spending an average of 58 minutes daily on the platform.
- The D’Amelio sisters’ unsuccessful reality TV show suggests that influencers may not translate well to traditional TV, shifting focus towards older demographics.
Who’s Teresa Guidice? Tamra Judge? Lisa Vanerpump? Jeff Probst? Ask any Gen Z, and they’d draw a blank. The biggest reality TV stars are total mysteries to this generation, which prefers a different breed of celebrity — influencers. In a world where news is at our fingertips, Gen Z doesn’t wait for the next episode, and they don’t need to remember plotlines. Instead, they scroll TikTok for daily updates on the influencers they follow and for instant gratification.
This shift explains why reality TV targets “older” viewers, typically 30 and up. Shows like The Real Housewives and The Bachelor draw in predominantly older audiences, while younger viewers, tune into Below Deck and Vanderpump Rules. However, as TikTok gains traction, especially among Gen Z, they prioritize the app over reality shows. TikTok’s monthly usage has skyrocketed. In 2020, the global average was 13 hours and 18 minutes per month, but by 2022, it surged by 76.7%, reaching 23 hours and 30 minutes. Users spend an average of 58 minutes and 24 seconds on TikTok daily, double the amount from 2019. 22% of US teenagers dedicate 2-3 hours a day to TikTok. It poses the question: Is TikTok reality television’s biggest competition? And is the genre in danger of its new competition?
Vanderpump Rules
Best known as one of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Lisa Vanderpump opens the salacious kitchen doors of her exclusive Hollywood restaurant and lounge, SUR.
- Release Date
- January 7, 2013
- Cast
- Lisa Vanderpump , Katie Maloney , Scheana Shay , Tom Sandoval
- Main Genre
- Reality TV
- Seasons
- 10
What’s the Big Appeal of TikTok to Gen Z?
Influencers like Charli and Dixie D’Amelio, Addison Rae, Bella Poarch, Khaby Lame, Loren Gray, Zach King, and MrBeast churn out daily content with massive followings. But even lesser-known influencers find devoted fans fascinated by their lives, catering to various interests — dog lovers, dancing, travel junkies, pranksters, you name it. Though these influencers may not have the same name recognition as others, they still amass decent followings and can make a living from their content.
TikTok’s appeal lies in its availability and vast content. With short videos ideal for quick consumption, it satisfies the need for constant stimulation. And it’s not just Gen Z — older users, predominantly women, also flock to TikTok. While some might question the allure of someone making faces at a camera or lip-syncing, the numbers speak for themselves: Charli D’amelio boasts 154M followers, Bella Porch 94M, and Addison Rae 88.8M. The popularity of Charli and Dixie D’Amelio led Hulu to air a reality show featuring them and their parents, hoping to replicate the Kardashian phenomenon. However, The D’Amelio show received dismal reviews, labeling it as boring — a content creator’s worst nightmare.
‘The D’Amelio Show’s’ Marc and Heidi Insist They’re A Normal Family in the Throes of Fame [Interview]
The parents of TikTok stars Dixie and Charli D’Amelio want you to know their family is normal on Hulu’s ‘The D’Amelio Show’.
Although Charlie and her sister Dixie may boast massive followings on social media, Hulu missed the mark on their TV venture. While they are internet sensations, they lack the backstory and connections to other celebrities that kept the Kardashians in the spotlight for years. Unlike the Kardashian family, who had ties to Paris Hilton, the OJ Simpson case, and the infamous sex tape, the D’Amelios don’t have famous family members and friends or scandalous pasts to draw viewers in. Their friends are unknown, and aside from their dancing prowess, they bring little else to the table. How long can audiences be expected to watch someone perfect dance moves or lip-sinc?
Moreover, the D’Amelios’ fame primarily resonates with Gen Z, which isn’t enough to sustain a reality show’s viewership base.
It became evident that what captivated audiences on TikTok didn’t translate to reality TV. This realization suggests that future reality shows are unlikely to feature influencers, focusing instead on older demographics.
What’s the Future of TikTok in America?
TikTok, launched in 2016 by the Chinese company ByteDance, made a significant move in 2017 by acquiring its competitor app, Musical.ly, and integrating its 200 million users into the TikTok platform. Despite allowing users to create videos up to 10 minutes long, TikTok’s hallmark remains its short, easily digestible content. This format caters to individuals with fleeting attention spans, capitalizing on the preference for brief videos over longer ones.
The platform’s algorithm tracks user activity, learning preferences, and interests over time. If a user swiftly scrolls past a video, the algorithm takes note, adjusting content suggestions accordingly. Conversely, frequent engagement with a video-liking, commenting, or watching it multiple times – informs the algorithm to present similar content in the future.
‘The Kardashians’ Has Officially Run Its Course
Now the Hulu reality show is entering its fifth season, have fans had enough of the Kardashians?
Unlike reality shows, TikTok fosters a sense of community. Users can comment, “stitch” and use other unique features like hashtag challenges and trends. The “Stitch” feature enables users to seamlessly blend their content with others’, enhancing interaction within the platform.
However, concerns loom over TikTok’s future in the United States due to its Chinese ownership. Lawmakers worry about the potential for the Chinese government to exploit the platform for propaganda or espionage purposes. Senator Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat, expressed apprehension over granting such a powerful tool to the Communist Party, citing national security risks.
Despite these concerns, President Joe Biden’s administration plans to leverage TikTok for campaign efforts to bolster popularity and engagement. The platform’s influence in shaping public opinion and its vast user base make it an enticing avenue for political outreach, despite ongoing security apprehensions.
Vanderpump Rules can be streamed on Peacock.
This article was originally published on collider.com