BeReal Ads: A Practical Guide for Authentic Brand Marketing

BeReal has revolutionized everyday social sharing by emphasizing real moments over polished highlights. For brands, that focus on authenticity creates a unique opportunity—and a challenge. Enter BeReal ads, a product built to align brand storytelling with the platform’s real-time, unfiltered vibe. This guide examines what BeReal ads are, why they matter, and how to design campaigns that respect the app’s ethos while achieving measurable business results.

What are BeReal ads?

BeReal ads refer to sponsored content that appears within the BeReal experience in a way that feels native to the user’s daily rhythm. Rather than intrusive banners or highly produced videos, BeReal ads aim to blend with the spontaneous posts users make when the app prompts them to capture a moment with their front and back cameras. In practice, this means ads that resemble real posts—timely, unrehearsed, and contextually relevant—rather than traditional ad units. The goal is to create a seamless bridge between brand storytelling and everyday life, so users encounter messages that feel less like advertising and more like a helpful, timely glimpse into a brand’s world.

Why brands chase BeReal ads

There are several compelling reasons to consider BeReal ads as part of a broader marketing mix:
– Authentic reach: BeReal’s audience tends to respond positively to candid, human content. BeReal ads that align with this expectation can generate higher engagement than highly polished campaigns on other platforms.
– Trust and memory: When an ad mirrors the user’s own posting style, it can improve recall and reduce ad fatigue. People remember moments that feel genuine, not manufactured.
– Niche alignment: BeReal’s culture often attracts communities around shared interests—food, travel, fitness, crafts, and beyond. BeReal ads can be crafted to speak directly to these micro-moments, increasing relevance.
– Long-term brand equity: Running BeReal ads thoughtfully supports a broader narrative about a brand’s values, emphasizing transparency, accessibility, and everyday usefulness.

How BeReal ads work in practice

BeReal ads are designed to respect the platform’s rhythm, which is defined by real-time prompts and unexpected posting windows. In practice, a BeReal ads campaign might involve:
– Native placement: Sponsored moments appear in the feed alongside organic BeReal posts, with spacing and formatting that mimic user-generated content.
– Contextual relevance: Ad creative is aligned with real-life activities people are already sharing at that moment—brunch with friends, a commute, a hobby—so the ad feels like a natural part of the daily routine.
– Subtle prompts for action: Rather than flashy call-to-action screens, BeReal ads may invite users to learn more, visit a product page, or explore a brand’s story in a gentle, non-disruptive way.
– Feedback loops: Brands can monitor engagement signals—saves, shares, time spent—to refine future BeReal ads while preserving the user experience.

Best practices for creating BeReal ads

To craft BeReal ads that resonate, keep these guidelines in mind:
– Embrace authenticity: The strongest BeReal ads reflect real-life moments with imperfect lighting, casual settings, and spontaneous captions. Overly staged content undermines the format’s value.
– Prioritize relevance over reach: Target campaigns around moments and interests that align with your product or service. Relevance beats sheer volume.
– Use honest storytelling: Share a behind-the-scenes look at a product, a day-in-the-life snapshot from a team member, or a genuine customer moment. Narrative honesty builds trust.
– Keep production lean: Avoid overly polished visuals. Simple photography and unfiltered tone often perform better on BeReal.
– Respect the user experience: Don’t flood timelines with branded prompts. Frequency and pacing matter; a thoughtful, sparing approach tends to outperform aggressive cadences.
– Invite participation without coercion: Encourage users to share their own BeReal moments related to the brand theme, but avoid prescriptive or exploitative asks. User-generated participation strengthens authenticity.
– Test and iterate: Start with small pilots to learn what kinds of BeReal ads feel most natural for your audience, then scale thoughtfully.

Campaign ideas that fit the BeReal mold

– “A day in the life” product showcase: A brand can tell a brief story about how a product fits into daily routines, captured in the user’s real-life setting.
– Behind-the-scenes moments: Show a maker or team member at work, revealing processes that humanize the brand.
– Local-hero moments: Feature regional teams or stores in real environments, highlighting local flavor and authentic experiences.
– Community-led initiatives: Spotlight ways customers or communities contribute to a cause or project, reinforcing values beyond product benefits.
– Seasonal rituals: Tie campaigns to ordinary, seasonal moments (coffee breaks, commute playlists, weekend hobbies) to demonstrate product relevance in everyday life.

Measuring success: what to track for BeReal ads

– Engagement quality: Focus on meaningful interactions—saves, shares, and genuine comments—rather than vanity metrics alone.
– Context alignment: Assess how closely the ad fits the posted moment and whether it feels native rather than disruptive.
– Brand lift indicators: Monitor shifts in perception around authenticity, trust, and relatability, ideally through brand surveys or post-campaign studies.
– Reach within relevant communities: Evaluate whether the ad reaches the intended interest-based segments and geography without straying into irrelevant audiences.
– Conversion signals: If applicable, track downstream actions such as visits to a landing page or product page, while recognizing that BeReal ads may drive offline or in-app actions differently than other platforms.

Privacy, consent, and user sentiment

BeReal places a premium on privacy and user consent. When designing BeReal ads, brands should:
– Honor opt-in and frequency limits: Avoid excessive prompts and respect the user’s control over their feed.
– Be transparent about sponsorship: Clearly disclose when a moment is sponsored, maintaining trust with the audience.
– Avoid manipulation: Do not pressure users into posting branded content or misrepresent products. Authenticity works best when it feels like a genuine moment.
– Listen to feedback: Pay attention to user sentiment around ads and adjust creative approaches to minimize friction.

Getting started with BeReal ads

If you’re considering BeReal ads, follow a simple path to begin:
1) Define objectives: What do you want to achieve—brand awareness, product familiarity, or community engagement?
2) Research your audience: Identify the communities and moments that matter most to your brand’s story.
3) Craft a minimal, authentic concept: Develop a few ideas that could be captured in real-life settings without heavy production.
4) Pilot with a small budget: Test a handful of BeReal ads in a limited region or audience segment to learn what resonates.
5) Measure and adapt: Use the metrics described above to refine your approach and scale what works.

Closing thoughts

BeReal ads present a distinctive path for brands seeking to connect with audiences on a human, everyday level. By emphasizing authenticity over gloss, brands can join the conversation in a way that feels less like advertising and more like a shared moment. The success of BeReal ads hinges on respect for the platform’s core promise: real life, shared honestly and without pretense. When approached with tact, patience, and a clear sense of purpose, BeReal ads can contribute meaningfully to a brand’s narrative while honoring the user experience that makes the platform unique.