People Over Brands

A cultural and economic shift became undeniable in 2024: America has fallen out of love with brands and embraced people. Across politics, media, and business, individuals have overtaken logos, with loneliness serving as the driving force behind this change.

The Loneliness Epidemic

Let’s start with the problem: loneliness.

• 12% of Americans now report having no close friends (up from 3% in 1990).
• We spend 70% less time with friends than we did a decade ago.
• 29% of U.S. households are single-person households — double the figure from 1960.

Social isolation has quietly become a defining characteristic of modern life, fueled by endless screens, overstimulation, and disconnection. It’s not just a Gen Z issue, though we’ve certainly perfected it. Apple put a computer in our pockets, and we stopped talking to each other.

The Craving for Connection

Loneliness is biologically powerful. It triggers the same brain regions as hunger, creating an instinctive need for connection. In response, we’ve flooded the internet looking for people:

• TikTok’s endless scroll is full of human faces and stories.
• YouTube thrives on videos featuring faces, not brands.
• Instagram photos with faces get 38% more likes than those without.

The data speaks plainly: humans crave humans. Algorithms reflect our deepest subconscious desires — and what we desire most is connection.

Parasocial Relationships: A Modern Survival Mechanism

In a world where close friendships are scarce, parasocial relationships fill the void. These one-sided relationships — where we “know” someone online without them knowing us — are the backbone of influencer culture. Gen Z views their favorite influencers as friends.

• 40% of Gen Z consult influencers before making purchases.
• MrBeast’s YouTube channel racked up over 1 billion viewing hours in 2023, more than Netflix’s top shows.

Influencers aren’t brands. They’re people sharing their lives, and millions respond to the illusion of intimacy. MrBeast isn’t “content” — he’s a friend who does cool things.

Politics: People vs. Brands

This trend is reshaping politics. Donald Trump understood this better than anyone:

• Trump is a person with raw, unfiltered commentary.
• Kamala Harris, by contrast, became a brand: polished, scripted, and distant.

Lonely people crave authenticity. When the person runs against the brand, the person wins.

The Corporate Pivot to Personality

The corporate world is catching on. People trust people, not brands:

• Tesla’s $0 advertising budget works because Elon Musk is Tesla’s advertisement.
• Meta’s rebrand failed until Mark Zuckerberg embraced his personality: gold chains, UFC fights, and all.
• Spotify CEO Daniel Ek and Shopify President Harley Finkelstein now share earnings updates via TikTok selfies, not press releases.

Memo to CEOs: Show your face. Share your personality. People care about you, not your logo.

Reality Check

The shift toward people over brands is rooted in loneliness. This is a national crisis, declared an epidemic by Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. But in recognizing this truth, businesses can adapt: show the human side, create connection, and replace isolation with community.

As Clarence reminds George Bailey in It’s A Wonderful Life: No man is a failure who has friends. In 2024, people aren’t just seeking friends — they’re seeking you.

Takeaway: If you’re a leader, creator, or brand, remember: people > brands. Show up as a person, and you’ll resonate.