BeReal is set to make its first marketing hire — but experts say it could be too late for the app to recapture its early buzz

• BeReal recently posted a job ad for its first-ever communications and marketing lead.
• The ad states the hire will ‘develop a global strategy across all forms of communication.’
• Social-media experts said it’s probably too late for BeReal to recapture its early buzz.

BeReal, the French photo-sharing app startup, is set to make its first-ever marketing hire but social-media experts say it may be too late to recapture the early buzz.

In a job ad listed on BeReal’s website that was recently removed, the company stated it was on the hunt for a communications and marketing lead who would be tasked with working with leadership to “develop a global strategy across all forms of communication.” (A version of the ad can still be accessed on a third-party careers site.)

The person would be responsible for managing external agency relationships across different geographies and building and maintaining relationships with “key reporters,” according to the ad. The exec could be based in either the US or Europe, it said.

BeReal did not respond to requests for comment.

Founded in 2020, BeReal appeared to have its breakout moment in 2022 as it shot to the top of the US App Stores and the internet was flooded with BeReal memes.

The app sends out a notification at a random time each day, giving users two minutes to take a photo using their front and back cameras. Users can only see images posted by their friends once they’ve published their own BeReals. The app had sought to be an antidote to inauthentic, feature-heavy, clout-chasing, ad-filled social media apps.

But BeReal appeared to have missed its moment to capitalize on its surge in popularity in 2022, experts have said. The mobile app’s daily active users were down 35.4% year-over-year this July, according to data from Apptopia.

The company has raised more than $89 million in venture funding, but maintained a modest headcount of around 40 to 50 people. (The company is also hiring for other roles, including a vp of engineering and senior iOS engineer.)

Some observers have said BeReal was too slow to roll out new features to keep users interested, giving competitors like Instagram and TikTok ample time to roll out copycat propositions. The low-profile company also hasn’t yet given a clear indication about how it intends to generate revenue.

For BeReal to regain the momentum it experienced in 2022, it’ll need to reinforce why users should want to create and engage with content on the app, according to Colin Kennedy, digital strategy and partnerships business director for channels and solutions at media agency Mindshare.

“The new head of marketing and comms at BeReal will need to build relationships with brands and celebrities and influencers to gain traction, add legitimacy, and create a more holistic user influence similar to what Instagram and TikTok offer their users,” Kennedy said.

Ultimately, it could be too late for BeReal to turn itself around without a substantial pivot, experts said. Paul Armstrong, founder of the technology advisory firm TBD Group, said the unique element of BeReal is not sticky enough in its current form to keep people coming back — and is easily copied by bigger players.

“There’s no marketing or comms person that can likely turn that around without exorbitant ad spend, along with a meteoric influencer hawking program,” Armstrong added.