My five-year-old falls asleep listening to frog sounds. I lie beside him as he tosses and turns – uncomfortable that it’s time to stop for a while – and then his breathing slows. The frogs kick in. They make everything okay.
I pay £60 a year for an app to have the frogs on tap. You might suggest there are free frogs all over the internet, why pay? But these are the frogs that work, the good frogs. Before them, there was no sleep – £60 is a small price to pay.
From a macro perspective, okayness is vastly underrated and rarely celebrated in a digital context. We want to persuade consumers that our brands will transform their lives and from this angle, offering okay is a bit tame.
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Yet okayness is the foundation upon which good things can be built. To be okay while global conflict plays out and economic uncertainty continues is quite a feat and akin to a rest when it comes to creator content. This has become increasingly visible across social media throughout 2024. There has been a calming. Things have become more conversational, less practiced and posed. You couldn’t call it candid, but rather it’s a gentle new pace and a confidence to take one’s time.
See Justin Arthur’s food storytelling for reference, he’s in no rush and it’s a balm for the soul. Or Niamh McKinnon’s videos from the Isle of Skye which celebrate small daily pleasures. Both of these creators have thrived in 2024, achieving cut-through by favouring openness and authentic warmth over dramatic storytelling.
There is growing evidence audiences want this shift. Increasingly high engagement with single-look Carousels and lengthy photo dumps showcasing experiences are just two clues. Another is growing interest in nature-focused content – a viral moment of 2024 for many creators was their videos documenting Starling murmurations in February and March. Then there are macro content trends such as the “romanticise my life” narrative in which creators decide to focus on the nice things in their life exclusively.
It’s not that deep, except post-pandemic and in volatile social climate, it is. Where creators became their audiences’ entertainers during Covid, they are now returning to being their friends. This is good for business and will strengthen influencers’ connection with their core audience in 2025.
The rise of TikTok has led many brands to believe success can only be achieved through making a splash. The pursuit of viral views can be transformative for businesses but as many have discovered in 2024, there has to be something underneath. A story which can be understood and sustained in between moments of reactive genius. This is what turns an audience into a community.
Okayness is wellness without the negative connotations. Gratitude without journalling. It requires no lifestyle overhaul, it is simply saying these small things done consistently make life better. Reliably so. The beauty of it is how easily it crosses verticals. For some, it’s a shower gel that elevates every morning. For others, it’s a TV show that enhances their week. For me and my son, it’s frogs. Okayness comes in all shapes and sizes but it drives wellbeing and consumer loyalty and this makes it essential for brands in 2025.
By Sara McCorquodale, CEO and founder of CORQ.
