52 INSIGHTS: Close-Up Vibes

In this week’s 52INSIGHTS from THINKHOUSE, we’re digging into how and why younger audiences are opting for closeness and private chat on social media. Are the days of brands broadcasting to youth audiences over? Gen z are sliding into DMs, using Instagram’s Close Friends function, attending screen-free events and sharing behind-the-scenes realness, not for likes, but for connection.

PRIVATE IS KING

Close Friends Over The Grid

Public follow counts? So 2020. In 2025, gen z values depth over visibility. Brands are moving away from vanity metrics like follower counts and likes, and realising the power of more intimate metrics. Shares are the new likes — if they’re sliding your brand’s content into a friend’s DMs, you’ve already won. In fact, 48% of marketers say shares are a stronger indicator of brand health than public engagement stats.

Public Posting? That’s so cringe

It’s not just what they’re posting, it’s where. Public posting among 16–24s has dropped 29%, while private story use is up 40%. That shift is less about hiding, and more about curating who gets to see the real story.

SO, WHY ALL THE INTIMACY THEN?

WhatsApp Changed the Chat

WhatsApp has reshaped how we connect. Group chats have become the modern-day living room; a private, peer-to-peer space for real talk. With its encrypted, low-pressure, casual format, it’s one of the few digital spaces that feels genuinely safe. And now brands are leaning in. WhatsApp brand channels are evolving into micro-communities, offering closer access to favourite creators, brands and orgs. Done right, the chat doesn’t feel like advertising — it feels like a trusted contact in your pocket. In Brazil, for example, 82% of small businesses use WhatsApp as their primary marketing channel.

Creators Getting Real

Creators are ditching perfect production for close-up, “talking-to-you” formats: raw voice notes, selfie-mode rants, FaceTimes. It’s the digital equivalent of leaning in over coffee rather than performing on a stage. This stripped-back style makes connection feel human, not transactional or a one-way broadcast. It invites audiences into moments that feel spontaneous and unfiltered. The shift is also strategic: private, raw content often drives more meaningful engagement than highly produced posts, with fans more likely to comment, reshare, and act when it feels personal. Creators are building “inner circles” through Close Friends lists, unlisted drops, private Discords, and pop-up Zoom hangouts; Patreon subscriptions - spaces where their most loyal followers get the first look and the inside scoop.

DMs - the New Town Square

The most important conversations about brands aren’t happening in public comments; they’re unfolding in the DMs. Whether it’s friends swapping product links, fans sending reels that “feel so you,” or micro-communities sharing discount codes, the DM is where recommendations turn into action. A staggering 694,000 Instagram Reels are shared or sent via direct message every single minute, underlining just how deeply users rely on DMs to spread content that matters to them — making it one of the most influential, yet least visible, drivers of cultural momentum. Unlike likes or views, these moments are personal endorsements, often carrying more weight than any public campaign. Smart brands are designing content with the “share to DM” button in mind — crafting posts so irresistible, funny, or relevant that sending them to a friend feels instinctive. In this space, the win isn’t virality; it’s being part of the conversation you’ll never actually see.

THE ERA OF THE ‘INNER CIRCLE’

1. From Group Chat to Brand Chat

The micro-community isn’t a trend; it’s the new baseline. Expect to see permanent “inner circle” channels — WhatsApp groups, Close Friends lists, private Discord servers — where they can talk like peers, not publishers.

2. Content That Feels Like a Voice Note

Even public-facing content will start to mimic the intimacy of private formats. Think vertical, handheld, unscripted — as if it’s been recorded just for you. We will see more content that blurs the line between DM energy and main-feed content, using lo-fi production to build trust and relatability at scale.

3. Invisible Influence

As public metrics wane in importance, the most impactful brand moments will happen in places we can’t measure — shared Reels in DMs, private story mentions, screen-free events, community chat recommendations.

SO HOW CAN YOUR BRAND GET INTIMATE?

1. Design for the DM

Make content so tailored, funny or relevant, it demands to be shared privately.

2. Get in the group

Build micro-communities on WhatsApp, Close Friends or Discord where your brand is a welcome guest, not an intruder.

3. Trade polish for presence

Lo-fi, personal formats beat big-budget gloss when trust is the goal.

4. Reward the inner circle

Give your closest community early drops, behind-the-scenes moments, and insider jokes they’ll want to pass on.

5. Measure what matters

Shift success metrics from likes to the invisible signals of intimacy: shares, replies, and private mentions.