Maria's PR Tips

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There was a time when “main character” meant protagonist, a person you watched from afar, guided by story and structure. Now, it’s an aesthetic, a TikTok trend, a punchline, a plea. Everyone wants to be the main character, spotlit, stylized, singular.

But in the age of personal branding, where personalities are monetized and identities are shaped for consumption, there’s a growing tension between self-expression and self-commodification. What happens when “authenticity” becomes a strategy? When your story becomes a product?

Let’s talk about the PR problem with main character energy.

🎭 The Rise of the Branded Self

According to Harvard Business School, personal branding is now “essential to success in the digital age.” It’s not just for entrepreneurs or executives, it’s for all of us. From influencers to everyday users, we’re taught to package ourselves with clarity and consistency: what we post, how we speak, even the filters we use are all part of the product.

And in many ways, it works. McKinsey found that Gen Z especially leans into this, crafting digital identities with purpose, aesthetic cohesion, and a deep desire for recognition. As their report puts it, they’re looking for main-character energy, not just to be seen, but to be centered.

But what starts as empowerment can quietly tip into performance.

⚠️ When Relatability Becomes a Brand

The problem with “main character energy” isn’t ambition. It’s the pressure to turn every moment into content. When you are the brand, nothing is off-limits. A breakup becomes a plot twist. A trauma becomes a teachable moment. Vulnerability becomes leverage.

As Psychology Today warns, this dynamic can create “a narcissistic distortion of identity,” where we begin to value ourselves only through the lens of audience reaction. We forget how to live outside of the spotlight, or worse, we forget that we were ever more than a persona.

It’s no longer enough to simply feel. We have to perform the feeling, post the caption, control the narrative. And in doing so, we risk losing something softer, something human.

💡 The YouGov Reality Check

Interestingly, not everyone’s buying the hype. A 2025 YouGov study found that while Gen Z embraces main character energy, older generations see it as “narcissistic” or “performative.” And Gen Z themselves? Many admit to feeling exhausted by it, even when they participate in it.

We want to be seen. But not stalked. We want to be known. But not owned.

There’s a hunger for authenticity, but also a fear that we’ve forgotten what that actually means.

🧭 So What’s the PR Shift?

As a brand strategist or a content creator, the takeaway is this:

Don’t build a persona, build a presence.

Let your online self reflect your real values, not just your highlight reel. Prioritize connection over curation. You don’t need to be the main character. You just need to be a real one.

And if you’re in PR? Stop pushing people to perform themselves. Help them root their voice in reality, not aesthetic trends.

Because when the applause fades and the edits stop, the person left behind should still feel whole.

💬 Your Turn

What’s your relationship to “main character energy”?
Have you ever felt like your online presence became a performance?
Or maybe you’ve found a better way to stay grounded while being seen?

Drop your thoughts below, I want to hear how you stay real in a world that keeps asking you to act.