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The Marketplace of Existential Authenticity

Published: 2025

Jay Handelman
Associate Professor & Distinguished Teaching Fellow of Marketing

Tandy Thomas
Associate Professor & E. Marie Shantz Fellow of Marketing

Key Takeaways

  • Drawing on existentialist thought, this research challenges the traditional view of authenticity as an inherent trait and instead frames it as a performative process of self-creation, influenced by interactions with others.
  • In the context of neoliberalism and social media influencers (SMIs), authenticity is not undermined by marketization; rather, overt commercial activity (e.g., brand collaborations) can enhance perceived authenticity when paired with displays of vulnerability and self-work, creating a marketplace of existential authenticity.
  • The study introduces the concept of a reflexive synopticon—a system where SMIs, audiences and platforms mutually monitor and influence each other—highlighting how authenticity is co-produced and regulated within a horizontal, market-enabled structure of power.

At a time when online vulnerability can launch a career and influencing has become valuable work, researchers at Smith and their co-authors have discovered that what we consider "authentic" on social media isn't about being your true self—it's about the public display of struggling to become oneself.

Smith faculty members Jay Handelman, Tandy Thomas, and co-author and former Smith PhD student Gabrielle Patry-Beaudoin (Sherbrooke) used an interpretive methodology to study social media influencers (SMIs) and their audiences on YouTube. They conducted in -depth interviews with 12 YouTubers between 2017 and 2018, analyzing 713 videos across topics including makeup, lifestyle and travel. In addition, they interviewed 11 individuals in 2023-2024 who followed lifestyle influencers. The researchers used phenomenological interviews, averaging 93 minutes with SMIs and 57 minutes with audiences, analyzing the data iteratively to identify emerging themes concerning authenticity and marketplace relationships. In addition to the interviews, the study examined video content and audience comments to understand how authenticity operates in social media contexts.

The study revealed a "marketplace of existential authenticity"—a cultural space characterized by the monetization of existential authenticity, where authenticity is defined by ongoing acts of self-creation rather than fixed attributes. In this space, SMIs engage in "resolute vulnerability," publicly sharing their struggles and life challenges, which audiences value and support.

Unlike traditional views that position the marketplace as a threat to authenticity, this research demonstrates that monetization actually enables and valorizes SMIs' self-creation work. The study identifies a "reflexive synopticon"—a governing structure that guides the behaviours of SMIs and audience members, where SMIs constantly reflect audience feedback and platform analytics, while audiences recognize the performative nature of content, yet still find value in it. This creates "synoptic relationships" where both parties mutually inspire each other through shared existential experiences, contrasting with traditional parasocial relationships.

These research findings have significant implications for understanding contemporary consumer culture and marketing practices. The research suggests a fundamental shift in how authenticity functions in neoliberal marketplaces, breaking down traditional dichotomies between authentic self-expression and commercial activity. For marketers, this means partnering with influencers who demonstrate resolute vulnerability can be more effective than hiding commercial relationships.

The study also applies beyond social media to other cultural spaces like podcasts, confessional journalism, sports documentaries and wellness apps, where people increasingly share personal struggles publicly. This shift reflects broader cultural changes driven by artificial intelligence and social media, where consumers seek meaning through shared existential experiences rather than adherence to fixed, essential identities. The research also opens questions about surveillance, expertise, and the conditions under which these spaces provide well-being versus exploitation.