What can brat summer teach us about shifting narratives?

By Odette Schwartz, Senior Research Manager -September 10, 2024

Standing on the shoulders of internet culture giants - Hot Girl Summer, Goblin Mode, Tube Girl, Indie Sleaze, and the pink fever dream that was Barbie land - Charli XCX’s phenomenon ‘brat summer’ has turned the dial for narratives around gender and inclusivity.

It’s easy to overlook ‘brat’ as another fleeting internet trend (TikTok dance ✅ , meme-able content ✅, celeb collaborations ✅). But looking closer, against the backdrop of an online culture where women, their bodies and behaviours, are open season to public scrutiny, brat embodies freedom of expression that’s dominated conversations this summer. 3 key themes have driven brat’s impact on shifting narratives we can learn from: relatability, cultural relevance and accessibility.

Relatability at its (apple) core

What makes brat stand out against internet trends that have come before is how it's more than just an aesthetic. Sure there are symbols and physical cues that signal participation and bring the essence of brat to life (think a strappy white top and bic lighters), but ultimately it's the values it embodies that people identify with.

Initially, brat seems irreverent, almost punk, in its expression. But looking further, brat's success is in how it expresses dichotomies that we all experience and identify with.

• It’s about being confident but vulnerable
• It’s about being woman but also girl
• It’s about knowing what you want but also not
• It's about carving your own path but also bringing others up

Not only is brat ‘cool’, it is so by encompassing aspirational values around authenticity, equality and inclusivity. It’s a mindset and a vibe that people find equally relatable and motivational. Importantly, the people at the centre of it embody this fully.

Harnessing counter-culture

Recent internet culture has been awash with traditional, singular versions of femininity often defined by the male gaze. Trad wives and clean girl aesthetics reinforce gendered tropes around beauty and perfectionism that in reality don’t reflect the broad and diverse spectrum of what it means to be a female on the internet and beyond.

In contrast, brat is a refreshing, freeing take on gender expression that is unencumbered by stereotypes. The album artwork demonstrates this most simply, where the industry standard for a female artist is to lead with their face or body, brat’s lurid green background and Arial font is the antithesis of this.

Through mobilising people’s apathy towards narrow gender expectations, brat successfully demonstrates the power of countering dominant narratives by portraying alternative expressions - a perspective that has galvanised not just the girls, but anyone who connects with this.

Indefinable = accessible

Brat is defined by its refusal to be. Its ubiquitousness lies in its subjective nature, allowing anyone to self-define its meaning to them. In this way, brat is inclusive and accessible regardless of gender, age, race or sexuality, encouraging participation for all.

Equally tangible and intangible, the indefinable nature of brat is what has allowed it to travel - from Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign to ‘bratwurst’ - what brat encompasses is universally shared, leaving freedom of expression and connection in its wake.

When we think of what inspires shifting narratives, there’s a lot to be learned from brat’s lack of hard edges. In an online and offline climate driven by binaries and boxes, brat invites everyone to express themselves freely and celebrate their individuality, however messy.

With any kind of summer emphatically over, it might be time to put on a cardigan and stop hanging out in the pub garden smoking area.  The legacy of brat supports a refreshing celebration of a version of femininity that is genuine, complicated and fun. Being brat (and importantly, not ‘a brat’) has created an opportunity to take up space as women, free from narrow gender norms.

Here's a piece of work we did on shifting narratives, for Movember.

The Good Side Case Study: A comprehensive exploration of women’s self-esteem, to inspire and unite stakeholders around a purpose strategy and comms platform

And find out more about Charli XCX.

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