Authenticity beats AI slop: what PR and comms teams can learn from TikTok's unlikely stars
Social feeds are flooded with AI filler, and audiences can feel it. What's cutting through now is simple: real people with specific passions, sharing useful or joyful moments without the gloss.
This year, creators like Cotswolds gardener Gerald Stratford, "bus aunty" Bemi Orojuogun, and ornithologist Jack Baddams have grown big by staying small - tight niches, unfiltered presence, and consistent value. TikTok's system also helps, ranking relevance over celebrity, so the right ideas find the right people fast. That's an opening for PR teams who know how to spot and scale the right voices.
The signal: why "real" is winning right now
Audiences are fatigued by polished, formulaic content and generic AI posts. They want passion, comfort, and small but useful insights they can apply or share. Platforms reward relevance and resonance, not fame - which means niche experts now beat generalists.
For reference, here's how TikTok explains its recommendation approach: How recommendations work. Keep that in mind as you pick partners and formats.
- Niche obsession beats broad appeal.
- Low polish reads as honest, not low quality.
- Teach, demo, or delight - ideally one per video.
- Community participation (comments, stitches, duets) compounds reach.
Case studies to borrow from
- Gerald Stratford (gardening, Instagram): A pensioner who loves red cabbage becomes a culture moment - and lands a Gucci shoot. Lesson: lean into a single, charming niche and let brand moments come to you.
- @raisingkevin_ (autism joy): Tola and Kevin Andu share day-to-day progress - trying foods, starting work - and attract 700k+ followers. Lesson: show growth, dignity, and the practical wins, not just the polish.
- Bemi "Bus Aunty" Orojuogun: Doubledecker bus fandom turns into feel-good, oddly satisfying content. Lesson: specific enthusiasm is contagious.
- Jack Baddams (ornithology): Birds + education + calm delivery. Lesson: micro-expertise with friendly teaching hooks is a reliable format.
- Wayne and Dwayne Haneline (US twins, music): Vietnam-era singing duo returns; their "Back in Black" take nears 80m views. Lesson: nostalgia with a twist travels across ages.
- Asena Johnson (Hawaii, veteran life): Post-army stories weave culture, identity, and daily routines. Lesson: personal context builds trust fast.
- Nonna Silvi (Tuscany, bakery): Family bakery posts spin into her own product line. Lesson: operational authenticity can power real commerce.
- Solange Fugger (Rome, emergency medicine): Educational clips from a young ED head win 600k followers. Lesson: credible professionals can teach at scale without jargon.
How to find and develop "everyday" creators for your brand
- Start niche-first: List 10 micro-topics your audience cares about (tools, rituals, places, subcultures). Hunt for creators already posting about them.
- Run the credibility test: Can they show receipts - years doing the thing, community proof, or lived experience?
- Prioritize a repeatable premise: "One small lesson per day," "What I learned at work this week," "Ask a bus aunty," "Two-minute clinic myths."
- Co-create, don't script: You bring story arcs; they bring voice and texture.
- Mind sensitive topics: For creators like @raisingkevin_, secure consent, protect dignity, and define clear boundaries.
- Accessibility by default: Captions, clear audio, readable text overlays.
- Measure quality of attention: Watch time, rewatches, saves, and comment intent beat raw views.
- Protect the talent: Safety plans for moderation, clear approval flows, and fair usage rights.
Production playbook for PR teams
- Hook fast: First three seconds should state the payoff ("Today I learned why buses…").
- One idea per post: Teach or delight, then stop.
- Recurring segments: Names matter ("Red Cabbage Diaries," "Clinic Notes," "Route of the Week").
- Sound off friendly: Baked-in captions and text beats reliance on audio.
- Community loops: End with a question you'll actually answer; stitch great replies.
- Consistency over volume: 3-5 solid posts a week beats daily filler.
Keep standards high without sliding into AI sludge
Use AI for drafts, transcripts, or topic research - keep a human face on camera. Build a fast editorial check for tone, truth, and usefulness before anything ships. Train your team to spot weak AI outputs and fix them with real examples and lived expertise.
If your team needs a quick ramp on practical AI skills for content review and production, this resource can help: AI courses for comms teams.
KPI shifts that signal you're on the right track
- Average watch time and replays going up.
- Saves and shares growing faster than followers.
- Comments that ask for specifics ("where is that route?" "recipe?" "source?").
- Offline outcomes: product sell-through, event RSVPs, applications, or press interest.
Quick brief template you can copy
- Person: Who they are, why they're credible, and their quirks.
- Premise: The simple promise of the series.
- Proof: What they'll show each post (demo, story, data, artifact).
- Cadence: Posting schedule and formats (feed, live, stories).
- Community rituals: Weekly prompts, stitched replies, fan features.
The takeaway
Real people with specific passions are outperforming polished creator content. If you work in PR or communications, build around niche expertise, helpful micro-stories, and genuine interaction - and let platforms reward what audiences already want to see.
Your membership also unlocks:
