Why Brands Should Slide into the DMs on Social
What Gen Z’s craving for intimacy means for brands
When TikTok creator and self-proclaimed “mattress actress” Ari Kytsya showed up in Urban Decay’s “Blandemic Crisis” PSA, reactions were split. Some clutched their pearls at a sex worker on a mainstream brand platform. Others applauded Urban Decay for embracing sex-positivity and leaning into its rebellious heritage. Honestly, who better to prove the staying power of All Nighter setting spray than someone who literally lives on camera?
But what Urban Decay tapped into, intentionally or not, is bigger than a shock cameo. Reach is out. Intimacy is in. Fans increasingly crave gated access, not mass broadcasts.
Look at global girl group Katseye. Their TikTok pages are private. Fans have to request entry like they are collecting Infinity Stones. Acceptance becomes the currency. This same energy powers platforms like OnlyFans, where exclusivity and access are the ultimate flex. Gen Z doesn’t just want to watch their favorite creators. They want to belong to them.
We call this the “cozy web,” but it is more than comfort. It is control. After a decade of performing identities publicly, Gen Z is reclaiming privacy as power. Smaller circles such as Close Friends lists, Discord servers, WhatsApp groups, and Slack channels are where what is shared actually matters. The feed is a stage. The group chat is home.
OnlyFans illustrates this shift, not as an adult platform, but as a cultural prototype. People are not paying for content. They are paying for closeness. They pay to feel seen, spoken to, and let in.
And yet, most brands are still stuck in broadcast mode, chasing followers, impressions, and reach. Meanwhile, influence is happening in private, through DMs, invite-only servers, and micro-communities. The most valuable audience might be the one you cannot measure.
So no, this is not about putting your brand on OnlyFans. It is about understanding what that platform symbolizes. Intimacy is the new influence. The smartest brands move from public performance to private access, from broadcaster to confidant.
Brands getting it right:
Glossier co-created products inside their Slack community before ever launching a billboard.
Hot Topic launched its Anime & Beyond Discord Server ahead of Anime Expo.
Cashmere helped Jack in the Box engage fans at San Diego Comic-Con through a “Jack’s Late Night Discord” event.
Katseye runs a TikTok bulletin with 801k+ members, sliding fans DMs of their favorite videos.
These brands do not chase attention. They curate belonging. Authenticity, access, and genuine engagement are the new KPIs.
The future of branding will not be measured in impressions. It will be measured in invitations.
The real flex in 2025 is not being everywhere. It is being let in.
And as Chris Brown said, “How you gonna hate from outside the club? You can’t even get in.”
Slide in the DMs
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Slide in the DMs 〰️
