How the '2016 Energy' Trend Can Help Your Brand's Online Presence

"While some are simply nostalgic for their younger years, much of the trend is about the comparative innocence of 2016, compared to the internet today." says a recent Forbes article titled TikTok’s ‘2026 Is The New 2016’ Trend, Explained.

Dani Di Placido, senior contributor at Forbes, dissects the obvious differences cumulated over the past ten years and encapsulates what the 2016 trend actually is, but I want to talk about something else. Something hiding underneath the rose-tinted-2016-coded filter.

And that is what you, a female founder trying to build a brand that feels authentic and not performative, can learn from and build into your strategy for the next ten years from this 2016 nostalgia.

Now, you know me, I don't advocate hopping on trends or following the crowd just because. I’m interested in trends only when they reveal something useful—something you can actually apply to your content, your confidence, and your brand presence.

So let’s discuss what 2016 energy is really pointing to, and what you can learn from the 2016 version of you.

What is the 2016 trend?

The 2016 hashtag has been used over 2 million times on TikTok alone, and is often accompanied with throwback photos, old videos and reflections on the unique pop culture moments and aesthetic trends of the year 2016.

The trend took off in all its peace-sign pose and bubblegum hair glory because people who use social media are desperate for a time when we weren’t obsessing over:

• content pillars

• aesthetic cohesion

• value-driven hooks

• optimisation before expression

We posted because we wanted to. Because it felt fun.

It felt human.

So when people say they’re channeling 2016 energy, what they’re really saying is:

I’m tired of performing and I want to feel like myself again.

Fast forward to today, and social media has matured into something much heavier. Online commentators are saying the ten year internet evolution feels too monetised and measured. But for business owners, our statistics, data and conversion through our social media channels is a necessary strategic tool for the success of our businesses.

What I'm here to tell you is that you don’t have to choose between strategy and being yourself. A sustainable brand is built by combining clarity with personality—and letting your unique point of view lead the strategy.

What the 2016 really reveals is that we're desperate for a rebellion against performance, and a return to self-trust, with the audacity of an indignant teenager!

And that's exactly what Be Brand New is all about.

How you can harness 2016 energy (and still run a business)

What we can take from the 2016 trend isn't to return to an internet where no one is selling or content pillars aren't prioritised, it's to reconnect to the carefree, expressive energy that you had when you were younger.

It's learning how you can show up online without armour, performance or fitting in.

It's knowing that you don’t need to edit yourself to be valid.

"Loving yourself as an adult often looks like giving your teenage self permission to exist again: without shame, irony, or apology."

In therapy this is often referred to as "inner child work" or "reparenting" and is rooted in neuroscience, psychology, and attachment theory. It focuses on the understanding that early life experiences shape our emotional and biological responses. It teaches us how to reconnect with our childlike wonder, the things we felt and loved before our adult experiences changed us.

But this isn't a therapy session. It's a brand lesson.

And when you stop trying to sound like everyone else and start sounding like you, you become instantly more magnetic online.

So here are 5 practical ways to bring that energy into your brand without losing your professionalism or your strategy:

5 ways to harness 2016 energy for your brand (the 2026 way)

1. Post like you’re talking to ONE person

2016 content felt intimate because it wasn’t trying to impress everyone. Instead of speaking to an audience of many, choose one person: your dream client, past self or best friend.

Write specifically to them. That’s how you get connection.

2. Let your personality lead the way

Trends are format-first. Brands that last are voice-first.

Ask yourself:

• What do you always say?

• What do you refuse to do?

• What do you believe about your industry that other people won’t say out loud?

That’s your content. That’s your differentiation.

3. Create one "unpolished" post a week

Not messy. Not careless. Just human.

Perhaps it's a photo you took without overthinking, a thought you’d normally delete, or even a sneaky BTS moment that shows your realistic day.

This builds trust faster than perfection ever will.

4. Stop trying to be relatable and be weirdly specific instead

Relatable content is often vague. But that weirdly specific line about the shade of lipstick you wear to greet your clients that brings you good luck every time. That's the stuff that converts.

Specificity = authority.

5) Make your strategy support your identity, not replace it

Your strategy should be a container for you, not a costume you try to squeeze into.

No copying others. No bypassing your own limits. No masking.

This is exactly what Be Brand New is built on. A brand presence that’s strategic and authentic.

So no, you don't want a time machine to 2016.

You want permission. To be seen without performing. To be honest. To be cringe. Permission to take up space online without waiting to feel ready.

And if you can bring that energy into your brand (with strategy behind it too!) you’ll have something most people don’t:

A presence that feels personable, not performative.

Want support building a brand that sounds like YOU?

If you’re ready to stop editing yourself and start showing up with clarity and confidence, you can begin your journey to reclaiming that childlike whimsy TODAY.

👀 Explore the full range of services at Be Brand New to elevate your digital presence.