She’s everywhere.
If you’re on TikTok, chances are you’ve seen Alix Earle. Perhaps you’ve even watched one of her famous ‘get ready with me’ videos or seen her on the sidelines of a recent Miami Dolphins game supporting her “NFL man” Braxton Berrios. But even outside of her vlogging playground that has grown to 6 million followers, her face is everywhere, from the cosmetic counter to the US Open to the ESPY awards.
So who is Alix Earle, and why do so many people care what she’s doing, who she’s dating, or which products she uses?
Who is Alix Earle?
To label Alix Earle a social media influencer is both true and a disservice. She is an influencer in that she posts multiple times a day while working regularly with brands, advertises products, and attends events. A better characterization is that Earle is a successful entrepreneur and astute marketer who has built a loyal and committed following in a very short period. A year ago, Earle was celebrating 100K followers in TikTok. Today, she has more than 6 million and 3.2 million more on Instagram. Her reach is powerful, her community loyal, and the way she positions herself as the authentic, relatable It Girl is something to behold.
Perhaps when you saw a photograph of Alix Earle, you made some judgments about who she is or what she’s like based on first appearances. Earle indeed looks like she Mary Poppins-ed out of a magazine cover, but what she brings to her community is authenticity and realness, not perfection.
Imperfection is central to Earle’s story – her initial TikTok success happened in the summer of 2022 after she posted a no-makeup video about her acne journey. Barefaced and vulnerable, she shared her struggles, disappointments, and the impact on her confidence for the whole world to see. Following her community’s warm and supportive reception, Earle realized that leaning into her imperfections was a strength and not a liability. This clearly worked. A recent study of Gen Z consumers by Piper Sandler found Earle topped the list of social media personalities. More than Mr. Beast and more than Taylor Swift, both of whom have far more fame and followers.
Earle now routinely posts some of her most unfiltered moments, like drunk dancing videos and the time she got swamp *** at a Miami Dolphins game. She’s also upfront and honest about her use of social media filters, lip fillers, and breast augmentation. In a recent interview with Forbes, she described the Alix Earle brand as “Being unapologetically yourself. Not being afraid to mess up, not being afraid to be a mess.” Swamp *** and all.
People love Earle because of her authenticity and her ability to live vicariously through her escapades. Brands love her because she is the ultimate advertiser and salesperson, and she provides a connection to the coveted Gen Z audience. Whatever she promotes and whatever she wears, seems to fly off the shelf. She directs attention and she directs dollars. This phenomenon, known as the Alix Earle Effect, is why brands are clamoring to work with her. On a macro level, this connection to Gen Z is why we’re seeing more influencers at events like the US Open, NFL games, and the MLB playoffs, as sports leagues, teams, and brands figure out how to leverage influencers in their marketing efforts.
With all her success, it’s hard to remember that Earle is just 22 years old, not even six months past graduation from the University of Miami. She made $5 million last year and it seems like she’s just getting started. In September 2023, Earle launched her podcast Hot Mess under Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper’s podcast network, Unwell. The first episode ‘Just Friends?’ briefly knocked Joe Rogan out of the number one spot. At the time of writing, Hot Mess is currently #7 on the Spotify charts.
Perhaps owing to her young age, Earle’s social media content has been fairly lighthearted and she tries to avoid controversy. She generally avoids polarizing topics, like politics or current events, and doesn’t address bubbling controversies on her feed, such as the Braxton Berrios cheating rumors. She has, however, delved into some meatier topics on Hot Mess and Call Her Daddy – perhaps a more comfortable forum for her. It will be fun to track Earle’s career as she matures and grows in this space.
Alix Earle 3 Fun Facts
- Dating Life: She is currently seeing Miami Dolphins wide receiver Braxton Berrios, and the Dolphins are 3-0 with Earle in attendance. She previously dated MLB player Tyler Wade.
- Family: As shared on ‘Call Her Daddy’ the Earle family received unwanted attention when Alix’s father, Thomas Earle, was found to be having an affair with entertainer Ashley Dupré, who was central to the Eliot Spitzer scandal.
- Charitable Endeavors: Following graduation, Earle endowed a scholarship at her alma mater which provides financial assistance to aspiring business students.
