From Couch to Culture: Why Watch Parties Are the New Social Currency
Because watching alone was never the vibe!
The watch party is having a second act. What began as a pandemic workaround—friends syncing shows over Zoom—has morphed into a full-fledged cultural ritual. From reality-TV finales to fashion-week livestreams, people are gathering again, on couches and in bars, to turn screen time into shared time. On TikTok, #watchparty has clocked nearly 50,000 posts, proving that collective viewing is back with better lighting and a themed cocktail.
From Hosting to Commerce to Cultural Connection
For those looking for connection and community, the discovery of Watch Parties (e.g., Amazon x Victoria’s Secret Shoppable Fashion Show) and at-home Watch Parties has been on the rise. Even “How to do a Watch Party” has found momentum, with individuals posting videos offering entertaining advice: from recipes to décor ideas. Throughout the summer, fans convened over themed food and drink, elaborate decor, and shared giggles galore to watch new episodes of their favorite new series. The long-running dance competition series Dancing With the Stars has inspired similar get-togethers around the world. Upcoming on-the-radar shows include the highly anticipated Season 2 of Netflix’s Nobody Wants This and Hulu’s All’s Fair, directed by Ryan Murphy and featuring Kim Kardashian and a host of talented actors (#lawyercore anyone?).
A watch party can technically be for any kind of viewing event, but it is often tied to live broadcasts and is especially common among sports fans. Lately, though, content outside the sports realm has been attracting primarily female viewers inspired by the same kinds of social gatherings, creating a marketing opportunity that particularly appeals to brands with audience demographics similar to those of the viewers themselves. From Swoon beverages to fragrance brand Candier, these events offer unique alignment and a sense of camaraderie that both consumers and marketers are eager to share.
Another phenomenon: watch parties and the increased investment in looks seen on TV—wanting to duplicate them from head to toe. Coming to the rescue, websites such as Worn on TV and ShopYourTV, which offer links to favorite ensembles and items worn by characters and celebrities. During the past round of fashion weeks, fashion critic and influencer Elias Medini (better known online as Lyas) decided to take the watch-party format global so everyone could experience the runway shows. Medini shot to viral fame in June when he turned a cosy bar in Paris into an impromptu Dior fashion show watch party that drew nearly 300 people. The first events took place at a pub in London, where corporate sponsors included the British Fashion Council, Meta, Whoopsee, MAC Cosmetics, and Vestiaire Collective.
For his native Paris, he hosted an eight-day festival at La Caserne, a former fire station-turned-hub for emerging fashion talent that can accommodate 1,000 guests. There were up to three streams of shows a day, replete with games, free alcohol, installations, and merchandise. The price for admission in Paris? Wearing a red lip à la Medini’s signature look!
Why It Matters:
Watch parties mark a deeper evolution in how audiences experience entertainment, community, and commerce. They bring back the excitement of appointment viewing while adding the intimacy of shared participation. For consumers, these gatherings offer a sense of ritual and belonging in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. For brands, this creates a natural opportunity to appear in the moment when emotion, visibility, and conversation overlap. Whether through co-branded kits, themed menus, or local pop-ups, watch-party culture turns viewership into participation and participation into purchase. The true story isn’t just what’s on the screen: it’s the connection happening around it.
