According to recent research, children ages eight to 18 spend approximately 4.5 hours every day watching television. But adults are even worse about their screen time, consuming more than 11 hours of media per day. While we all have our own unique tastes in programming, one of America’s favorite guilty pleasures happens to be The Bachelor franchise. The show may have upwards of 20 seasons under its belt, but its popularity hasn’t dwindled. In fact, it’s grown. In 2017, the show’s ratings increased by 15% among adults aged 18 to 34 from the season prior. There’s no doubt about it: we love to watch the drama unfold, even though we know this is about as orchestrated as reality TV can get.
Even if the contestants don’t find true love with the Bachelor or Bachelorette and take part in one of the 2.4 million weddings that happen across the U.S. every year, most of the participants end up being winners anyway — thanks to social media.
Although contestants have to sign non-disclosure agreements that permit them from telling the world about their involvement on the show until after it airs, some still manage to convince brands to sponsor the outfits they wear on the program. It can be tricky, but some recent participants have alluded to their forthcoming reality TV fame in the hopes that clothing companies will at least let them borrow some pieces for the 10 weeks of filming. To sweeten the deal, they may promise to post the outfits on Instagram after the episode premieres and to return the items in perfect condition after they return from their romantic escapades.
The contestants still have to buy a substantial amount of items to wear during that two and a half months, however. While American households spend around 3% of their monthly budgets on apparel and related services, contestants feel pressured to buy extravagant items they might not really be able to afford. While some are savvy, others go all out. Approximately seven in 10 Americans own at least one credit card, and there have been more than a few Bachelor contestants who have willingly gone into credit card debt so they can stand out in their ensembles on the show. Some have even been known take out second mortgages on their homes in order to pay for their new wardrobes. And of course, there are those who have to quit their jobs just to be on the show in the first place.
Many hope that their impending fame will improve their financial situation — and it often does. Contestants who remain on the show for just a few episodes experience soaring social media followings after it begins to air; those who are picked as early fan favorites or lovable villains often fair even better in the digital sphere. In the end, that final rose may not be the most covetable prize. For some, being a social media sensation is an even bigger reward.
Social media was in its infancy when The Bachelor first began to air, but a lot has changed since then. Now, many former contestants are making the career transition to social media influencer — a path that really didn’t exist just a few years ago. They represent brands, endorse products, and hone their followings to become celebrities in their own right. Many of the former contestants have online fan bases that range from 50,000 to 250,000 people or more, which makes them appealing to even the most well-known brands. A select few have over a million followers, which puts them among the most popular on the platform. Although some gain only a few thousand more followers than they had prior to being on the show, one contestant on the current season was already an influencer before the show, with 75,000 followers to her name.
While influencers are typically reluctant to disclose how much they make on brand deals, there are plenty of them to go around. Sponsored content is usually pretty easy to spot, partially thanks to guidelines put forth by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and similar agencies around the world. Reportedly, reality TV stars can make anywhere from $1,000 to $7,000 or more per post, with some top reality TV influencers raking in over $1 million every year from their sponsored social media activities alone. Others are able to supplement that income even further by cementing their brand and making products of their own.
It’s clear that even if these contestants aren’t chosen as The One while on the show, they can often find fame and fortune on their own terms — if they know how to market themselves, that is.
