A New Bombshell Has Entered The PR Industry: Love Island USA
Recognizable faces, hot trends, and the piping hot drama of Love Island have taken the nation by storm as Love Island USA began its 7th season just weeks ago. The star-studded reality TV show began its debut with Love Island UK in 2005, but didn’t begin to receive traction until 2024, with Love Island USA, Season 6. But how exactly did another reality show sweep the nation after airing for nearly 20 years?
New and Known Faces
Current Love Island host Ariana Madix replaced the previous host starting in season 5. ITV Studios pairs with BravoTV to air Love Island on Peacock and Bravo Streaming services. Pulling from their hat of recognized names, Ariana Madox, a former star of Bravo's reality TV show Vanderpump Rules, already had a national standing, especially among reality TV fans.
Love Island sure knows how to keep it hot with new faces, but having Ariana Madox, a long-lasting Bombshell, as the host draws in a bigger audience, reaching those who recognize her from previous work within reality TV.
Not only does Ariana Madox light up the villa with her challenges, but so do the contestants! Love Island USA receives nearly 100,000 applications every season, yet they pick the most exciting 10 contestants. With their selection for the past two seasons, every contestant has a preexisting following on social media. Their faces are recognizable to a select audience, drawing in even more viewers to keep Love Island USA the biggest and hottest show of the summer.
Love Island Love Story: Real or Fake?
Reality TV always poses the question of “real or fake?”, and Love Island USA is no different. Their PR strategy of consistent nightly media releases with social media posts, on sites such as Instagram and TikTok, showcasing edits and pictures of behind-the-scenes clips from the villa, constructs the perfect, attention-grabbing show America wants.
The PR Team for Love Island specifically curates teasers prior to the show's release date, enticing the audience to know who will be running the show and how the drama in the villa is brewing. Their PR team also coordinates with outside professionals to continue to manage contestant social media pages, leaving the show's fans with plenty of content to enjoy while the show airs.
With this PR tactic, many fans wonder how much is really love behind the camera. As drama ensues, tears start flowing, and people are being sent home, Love Island USA captures just what they know the fans want to see: reactions. They make sure every face is caught on video and broadcast through every platform, so the only way to know what happens is to watch the show.
Just how hot is Love Island USA?
How did Love Island manage such a surge of popularity in the last two years after limited views for years? The new PR strategy! Love Island has captivated the attention of America, whether or not you like reality TV.
The format of the show opens the floor for consistent buzz as they release a new episode 6 days a week, and several posts a day, with new bombshells and additions to the show for viewers to discover, only with streaming services or BravoTV.
The little Island in Fiji isn't left astray from outside opinions of America. As mentioned several times in the show, Love Island USA has implemented a new voting system, allowing viewers to decide whose love isn't quite strong enough for the villa. This PR tactic, combined with their media efforts, has taken the world of Reality TV by storm, but also poses the question of authenticity when $100,000 and true love are on the line, but up for the viewers to decide just what's true and fake.
Love Island USA comes to an end in just a few short days, and while I know I'm anticipating the ending, the rest of America is right beside me.
Olivia Goodwin is an upcoming junior pursuing a degree in Advertising and Public Relations with a minor is Communications and Public Advocacy. She currently serves as the Podcast Director for GVPRSSA, and works for the Promotions Office as a Digital Content Editor at Grand Valley. She also stands as Account Executive for GrandPr. After Graduation, she hopes to work in Sports Media!