In modern times, it is increasingly becoming a norm for young people to ‘hard launch’ their intimate relationships. A hard launch, unlike buoyant norms or quiet whispers, is a stark and over-the-line declaration made on social media with a tagged couple picture and a public note. An analogy would be chipping one’s initials on a tree although this is done on Instagram.
Hard launching is more of brand image management as it has been borrowed from celebrity culture. At some point, celebrities like Selena Gomez have shocked their fans to the extent of posting their captioned photos with a significant other on their Instagram accounts. This behaviour is being embraced by teens more often today than in any other period. But why now? In addition, what does it genuinely mean to hard launch a relationship?
