Yesteryear: How a Book Split the Mumfluencer Community Apart
Lets talk about mums.
Caro Claire Burke’s debut novel Yesteryear has broken free of the boundaries of Booktok shelves and become the eye of a cultural storm. It’s being talked about in book clubs around the world, discussed by influencers and famous actresses, and torn to shreds in the limelight like an autopsy under the operating table fluorescents. Readers around the world are obsessed with its clever concept, satirising the ideas of perfection sold to mothers, and women in general, and bringing to the forefront the need for brands to uphold authenticity and realism.
Yesteryear is a high-concept suspense novel following Natalie Heller Mills, a “Tradwife” influencer who mysteriously wakes up in the 19th century. She is forced to navigate a reality that stands in stark contrast to her curated online persona.
Whatever your thoughts on the actual substance of the novel, there is no doubt that Burke’s cultural takeover has elucidated the shifting foundations not just the world of publishing, but the family-focused consumer market.
The book’s success suggests that modern book marketing can’t just be about storytelling. Publicity is done by leveraging forefront talking points and marrying your client to cultural moments. By piggybacking on trending topics and social discourse, publishers can generate significant engagement. Much like influencers who thrive on controversy (think Abby Chatfield, Harrison Sullivan, or Trisha Paytes), the publishing industry is increasingly utilising “unreliable” or “unlikeable” protagonists to spark online debate. Titles such as My Year of Rest and Relaxation, Yellowface, and Fruit Fly demonstrate that “hate-reading” is as powerful a driver as “hate-watching.” PR professionals can see that tapping into active cultural conversations is incredibly effective in generating share-of-voice.
The success of Yesteryear reveals how well Penguin Random House has specifically leveraged the cultural discussions around motherhood and unrealistic expectations. Enter the comment section of any ‘’Trad Wife’’ influencer and you will discover an equal movement of mothers increasingly resistant to marketing that promotes polished, “perfect” lifestyles. In an era of “mumfluencers,” ‘’mummy maxxing’’ and curated “tradwife” content, many consumers feel alienated by traditional tropes. The enthusiastic reception of Yesteryear suggests that mums are willing to see these ideas of perfection mocked and subverted, with authenticity now the most valuable currency for brands targeting this demographic.
In contrast, there are also many brands who have taken advantage of the engagement of such controversial figures, collaborating with figureheads of the movement such as Nara Smith and Hannah Neeleman. Luxury brands like Marc Jacobs, Ogee Skincare, and Prada have taken advantage of the impression that this lifestyle – of simultaneous luxury and minimalism – is inaccessible to the masses. Its a clever move, that works to compliment their prestige marketing, but is it any wonder that people have been so eager to engage in a novel that tears this idea of premium motherhood apart?
The success of Yesteryear is a reminder to meet your audience where they are and to participate in cultural conversations. It will be interesting to see how the conversation grows momentum with the upcoming film produced by Anne Hathaway, and how agencies will insert themselves into the inevitable growing debate.
Written by Ruby Harris – InsideOut PR Coordinator
