Kardashian Influence in the Big Year of 2026, or Lack Thereof

For over a decade, the Kardashians have been treated as the blueprint for modern fame. Trendsetters. Culture shifters. Marketing geniuses. But in 2026, the grip they once had on the collective imagination feels … loose. Not gone entirely, but definitely slipping, like, slippy slipping. It’s not even because people suddenly dislike them (I mean, millions have for well over a decade now,) It’s because audiences are bored, unconvinced, and increasingly uninterested in what feels like a never-ending performance with no payoff.

The Kardashians have mastered control. Every post, every paparazzi shot, every headline is carefully calculated. That strategy worked for a long time, but in today’s online environment, over-curation reads as inauthentic, and inauthenticity is the fastest way to lose relevance. In 2026, culture rewards people who feel human, messy, opinionated, and real. The Kardashians are none of those things publicly, and they haven’t been for years.

The most “scandalous” moments we get from them now are outfit-based. A sheer look. A corset moment. A body-hugging silhouette that’s been recycled a hundred times already. Even their shock value has become predictable. When everything is designed to be headline-safe and advertiser-friendly, nothing actually lands. Audiences know when they’re being marketed to, and the Kardashians now feel less like people and more like walking brand guides.

That fatigue shows up in the numbers. Despite massive follower counts, their engagement rates are underwhelming. Scroll through the comments and you’ll see the same recycled phrases, generic emojis, and bot-like responses. Bought followers and padded engagement might inflate appearances, but they don’t create influence. Real influence moves people to care, to act, to talk. These days, the gap between their perceived reach and actual impact is glaring.

Their brands tell a similar story. While they project endless success, many of their ventures struggle to maintain momentum beyond launch hype. Constant drops, constant rebrands, constant “new eras” start to feel like noise instead of innovation. Consumers are more selective than ever, especially in an economy where most people are budgeting groceries, not impulse-buying celebrity shapewear or skincare (seltzer, I guess?) because a famous last name is attached.

That economic disconnect matters. We are living in a time where people are stretched thin, anxious about the future, and deeply aware of wealth inequality. Watching a family flaunt private jets, multi-million dollar renovations, and hyper-luxury lifestyles without offering anything meaningful back into the world is increasingly off-putting. Now, conspicuous consumption without conscience is not aspirational. It’s alienating (and frankly, annoying.)

What makes this worse is their refusal to stand for anything. Not to advocate. Not to denounce. Not even to draw a clear line against harm. Silence has become their brand strategy, and audiences are no longer mistaking silence for neutrality. When everything is political, cultural, and social whether we like it or not, choosing to say nothing reads as self-preservation, not professionalism. I wish I could remember where I heard this quote but somebody (likely on TikTok, knowing my consumption habits,) said “Kim K was a prison and law reform advocate until ICE started invading neighborhoods.” … facts.

Kim’s ongoing lawyer cosplay is a prime example. Education is admirable … criminal justice reform is important … but the way she positions herself feels more like image maintenance than genuine commitment. She selectively engages when it benefits her brand and disappears when the work would require discomfort, accountability, or sustained advocacy. The current generation expects follow-through, not photo ops.

The Hulu show only reinforces this disconnect. As someone who has watched every season (what can I say, I love trashy, mindless TV,) the predictability is impossible to ignore. The episodes follow the same structure. A manufactured “problem,” a brand meeting, a product launch, a perfectly packaged resolution. We learn nothing about their real relationships, real struggles, or real growth. What we do learn is how their businesses operate, which starts to feel less like reality TV and more like a prolonged infomercial.

Even visually, the brand is tired. The fashion cycles through the same silhouettes. The hair and makeup stick to the same polished formulas. The aesthetic hasn’t evolved alongside culture. While the internet embraces texture, imperfection, thrifted individuality, and personality-driven style, the Kardashians remain frozen in a hyper-glossy look that no longer feels aspirational. It feels dated.

So where does that leave their influence in 2026?

Likely fragmented. Reduced. Niche.

They will always be famous, but fame is not the same as cultural leadership. Younger generations are gravitating toward creators who feel accessible, opinionated, and grounded in reality. People who talk about real issues, live within recognizable constraints, and reflect the world as it actually is. The Kardashians reflect a version of reality that feels increasingly irrelevant.

That’s why it wouldn’t be surprising to see them pivot toward their children as the next attempt at cultural relevance. Younger faces. New audiences. A fresh cycle of attention. But that strategy comes with serious ethical questions. Audiences are far more critical of child commodification now than they were during the early reality TV boom (as they SHOULD be.) Pushing their kids into the spotlight may generate clicks, but it could also accelerate public backlash rather than revive genuine interest (and you know, like, ruin a child’s CHILDhood if not whole life.)

Influence is earned through trust, consistency, through showing up when it matters, not just when it sells. The Kardashians have optimized their brand for safety and scale, but culture has shifted toward substance and sincerity. Playing it safe for too long has made them monotonous, and monotony is the enemy of relevance. (*mic drop*)

That doesn’t mean they’re disappearing, it means their role is changing. From trendsetters to case studies. From aspirational icons to reminders of how quickly cultural capital fades when it isn’t nurtured with authenticity.

The question isn’t whether the Kardashians will still exist in 2026. Of course they will. The real question is whether anyone will be looking to them for what’s next, or simply watching out of habit, waiting for something real that may never come.

In a time where audiences are choosing substance over spectacle, that may be the loudest silence of all.