Love Island USA wasn't just something people watched this summer. It was something people prepared for. TikTok was full of people documenting their “Love Island prep,” from grocery runs and homemade desserts to fresh beds, face masks and drinks. One creator, @JordyMcFordy, even documented her first episode setup, complete with a specific outfit, dessert, couch spot and blanket. People were treating a reality show like they were preparing for war.

And the numbers backed it up. Season 8 brought in more than 30% new viewers to the franchise, while its first two weeks generated 2.3 billion viewing minutes, up 50% from Season 7. By the end of the season, the show had generated more than 4 billion social video views.

For six weeks, Love Island gave me a reason to have myself together by 8:30. I'd get home from work, get my run in, make or grab dinner, shower, do my hair, floss, finish my skincare and get settled before the episode started. My running times actually improved because I knew I couldn't take my sweet time. I had somewhere to be! 

It finally made me understand why my mom used to rush home to watch The Young and the Restless or General Hospital and didn't want to be bothered while she watched. It was her time to decompress. Mine just happened to involve a bunch of 20 somethings making questionable decisions.

That's what made Love Island different from binge watching a show on Netflix or any other reality show airing at the time. Netflix and other shows fit around your schedule. Love Island made you fit your schedule around it. If you weren't watching at the same time as everyone else, you couldn't open TikTok or X without risking a spoiler, so being ready on time was soooo important.

That's also where I think brands missed an opportunity and can set themselves apart next season. Everyone wanted to comment on what was happening in the villa, pick a side or make a meme, but the more interesting opportunity was happening before the episode even started. People had already made time for it, so why wasn’t anyone tapping into this behavior? Who cares what Disney has to say about K.C. and Aniya? All the brands were fighting over this tiny piece of cultural real estate when there were acres of untouched land.

A brand could’ve owned the grocery run/dinner decision. A beauty brand could’ve owned getting ready. A floss brand could become part of the routine. As a strategist, Love Island made me pay more attention to what cultural moments get people to do, not just what they get people to talk about.