Influencer Vidal taps the piétonnier: ‘I also promote the ugly side of Brussels’
A new species of people seems to be nesting in the pedestrian zone: the influencer. The piétonnier appears more and more as a backdrop in photos and videos on social media. With over 400,000 followers, internet phenomenon Vidal Alexe explains why this place is so popular.
We only know Vidal Alexe from his TikTok videos, but we can still pick from the people for the Fair without much effort. With his hip jeans vest, Jordans and hand in her hair, we get a light blue suspicion that the boy we could be.
Next to him are manager of management agency BeInfluence. They’re busy working on Alexe’s phone. When we speak to them, a wide white smile appears on Alexe’s face. It’s no problem that we’re a little late. In the meantime, he could already post a story on Instagram. We look for a quieter place to talk and are allowed to tutor. So Vidal.
Vidal Alexe (26) is best known for his photos and videos on Instagram and TikTok, two social media channels where he together has almost 415,000 followers. He grew up in Schaerbeek as sort of Romanian parents. Vidal also registered the short film in 2021 disconnectin which topics such as self-confidence and your own image in times of social media are included.
So the influencer finds his way to the famous piétonnier. But why? Vidal starts immediately, without mincing his words. “First of all, it’s right in the center in a capital of 1.2 million inhabitants, that’s for many content creators,” he says. “By filming on the Anspachlaan, the content reaches many more Brussels residents.”
Because Brussels-City is one of the most populous municipalities, influencers reach a wider audience, Instagram and TikTok’s algorithms want local residents to see that specific content. “So it’s mainly about the number of views,” Vidal admits. “A video I shoot in my room won’t be nearly as popular as a video in the city.”
When he talks about the liveliness and multiculturalism of the piétonnier, Vidal’s face immediately lights up. “Every day something different happens here, from street musicians to improvised dance performances. Atmosphere assured!”
Filthy
Yet Vidal is also strength. “I really don’t like the pedestrian zone,” he says. “That’s why I pay attention to it. To also promote that ugly side and thus improve the image of the city.”
What particularly excites him is the general cleanliness of the city. “We often talk about it, but it’s often really dirty here, which doesn’t matter,” Vidal says. He just hasn’t knocked on the table yet.
To address these pain points, he collaborated with Net Brussel – the service responsible for public cleanliness on Brussels territory – and went along to collect waste. “It strikes me that Brussels residents do not have a good mentality when it comes to cleanliness. Why don’t they just throw their garbage in the trash?”
In addition to the waste, Vidal is also aware of the air quality in the city. “There are people who take the car from the Beurs to Central Station, you don’t understand that, do you?” That’s why he always moves around Brussels by bike and shows it on his social media, to promote car-free images. “I think that Brussels should certainly have extra car-free streets.”