American Influencer: In Croatia, People Take Pride in Expensive Things
Justus Reed, an American influencer who now lives in Hrvatsko zagorje, shared his observations on how attitudes towards showing wealth differ between the Balkans and his home state of South Dakota.
Illustration: AI-generated image
In a recent episode of the podcast Big Deal, American influencer Justus Reed, who moved to Hrvatsko zagorje after becoming popular across the Balkans, spoke about cultural differences he has noticed when it comes to money and showing wealth.
Reed, originally from South Dakota, said he was surprised by the number of luxury vehicles he saw in Croatia. “I saw more Porsches, Lamborghinis and Ferraris throughout Croatia than I would ever see in South Dakota. The difference is huge. People here take pride in buying expensive and beautiful things. In South Dakota, we are a bit uncomfortable showing such things,” he told the podcast, as reported by Index.hr.
He also gave an example of how people in his home state react to compliments. “If you tell someone from South Dakota, ‘Hey, nice shirt,’ they’ll probably answer, ‘Oh, I got it on sale, it was really cheap,’” Reed said. In contrast, he believes people in the Balkans like to show how much they earn and what they can afford. He mentioned seeing houses without a finished facade with a new BMW parked in front, a sight he found unusual when he first arrived.
Reed said he noticed a similar attitude towards luxury in Belgrade, but Sarajevo surprised him the most. “In my opinion, Sarajevo has more designer clothes and luxury cars than any other Balkan city I’ve visited,” he stated, adding that he does not consider Sarajevo a particularly wealthy city, which made the amount of luxury items even more striking.
Reactions on social media were mixed. Some users agreed, writing that too much attention is paid to expensive cars, clothes and other status symbols in the Balkans. Others argued the comparison is not fair because South Dakota is sparsely populated and a rural environment, quite different from larger European cities. One commenter noted, “A guy from an American village compares a village with a city. We have a different mentality from Americans, never compare that.”
Reed joined the US Army at 19 and started posting videos on social media during his service. He attracted a Balkan audience with a video about the Yugo car and later learned to sing songs from the region, including “Miki Milane,” “Miljacka” and “Cesarica.” He gained additional popularity in Croatia after appearing on Supertalent in 2022. After leaving the army, he left the US and settled in Hrvatsko zagorje, where he has bought several properties that he is gradually renovating.
