For those of you who thought this post was just an excuse to show a pretty picture – shame on you. Our purpose was at a much higher level because this photo gained a hugely favourable reaction when it was published recently in a glamour magazine. The reason for the reaction? – The photo is a rare example of honesty.
The photo shows a tummy roll, albeit a fairly insignificant one. In a world of air-brushing, and fake tans, this photo was seen as refreshingly honest. In a broader context, consumers are sick of being told what they should think, what they should do, what is “fashionable”, what they should be buying. They are particularly sick of barely transparent attempts to mislead them and a rare show of honesty gets a good reaction.
Consumers are not the same as they were 5 or 10 years ago. Today they are more discerning, more careful with their money (given the state of the world economy, who can blame them) and more likely to question their buying decisions. Retail media regularly repeats the advice – “Understand your customer.” Understanding your customers, and communicating honestly with them, is a positive way forward.