On a recent trip to Fiji, my seven year old daughter asked if she could get her hair braided. Upon completion of the rather arduous task, she remarked, "Now I am just like a real Fijian." Except of course, the only people I saw with braids were Australian kids (and the odd adult who perhaps should have known better). Another day, I overheard tour guides offering trips to a "real" Fijian village, where we could partake in a Kava Ceremony and see how life "really" unfolds in Fiji. Of course, this is "real life" on show, which is hardly "real life" at all - but still, it highlights the desire we consumers have for authenticity. And that got me thinking.
Authenticity is a much touted about word in marketing circles and there is a definite trend towards providing a sense of it to consumers. Which is kind of ironic, if you think about it, since it is probably the rampant commercialisation of everything and anything that had led to the demand for authenticity in the first place.
Authenticity, or at least a sense of it, abounds in many forms, mostly related to heritage and origins and source. But for me, authenticity is about transparency. Or better put, my desire for authenticity is due to my lack of trust in brands. I want to know the claims the brand/service is making are real, but I am increasingly suspicious of them all. Is this face cream really going to make me look younger? Is this fruit snack really healthy, or is the fruit bit just a ploy to try and make me think it is healthy? If my hairdresser says I need to use Moroccan Oil on my hair, is it because she believes that there is an authentic reason for this, or is she just getting a percentage of the up-sell.
My husband says I am unnecessarily cynical, but I wonder whether this is where all consumers will eventually end up. If everything is about profit first, then how can you trust anything marketeers say anymore? Can there ever be “real” authenticity when maximising short term profit is the over-riding driver? We always hear that consumers are getting more savvy. What does that statement mean? Does it mean that we think consumers are on to our tricks? And if so, what does that say about our business?
Idealistically, I'd like to believe there is more to our business than squeezing as much profit out of the consumer as possible. I'd like to believe that meeting a consumer need is the desire, rather than the means to the end for businesses. However, I'd settle for being able to make my choices based on real information, not spin. I'd settle for a little transparency and a lot more authenticity from my brands (and my politicians), and I'd bet most consumers would too.
