Impression or Illusion? 4 Ways to NOT Bullshit Customers
Crystal posted this on March 26, 2008
Note: You’ll have bad business karma if you use this post as a how-to
Impression: the first and immediate effect of an experience or perception upon the mind
Illusion: something that deceives by producing a false or misleading impression of reality
—from Dictionary.com Unabridged v1.1
Intro: A long-lived lie
“Cameras never lie” as the saying goes, but the adage itself is a fib. Decades before Photoshop, a decent photographer could make a mountain out of a molehill (and vice versa) with a simple shift in perspective.
Cameras most certainly can lie—as can digital photographs and illustrations—and sometimes they do. Here’s a brief study on how to show customers something far different from what they’ll be buying:
Don’t flaunt the Photoshopped
Beware the Dreaded MySpace Angles (PICS)
Dating Resource is an obnoxious blog with rude and hurtful photo captions—but the dude has a point. The first few comparisons are the strongest for his argument.
Impression or Illusion? Photographs of models are routinely “improved” to fix acne, bulges, and tan lines—sometimes at the expense of nipples and belly buttons. So what’s wrong with a close cropped image to hide a bad hair day? Or shed nine extra pounds…or ninety?
Maybe it depends on the purpose of the photograph. In general, profile avatars aren’t taken seriously. But what if the imagineered photograph is on Match.com, where the primary goal is to sell oneself as a potential mate? Are the initial photos highlighted by Dating Resource deceitful or are they just “accentuating the positive and eliminating the negative”?
Don’t take stock (photos)
9 things I learned about the world according to anonymous stock photo models
TheBestPageInTheUniverse is another obnoxious site with foul language, valid points, and effective examples. Three of the nine are on misrepresentation (3, 4, and 7), the others are more about his discomforts and disdain. The good news—and bad—is you’ll likely see these kinds of photos everywhere after reading this.
Impression or Illusion? Those three stock photo scenarios aren’t imaginary, just…uncommon. Maybe even unlikely. But really, would we buy their products or policies if they chose photos that portrayed the common condition:
- scowling, burnt-out technical support staff
- an island of women and people of color in an ocean of white men
- laptop users hunched painfully over a non-ergonomic keyboard
Is there anything deceitful about selling best case scenarios and/or wishful thinking? In accentuating the positive and sidelining the negative?
Note: My favorite is #2. I would probably be offended by it if I could stop laughing at the many truths it represents.
Don’t fake it when you make it
Fast Food: Ads vs. Reality
There’s a science to photographing food, and legal requirements that photographers use real food as we would be able to buy it. But the photo-food is so thoughtfully staged and carefully crafted that actual fast food can’t ever hope to match it. These comparisons showcase the gap.
Impression or Illusion? Seriously. I can’t begin to discuss these because there’s no end to discussing these. I bring the same questions, though: Accentuating the positive? Best case scenario? Wishful thinking? Deceitful?
I have one to add that I’ve long taken for granted:
Don’t delude in 3 dimensions
The Web Graphics Creator—3D eCovers
This application is touted as the ideal tool for creating photorealistic images of digital items that (obviously) have no physical form. The gallery proves you can create product shots that are flashy, fun, and completely fake.
Impression or Illusion? Is it deceitful for a vendor selling CDs or books to advertise a computer rendered image? I would tag it as an honest impression if it was a close match to the real item. Having struggled with product photography, I see good sense in using this software for that purpose: no camera, no studio setup, and no image editing. For digital products, however, I feel it’s a little shady.
To entice a software or ebook download, online vendors display colorful software boxes and hardbound books that don’t, and won’t, exist. I used to think them nifty, but now I feel they’re a bit of bait-and-switch or sleight-of-hand.
Why not work the “real” in ethereal? For software downloads, skip the renderings and display actual screenshots of the application in use. For ebooks, use the application’s 3D eCover feature to mimic the ebook in reality, like the image for How to Start a Business Blog. Note that Michael’s digital representation accurately embodies the format, cover design, size, and thickness of a hold-in-your-hand hardcopy.
Do you have an example of advertising that drifts across the line from a guided perception to misrepresentation? Or an ad that is honest about a product, maybe to a fault? Share it in the comments…
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15 Responses to “Impression or Illusion? 4 Ways to NOT Bullshit Customers”
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Good writing. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed my Google News Reader..
Matt Hanson
Crystal,
I’m not sure I’ve ever laughed so hard as at the 9 Things I Learned… page. The stock photog (mis)use was painfully true and his notes left me ROFLOL. The internet is a beautiful thing, where I can laugh at his humor and thank goodness I’ll never meet him all in one read. Serious issues!
To his homepage, then, where I found this gem:
“If you disagree with anything you find on this page, you are wrong.”
Sometimes, I wish I could say that, too. Killer. Must go view your other links now. *dries tears from laughing so hard*
Thanks!
Kelly
Kelly — I’m so glad you thought it was funny! So long as one person laughed with me, it was totally worth the risk of listing such a comprehensively offensive page. Shoulda known I could count on you for a ROFLOL
Oh, yes, completely rude too, as is the rest of his site, yet really funny. Not Safe for Work, if you’ve got folks over your shoulder.
I noticed I said zilch that was relevant to your topic up there. I’m not going to now either.
My ribs hurt from laughing so hard. What a great way to end my work day. Ouch!
Until later,
Kelly
Crystal,
I got such a kick out of the “Myspace Angles” link and the missing belly button. What great examples of deception and misdirection… You make a great point with all this too. As a business owner, you want to sell yourself in the best possible light, but how will your clients feel when they see the real thing? Can you overcome that potential let-down? Creating that glowing perception is all well and good until reality sets in…
Best,
Kyle
Kyle — It’s a thin line, isn’t it? And what you said about the clients’ feelings is key. Their dissatisfied assessment of what we sold vs. what they bought can land us in court.
It’s in the hands, and their heads, too. Like with the profile shots at Match.com? If someone knows to look at the photographs with a hearty caveat emptor cyncism, it likely doesn’t matter if the photos are deceitful. But folks on Match with expectations of bare-faced, Photoshop-free, straight-shot honesty are in for a surprise.
Thanks for your thoughts!
When I saw the link to here in my WP dashboard I was like, “somebody thinks I’m BS? What?” and then I read your post and had a good laugh! Thanks!
@Mike — Oh dear, I misrepresented a post on misrepresentation…can’t wait to see the karmic whiplash on that.
I’m happy it could amuse, though
Thanks for dropping in!
@Matt — Hi there! Sorry I missed moderating your post when it arrived. Thanks so much for the kudos and subscribing
How images are used these days, not just on the web, and not just stills - but the whole imagery you see in advertising is often grossly misused!! The classics are those ‘perfect family’ shots for a whole host of dodgy loan providers…
@Emilie–Thanks for your comments!
Oh yes, those photographs are particularly insidious, aren’t they? The implication that family happiness will come with homeownership is…is…indescribable. What they don’t show are photographs of the family once the strain of that variable APR kicks in.
What do you think of the beer ads with busty babes? I giggle that they are implying to “drink this beer and you’ll get a shapely companion” and also “drink this beer and you’ll BE a shapely companion”…and neither are true!
Crystal,
It depends on the shape you have in mind. If you’re hoping to be shaped like/ find a companion who is shaped like the bottle, drink a lot of beer.
Until later,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..2008 Interview Series
Kelly–Ooooo! So if there’s any hope at all for my own shaping, I’d better stick to Coke in a 20oz bottle, as opposed to the can.
Ahhh! I came across this picture and was immediately reminded of your post:
http://tinyurl.com/2jnzq7
Kyle Claypool / OnYourBusiness’s last blog post..Sun Tzu on Leadership - Part 6 of 6
OMG! LoL! Excellent find! Okay, so either they airbrushed her with the wrong skin tone and erased her belly button, or she’s wearing an undershirt…neither of which makes any sense for the photo.
So when you see women without belly buttons, you think of me? I’m not sure how to take that