Like many of us, I am currently watching Apple Cider Vinegar on Netflix, a newly released true-ish story of Belle Gibson, an Australian wellness influencer who claimed to have cured her terminal brain cancer through alternative therapies and a healthy lifestyle.
Spoiler alert: she doesn’t have cancer, and her whole ethos and brand is a lie. This led me to think about how someone was able to fool hundreds of thousands of people with what was effectively a fake story. From a brand, a book, an app, and hundreds of videos, yet we believed what we were seeing.
In an era of deep fakes and AI, it is now almost inherent to second-guess everything, from Instagram reels to commercials. Spot the lies is now an artform., And trustworthiness is more crucial than ever.
As part of my role as a video producer, we work with brands who expect high production values from their customer stories, quite rightly. But what happens when we mix a commercial/advertorial approach with real people to create an authentic customer story? When we hear real people (not talent) deliver scripted/advertising-style lines, more often than not, as a viewer you can be left to question whether the words the people are saying are authentic. Let’s be honest, most of us struggle to deliver polished lines when put in front of a camera with the level of passion and energy to compete with the A-listers. So, when our stories are too polished, do we run the risk of not being believed?
In customer advocacy, authenticity is what makes business leaders make decisions, want to know more, and ultimately make a purchase. They want to see people like them—relatable, personable—and that doesn’t always mean listening to a flawless delivery and statements shaped by a PR team. Of course, our main aim is to make our customers look and sound like A-listers, but I think the real art is in the balance of providing a high production quality film with the realness of someone’s personal story, whether that’s with them speaking in their own language and tone, with genuine expression and cultural nuances that give real depth to authentic storytelling. Their words, in their style.
So, if seeing is to be believed, let’s embrace the individuality of each storyteller by keeping it real.
