Reality is the new black

And not just because our television sets have been taken over by psychopathic narcissists.

This post makes the point that the old ways of marketing, based on unrealistic fantasies, are being supplanted by a focus on realism, as the huge wave of baby boomers tries to come to terms with aging by seeking greater meaning in their lives.

The example given is the success of Dove’s “real beauty” campaign, which features pictures of real women, not models, in all their imperfect glory.

I’m not sure that I buy a sea change in marketing–sexual fantasy still seems to be a mainstay–but I do think that people are starting to seek meaning rather than simple consumerism.