We seem to care about authenticity a lot these days. When it comes to our work, our leaders, our experiences, even our products, we increasingly value what’s real, genuine, or true.
The Kind of Authenticity Customers Will Pay More For
We seem to care about authenticity a lot these days. But how do people respond to authenticity when they see it? Do they pay more for it? Do they review it positively? New research shows that how people react depends on what kind of authenticity is being evoked. For example, something can be authentic because it’s representative of a particular social category (think New York pizzeria), or something can be authentic because it expresses core values or beliefs (a sustainable farm-to-table ethos, for example). Findings from four studies suggests that consumers recognize and distinguish among these meanings of authenticity in organizations, and that they ascribe unique types of value to each. Authenticity that conveys fitting within a social category might lead to higher star ratings but not an increase in consumers’ willingness to pay more. Meanwhile, authenticity that conveys adhering to one’s core beliefs might persuade consumers to pay more for those products but not necessarily rate them any higher.