Artichokes and Tryvertising

I don't care about artichokes. My mother never made them. My father never ate an artichoke. As a frequent visitor to Whole Foods, I tend to encounter artichokes regularly. And I just walk by.

Why? Because nobody ever sold me artichokes.
On the other hand, Whole Foods tried to sell me on chicken wings, bread and salsa. Never on artichokes.

Is it really important to be sold on something? Are we that stupid that we need somebody to tell me what to buy? That's not the point.
The point is that we all have fear of the unknown. Yes, I've tasted artichokes before, but I have no idea what to do with them once I bring them home from the market. How long do I cook them? What ingredients do I need? And because I'm riddled with artichoke questions, I just pass them by in the aisle.

Expanding on my previous thread about Tryvertising, I would like to add that good sales people will help consumers overcome fear and trepidation. This may happen at the car dealership, electronic retail store or local market. Or the artichokes will never have a chance.

Sampling

In their latest newsletter Trendwatching.com discusses the Trysumer and explains why sampling will become the new advertising.

"Since advertising is as trusted (or appreciated) as a certain president with two more years to go, performance is once again becoming increasingly relevant. (Forrester reports that only 13% of US consumers admit that they buy products because of their ads, and a paltry 6% believe that companies generally tell the truth in ads.) So trying out and sampling may well become the new advertising.

Two years ago, we dubbed this growing trend TRYVERTISING: "There's not even a 'relationship' anymore; there's a cold, calculating, experienced, and demanding consumer, and there are humble companies. So introducing yourself and your products by letting people experience and try them out first, is a very civilized and effective way to show some respect.’’

Not surprisingly, an entire TRYVERTISING infrastructure—from 30 second samples on iTunes to firms specializing in relevant product placement—is now in place, enabling consumers to try before they buy."

Basically, Tryvertising is real world product placement. Consumers used to base their decisions about brands and/or products on advertising messages. Now they base their decision on real experiences.

Hotels have become the hottest spot for Tryvertising. Consumers are open to new experiences and they don't mind trying out new bath products, drinks or sheets.