People love REAL stuff. But it's rare. Lifeless marketing is everywhere and we copy it without thinking. So we thought to share some examples of REAL stuff that inspires us.

1. Taleb's social proof

Publishers say bestsellers need endorsements from fancy media. Nassim Taleb disagreed. For his latest book he replaced praise from Economist et al. with words from real readers. Readers connect with readers in a way The Economist can't.

2. Patagonia's authenticity

In the 1980s all outdoor fashion catalogs looked the same. Paid models. Fake hikes. Patagonia’s founder, Yvon Chouinard, was sick of it. So he placed a note in their catalog asking customers to send in real photos. Suddenly Patagonia stood out. They still only use real customers today.

"A real surfer showing a little skin is a lot sexier than a half-dressed, anonymous model" — Yvon Chouinard

3. Rihanna's copy

Most product launches feel like a copy and paste job. Look what happens when Rihanna drops the clichés and talks like a real person.

4. Chanel's drawings

Real means human. For Mother's Day this year Chanel asked employees' kids to draw products.

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