Perfect Isn't Profitable: Why The Smartest Brands Are Embracing Real Smiles (and Real People)

Forbes

15-04-2025

I've been receiving feedback about my smile for more than two decades—unsolicited, often unkind, sometimes truly vile, and always irrelevant to the work I do. I'm not alone. Even in 2025, it seems a woman's appearance is still up for public review, no matter her platform or purpose. And it really does wear you down.
But let's park the personal, because this story goes beyond my inbox. There is a significant commercial shift underway—one that rewards authenticity over airbrushing, reality over perfection. And the world's smartest brands are already leaning in.
Teeth are more than biology—they're big business. From cosmetic dentistry and whitening products to toothpaste and aligner brands, the global oral care market was valued at over $47 billion in 2023, with projected growth through 2030. But the metrics of what's considered 'desirable' are shifting.
Recent research published in Trends in Cognitive Sciences (2024) explored how subtle facial irregularities, including asymmetrical or imperfect smiles, are increasingly being perceived as more trustworthy and emotionally expressive than those associated with cosmetic perfection. While beauty standards remain complex and culturally loaded, there is growing scientific support for the idea that consumers don't just accept imperfection—they respond positively to it.
Yet marketing is still catching up. The push for 'real' representation—people of different shapes, sizes, backgrounds, and yes, smiles—has too often been reduced to a temporary campaign strategy rather than a brand foundation.
According to a 2023 Creativebrief analysis, many brands are still treating the concept of 'real people' as a gimmick. The piece argues that audiences can sniff out tokenism—and they're turned off by it. When brands use imperfect or 'relatable' casting without depth or narrative substance, it risks appearing inauthentic, especially when the rest of the brand's ecosystem doesn't support those same values.
It's a sentiment echoed in a Creative Review case study on Colgate's 'Smile Is Your Superpower' campaign by VML. The brand's commitment to showcasing unretouched smiles—from diverse age groups and ethnicities—wasn't framed as edgy or provocative. It was positioned as human. And that landed. The campaign was praised not just for representation but for consistency—smile diversity was also visible across packaging, influencer strategy, and corporate messaging. In short: it wasn't a campaign, it was a commitment.
In a fragmented advertising ecosystem, trust is a currency. And nothing erodes trust faster than inconsistency. The Vox retrospective on Dove's 'Real Beauty' campaign—once groundbreaking—illustrates this well. While it initially challenged industry standards, years later, the same parent company was criticised for selling skin-whitening creams under different brands. Consumers noticed. And they remembered.
Today, brands that treat authenticity as an add-on, not a value, will struggle to build long-term loyalty. This is especially true among Gen Z and Gen Alpha, for whom digital literacy and cultural nuance are second nature.
Even entertainment is under review. A recent parody sketch on Saturday Night Live (The White Potus) took aim at Aimee Lou Wood, one of the breakout stars of White Lotus 3. Among the cast of characters, hers was the only appearance mocked with exaggerated dental features. The backlash was swift—not just because it was unfunny, but because it felt out of sync with the current cultural mood.
Wood's calm rebuttal on social media —'I have big gap teeth, not bad teeth'—was more effective than any punchline. And it underscored a growing reality for content creators and brands alike: appearances are no longer fair game. Satire that relies on visual mockery isn't just tired—it's commercially risky.
In fashion and beauty, the stakes are even higher. A consumer base attuned to inclusivity expects more than surface-level casting. They want inclusive sizing and store layouts. They want diverse faces and brand storytelling that reflects lived experience. That includes teeth.
Retailers who over-invest in 'aspirational sameness' are already losing market share to challenger brands who celebrate individuality—brands like Glossier, Parade, and even Colgate, which has found a way to make a 200-year-old commodity feel progressive.
Authenticity is not about abandoning polish or professionalism. It's about removing the pressure to homogenise. That means featuring smiles with gaps, age lines, and natural variance not as statements, but as standard. And it means investing in campaigns that go beyond token moments to tell real, consistent stories.
And of course, this conversation goes far beyond smiles. The push for authenticity must include the full spectrum of human diversity—race, gender identity, disability, age, neurodiversity, and body type. Representation cannot be reduced to a single visible trait. Brands that want to be future-fit must commit to portraying the reality of modern life—not the filtered version. That means inclusive casting, accessible design, and messaging that recognises the complexities of identity. Anything less risks alienating the very consumers they claim to champion.
From my own perspective—as a consumer, a broadcaster, and someone who has spent years researching and reporting on the public voice—I can tell you that representation matters. Not for vanity. But for validation.
If consumers don't see themselves in your brand, they won't feel seen by your brand.
And no matter how glossy the finish, invisibility doesn't sell.