The Myth of Authenticity
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Somewhere in my handbag there's a bar of chocolate with mysterious links to ancient Mayans. I'm going to eat it with a mug of coffee from the "volcanic slopes and Caribbean mountains of Guatemala." My diet may not be good for me, but it's loaded with interesting background details. If I burst into spots, a quaff of Highland Spring water and a slap of Dead Sea minerals should sort me out.
Working the link between place of origin and product quality is the oldest trick in the brand book. It milks our thirst for mythology and plays mercilessly on our superstitious hope that special places have the power to revitalise and transform. But just how deep does the connection have to be for the magic to cast its spell?