Chapter 7: The Modern Era

The Resurgence of the Word of Mouth Model

In the modern era, the artisanal cheese huckstering industry experienced a renaissance of sorts. The rise of social media platforms and influencer culture allowed for the word of mouth model to flourish like never before. People were no longer just relying on fancy packaging or clever marketing slogans to make their purchasing decisions.

Instead, they were turning to their friends, family, and online acquaintances for recommendations. The artisanal cheese hucksters were quick to adapt, creating elaborate online personas, sharing staged, posed, and filtered photos, and peddling their wares with an air of authenticity that was almost believable.

Chapter 7.4: The Role of Online Rating Systems in the Modern Era