“The Model at the Bucket”: Why Sexualization Kills Sales and Trust Xrust

Online trading has finally moved from the language of characteristics to the language of hips and half-smiles. Today, on marketplaces, the “face of a brand” is not a product or a user experience, but an anonymous model attached to anything: a mop, a cable, a… trash can. We hiccup from this visual glaze, but continue to scroll — the algorithm honestly tells us: the more piquant the cover, the higher the conversion. The problem is that along with the clicks, the meaning depreciates. The product disappears behind a physical image, and trust disappears behind a cheap trick. At Xrust.ru we call this the “wink economy”: it seems like fun, but the check grows not by knowledge, but by reflex.

It’s time for marketplaces to grow up. Instead of “a model next to an object,” we need a design where the product speaks for itself: clear 360° photos, real use cases, honest comparisons, size charts, “before/after” analysis, noise/density/strength levels — and not “smile plus shine.” This is not puritanism, but strategic catalog hygiene. And yes, aesthetics can be bold and modern without exploiting the body as a universal stimulant. Where a smart creative explains why I need this particular bucket, the seller receives not just a purchase, but a brand advocate.

Xrust “Model at the bucket”: why sexualization kills sales and trust Xrust