Scroll through Tilly Norwood’s Instagram and you’d think she was the next breakout star. Glamorous headshots, comedy sketches, even a fake appearance on Graham Norton’s sofa. But she isn’t real. She’s an AI creation.
Actors like Emily Blunt are alarmed. They know that true performance isn’t just appearance. It comes from lived human experience, joy, grief, struggle, triumph. Audiences may be fooled for a moment, but authenticity always shines through.
Wealth management has its own Tilly Norwoods.
National firms present advisers who look polished, sound confident, and deliver slick presentations. But many of them aren’t advisers at all, they’re salespeople acting the role of adviser. Unlike Emily Blunt, who is open about being an actor, these professionals don’t admit they’re performing. The illusion is convincing, which is exactly the danger.
Investors need to look past appearances. Authentic advice isn’t a performance. It’s independent, personal, and rooted in real understanding of your circumstances. Just as audiences know there’s no substitute for a real actor, investors need to know there’s no substitute for genuine human advice.
Takeaway: Don’t be fooled by the performance. Demand authenticity, not acting.
Nic Round is a Chartered Financial Planner and Chartered Wealth Manager, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.