I totally understand the analogy used in the article. It is food for thought, Midna.
In the healthcare field for example, there are people who percieve their care to be "better", based on how the surroundings "look", for example did the nurse/doctor "look professional", or "was the food appetizing", instead of "did the nurse/doctor save your life" or was the food appropriate to your "health or condition"?
I do think that many people would rather have a superfically appealing messenger, instead of taking the message to heart, even when it is in their best interest.
The truth is often a bitter pill to swallow.