Some of those dioramas are truly spectacular.. I shared two scapes on facebook, and I got friends from all walks of life, age and hobbies.. The one I liked, a natural aquatic landscape did not receive many likes or comments.. the diorama of the forest, from Turkey, received lots of comments, and likes.. some even asked how to accomplish that and what plants were used.
That is the issue, we may like the natural scenes, what we know is normal, but we are already in the hobby, we are not spending that much money in new kit, we are using EI, making our own lights, looking for improvements to new things. OK, we spend a few bob on plants and rocks, but we also share a lot with eachother.. we not that important to the big companies, not the same way as a new buyer is.
Some of the people that saw the tank want me to help them out.. they are going to buy a tank, filter, rocks, CO2 rig, substrate, lights, plants, some fish, food, water products, ferts, scissors, tweezers, some books, etc.. it is for them that these dioramas are made, and no surprise the IAPLC supports them, after all, they are a poster child for ADA kit..
I got a 120x40x40 tank to scape in October, where I pointed out that the dioramas are not natural, and that will involve a high level of work, and that does not come cheap.. do they care? No.. they want hills, some trees with moss, they even want some toys inside a La German dude..