The moment you look at any McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King or an Amul ad, either on TV or in the newspaper or phone, your mouth starts watering and that’s the effect of ‘Food Advertising’ on us. Even if our tummy is full, some space is instantly made to satiate our cravings. This article would talk about how ‘Food Advertising’ is changing the way we eat.
Here’s a fun fact: The Indian organic food market reached a value of US$ 815 million in 2020. Looking forward, the market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 24% during 2021-2026.
Speaking of Food Advertising, the advertisers have been following a set of mantras that have helped gain more eyeballs and trigger the cravings. Here are some of the strategies they have been using –
Focus on health benefits: Apart from the slo-mo shots of the food being prepared or served, most of the food advertisements these days highlight the health benefits because of the recent (not so recent) Maggi fiasco. Yes! FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) has been a pivotal element in framing regulations to lay down the standards and guidelines of food safety.
Stunning & vibrant photography: If it’s not on TV, it’s mostly in the newspapers or in the digital platform in the static form where food still needs to look appealing and appetizing enough. That’s the reason ‘Food Photography’ has evolved as a niche in the photography segment. And, No! We are not talking about the Instagrammers here. Food Photography requires a very particular skill set and Instagramming isn’t one of them.
The catchphrases or slogans have to be catchy: If you do not remember McDonald’s as ‘I’m Loving it’, or KFC as ‘Finger Lickin’ Good’, then those advertisements haven’t lived up to their fullest potential, but if they have, then they must be one of the greatest food advertising campaigns in the history of food advertising. It all boils down to how are you going to remember the ad if not for the imagery of the food (which is temporary and ever-evolving).
There have to be some goodies or takeaways: Let’s admit it! If it weren’t for the toys that came along the ‘Happy Meal’, there wouldn’t be anything to be happy about. Even as adults, if we did not get any toys, we avoid going for a ‘Happy Meal’, and that’s the magic of freebies. Food advertising alone cannot win the war of taste. If the customers are getting something extra without asking (even if it’s a sachet of sauce) they would love to come back for more.
Having a celebrity angle is great: If the food isn’t that great and there are no health benefits to talk about, there’s always the celebrity angle that can elevate the food. Masterchef alone could have been a flop show, but having celebrity chefs to come in and judge the food that contestants make, and sometimes even prepare a Michelin-star-level food themselves, is what adds value to the show.
There’s so much to talk about food, but even food is served in courses. Just like food, information also has to be digested slowly so that everything that you take in, makes proper sense. That’s the idea!
At 3 Dots Design, we believe that our hunger for advertising should never be satiated because once we feel we are satisfied, we stop giving our best and that’s a nightmare for any company. Being one of the best ad agencies in Pune, we try to keep our hunger for creativity to the max and keep serving the best full-course advertising solutions to our clients. If your hunger for creativity is at its peak, it’s time you connect with the masterchefs of advertising. To know more about who we are or what we do, you can visit www.3dotsdesign.in