The Real Reason Food in Commercials Looks So Good Is Not Good

How does that Big Mac look so big and tasty on the menu board at McDonald’s but so pathetic when you open the cardboard container with your burger inside? Well, one video has compiled 10 ways advertisers manipulate ingredients to make food in commercial advertisements look so delicious. And it’s absolutely jaw-dropping.

Why does food look so different in commercials?

Some of the tricks don’t seem all that deceptive or surprising.

The steaming bowl of soup or coffee in that ad? Not computer generated, it’s most likely strategically placed soaked and microwaved cotton balls strategically placed behind the “steaming” food.

Another way photographers get around the perils of working with food during long advertising photo shoots is to use completely inedible products that look similar to certain foods or condiments.

Food substitutes in ads include some pretty creative ingredients.

You know that amazing bowl of cereal where nothing looks soggy and pieces of fruit and cereal are seemingly floating in perfect synchrony with the white milk? Surprise! It’s not milk, it’s regular ol’ white school glue! The glue keeps everything in place without making the food become soggy. Genius!

While you wouldn’t want to take a bite of the cereal in an ad, it probably wouldn’t hurt you. But those delicious looking pancakes, stacked high and lusciously drenched with buttery maple syrup? Not so fast. That’s motor oil they’re pouring over the pancakes and it would definitely give you a stomach ache or worse. Same with the shaving cream that holds its shape better than whipped cream, which melts too fast for long shoots.

But that big, juicy burger? Well, the meat is painted to make it look that much more succulent while cardboard inserts and push pins hold ingredients perfectly in place.

So, now you know how advertisers make their food look so beautifully tasty. Of course, the taste is all that really matters when you take a bite of anything.