Why the Food in Commercials Looks So Perfect: The Reality Behind the Hype

When you watch commercials, there's often a stark difference between the food portrayed and what you get in real life. From glossy appearances to perfect shapes, it can be confusing to reconcile the two. In this article, we'll explore the tricks and techniques used by food stylists to enhance the visual appeal of food, and why the reality often falls short.

Styling Techniques

Food stylists are the unsung heroes behind the perfect plate. They use a variety of techniques to ensure the food looks as delicious as possible. One method is the use of non-edible items, such as glue for sauces or cardboard to prop up food, to create the ideal shape and texture. This is a deceptive practice that can mislead consumers, making the real-life experience of preparing and consuming the same food come as a stark contrast.

Lighting

Commercials are shot under professional lighting setups designed to highlight the best features of the food. This can result in a more appealing appearance that is not always replicable in everyday home settings. The harsh, artificial light used in commercials emphasizes the details and colors, making the food look more appetizing. This is in contrast to the soft, natural light that one might typically find in a kitchen.

Editing and Filters

Post-production is a crucial part of commercial food photography. Images often undergo extensive digital editing to enhance colors, remove imperfections, and make the food look even more appealing to the viewer. This rigorous editing can give the food an almost otherworldly look, which may not reflect how the food actually appears in real life.

Choice of Ingredients

When it comes to ingredients, commercials often feature fresher and more visually appealing options than what you might find in a regular grocery store. For example, fruits and vegetables used in commercials are carefully selected for their perfect shape and color. This can create an idealized version of food that may not perfectly represent what you get when you buy groceries.

Time Constraints

Real food preparation is often rushed, leading to less-than-perfect presentation. In commercial settings, there is no rush. Careful arrangement and adjustment of food are key to ensuring that the final product looks perfect. This can result in a discrepancy between the idealized versions seen in commercials and the actual food prepared at home.

Unrealistic Expectations

The food in commercials is designed to evoke a specific emotional response or craving. This can lead to exaggerated depictions that do not accurately reflect the real-life experience. For instance, a pizza commercial might show a perfectly melted cheese, perfect crust, and mouth-watering sauce, which might not bear much resemblance to the reality of a similarly-prepared pizza in a home kitchen.

Personal Experience

I have firsthand experience with how these discrepancies play out in real life. Early in my career, I worked on a pizza commercial shot at an actual chain restaurant. We shot the styled pizza images in close-up and slow motion, with a highly paid hand model repeatedly pulling slices of the styled pizza from the pie. The strings of bubbly, melted cheese followed, creating a visually stunning scene. After that shot, we broke for lunch upstairs and were served non-styled pizza from the same kitchen. It looked like trash, despite being made from the same ingredients. This stark contrast between the commercial and real-life versions highlights the gap between the visual perfection of commercials and the practical realities of food preparation and consumption.

Conclusion

While the food in commercials can be incredibly captivating and enticing, it is important to recognize and accept that it is often an idealized version of the real thing. Understanding the techniques used by food stylists can help us better appreciate the art of commercial photography while maintaining a sense of skepticism about the reality behind the scenes. So, the next time you watch a commercial, take a moment to think about the factors that contribute to the visual perfection portrayed and remember that the real world often falls short of that ideal.