Deceptive Tactics Fast Food Companies Use To Make Us Buy Their Food
We've all been tempted by a burger's mouth-watering appearance in a fast food commercial, and we've all been disappointed when we finally see that burger in person. This is no coincidence! Food companies regularly employ stylists to spruce up their products for the screen, and the techniques these artists use are certainly more than misleading. Indeed, you may lose your appetite after learning about the weird tricks that make these morsels look so succulent.
40. Undercooked meat looks bigger on screen
Ever bought a burger that looked smaller than it did on screen? Well, there’s a simple explanation for that. Because meat tends to shrink when cooked, stylists like Janine Kalesis, who explained the trick to CNBC, only grill patties until they’re brown on the surface. This means that most burgers shown in commercials are actually raw!
39. Shoe polish gives meat that fresh-from-the-oven feel
Since the majority of photographed meat is undercooked, advertisers employ little gimmicks to make this raw food look more palatable. Food artist Jack Sargeson, who revealed his secrets in the 2016 project Faking It, explained how he paints meat a darker shade. In particular, shoe polish really shines at giving food a recently cooked appearance.
38. Spreading out burger patties gives them greater volume
In addition to undercooking their patties, burger artists also employ another tested trick to boost their subject’s size. As explained by Jennifer Eustock in the 1990 PSA Buy Me That, stylists often cut a V-shape in the back of the patty. This lets them easily spread the meat apart to give the snack extra volume.
37. Glazed foods are most likely poisonous
Juicy foods make our tastebuds water, and advertisers aren’t blind to this fact. To give some meals that delicious glazed look, stylists will spray their food with a variety of oils. However, this often renders the products inedible. For example, stylist Kim Krejca admitted to coating food with the lubricant WD-40!
