McDonald’s commercials always get to me late at night when I’m starting to feel hungry again but shouldn’t eat right before bed. The perfectly cut golden fries spilling out of a red and yellow McDonald’s carton accompanied by a Big Mac dressed to the nines makes me begin to smell the salt and grease that tastes just as good as it looks — on a good day.
I have to admit, McDonald’s ad campaigns are pretty successful at making me want their products as soon as the commercial is over. But the products advertised are never as appetizing nor as neat as they look on TV, leaving me wondering if they use the same ingredients that they sell to portray higher quality products. Hope Bagozzi, director of marketing for McDonald’s Canada, delves into the mystery in this YouTube video.
She says,
I think it’s important to note that all the ingredients are the exact same ingredients that we use in the restaurant.
She goes on to explain that a typical burger at McDonald’s is made in about minute, but the photoshooting process could take several hours to concoct a Grade-A photo for television. The main difference, according to the video, is that the food stylist and photographer arrange the ingredients in deliberate ways so each ingredient is visible to the prospective consumer.
I didn’t even know there was a “food stylist” job position! Maybe that’s another field I’ll consider after college, being that I love food and style.
What do you think about McDonald’s food styling procedures? Is it ethical?
orchid / 150 posts
McDonalds isn’t the only company that does food-styling. In fact, EVERYONE does it! Hell, just look at the covers of TV dinners.
Is it ethical? That’s debatable. Obviously companies like McDonalds are going to do what they can to appeal to peoples’ senses and get people to buy their food. Besides, at the end of the day, if the food tastes good, that’s all that matters.
guest
Have you ever seen the subs from Subway, compared to what you actually get? There is about five times the amount of food on the ones on the commercials. I think they all do this.
sunflower / 321 posts
When I lived in Europe, most of the restaurants featured pictures of the food on the window, but the photos weren’t styled at all. And it was kind of gross! Haha it’s funny how we get accustomed to seeing styled food, and take it for granted.
guest
So hungry now
guest
Every fast food restaurant, food television show, cookbook people, food bloggers all spend time making their food look prettier on purpose, it is not just McDonalds. We eat with our eyes as much as do with our nose and mouth. If the food doesn’t look appetizing, we’re less likely to buy from them/make their recipe. I dabble a bit in food blogging and take pictures of my food, I try to slice/scoop and plate it so it would look good in the picture. The part that I find unethical is how big the a portion really is. Especially like someone mentioned about the Subway sandwich. I’ve had a lot of Subway sandwiches, and my brother used to work there. A typical sandwich has 8 slices of meat on a foot long. There is no way 8 little slices of meat is going to make a big fat sandwich.
guest
Umm.. I remember a video where the food stylist glued the sesam seeds to the bun and the meat was raw (to look bigger) and the grilled look was sprayed on.. and toothpicks
guest
The ingredient they use for commercial are usually fresh, but not necessary the ones in restaurants.
Have you seen models and celebrity without makeup on? Plain jane.
They probably put gloss on the food to make them sparkle.
guest
@LondonsMommy@momaroo - i know! they use the same technique like in the video above, like placing the bread tilting up to reveal all the goods, everything is placed strategically, but most of all theres like more meat or pickles or whatever else is on the sandwich. and even if you do order double-meat, everything get compressed and wrapped tightly in the paper so it never looks that way. not to mention it costs more -__-
personally i like quiznos better lol.
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@xplode_2day@xanga - Mmm Quiznos is the greatest! Plus everything is really fresh and non-slimy haha. Yum!
guest
There’s no way I’d buy a burger that was advertised as I receive it in the box – all smushed and stuff. I agree with Chibi_Son_Gokou. What really matters is how the food tastes. That’s the real reason we keep going back; it’s most certainly not because of how the food looks in the pictures.
guest
i want mcdonald’s now thanks a lot
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@LondonsMommy@momaroo - can we talk about that… there’s a subway on my campus and i asked for onions and this lady puts three little strips of onion (not even the full circles) in my sub and i’m just like “really, bitch?”
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@pretty_inx_plaid@xanga - Wow, that is cheap! There is a location near my job where they always say they don’t have spinach. I think they are lying. Once, it is very possible they ran out, but two, three, four times, I am a fool to go back. Similar to your experience, they only put a couple little shreds of onion, bell peppers and shorted me 1 slice meat. Luckily for me, there are 2 other locations close by.
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@babybug329@xanga - so cheap. so ridiculous.
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@pretty_inx_plaid@xanga - Haha they sure do skimp on the ingredients. I am upset that I can’t get mushrooms anymore. What the heck!?
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Food-styling is as ethical as women wearing makeup. Make of that what you will.
guest
even still after watching this.. i refuse to even want a burger from Mc. Donalds.!