The Power Of Foodporn
When I say ‘foodporn’, what do you think of?
And please, try and keep your answer clean.
To be clear here, I’m talking about those meals that are akin to the ambrosia of the gods – a seduction for the eyes that demands to be photographed!
What I am NOT talking about is pornography involving food. (My apologies to all the perverts reading this, but trust me, you WILL find what you’re looking for on another tab).
Now we’ve clarified, you should know exactly what I’m referring to, as foodporn has been a mainstay of platforms like Instagram & Facebook since day one.
In fact, show me the person who’s never taken a photograph of their meal and I’ll happily eat my iPhone, as it’s a ritual of digital life we all partake in!
Some of us don’t even want to, but when some grub gets you salivating like Pavlov’s dog, no one can help themselves… And so down goes the fork, and out comes the smartphone.
But what the hell differentiates a normal snap of your midweek meal from foodporn? The Lobster investigates…
What is Foodporn and Why Is It Important?
Food porn is described in the urban dictionary as “Juicy, mouth-watering, high-res images of incredibly delicious-looking food.” In there lies the heart of what makes foodporn…
Absurdly enticing images of food go in tandem with our grander modern-day eating habits and so it’s no surprise it’s used daily as a marketing tool. The addictiveness of these apps has allowed companies and brands to create a relentless world of non-stop food imagery, presenting their products in a way that makes consumers indulge in the experience and share their own ones online.
And it’s meant food brands are now flourishing…
Cheese is now gooier, burgers are more stacked, and recipes are wackier. It’s been particularly helpful for fast food brands, helping companies who are just a source of unhealthy calories to become a popular attraction people will come from far and wide to see… Just so they can say they’ve ‘had it’. No matter what it is.
And for restaurants and food chains, it’s become a big part of the experience, with some even encouraging diners to snap their offerings! The viral natures of these platforms allow individuals to share foodporn instantly to their Instagram, Instagram story and or a Facebook post – geo-tagging these photos and the restaurant in their story all for absolutely nothing.
In a nutshell, the power of foodporn has created a culture of free advertising, meaning it’s often more important for a dish to look good than actually taste amazing – foodporn’s direct effect on our culture.
The Power of Recommendation
The power of the recommendation is often overlooked, but ‘average joes’ recommending places to eat, dishes to try & experiences to trial is one of the most trusted forms of marketing. As brand distrust grows, UGC and word of mouth are now more trustworthy than ever, as there is no exterior influences or incentives influencing people’s experiences. Brands are attempting to capitalise on this with influencer marketing, but only real experiences can be shared and perceived as genuine.
As all social media marketers know, this is the holy grail in advertising, as there is no investment and so any form of engagement with the page or the brand equals huge ROI.
These genuine and authentic experiences being shared on social media present an opportunity in the eyes of food and drink marketers, and so they will utilize hashtags to be part of the conversation (#foodporn!), further cementing the role of foodporn as a driving force in food and drink marketing.
Driving Tastes
Now that the world is addicted to foodporn, it’s begun to change our very tastes…
Before you even step in a restaurant or consume a brand’s product, chance’s are you’ve already devoured them visually – so if a pic ain’t up to scratch, don’t expect the consumer to bother.
In 2021, a study highlighted that food and experiences surrounding food are now one of the main reasons why people travel around the world, making foodporn as important as travelporn.
The evolution of #foodporn has seen the concept develop from a few individuals posting about their breakfast to brands utilizing foodporn as a way to differentiate themselves and cut through the noise. They’re marketing themselves as more than just an indulgent one time meal and becoming a destination to satisfy every single individual sense – an experience you can’t help but share online.
So in closing, whether you be a creative food marketing agency or just dipping your toe in food communications, the world of food product marketing has undoubtedly been changed by foodporn.
And while social media evolves into a video-focused world, foodporn evolves with it, here to stay as one of the most effective forms of food product marketing.