You may have heard it said before, people don’t want or need your product, they want or need the BENEFIT of it. In the case of food and beverage, the “benefit” is the taste PLUS the experience.

When dealing with a “sensory” product, the more your images can visually convey the “senses”, the more the viewer will be able to imagine the experience and enjoyment of it. A photo of a juicy burger alone is just sustenance and might make them hungry… however, a juicy burger with a frosty mug of beer in the background sitting next to a grill or someone eating the burger while sitting outdoors with friends will transform “That burger looks good” into “I gotta have that burger!”.

Consider McDonald’s. Their advertising imagery includes people enjoying their products perfectly conveying their current slogan “I’m lovin’ it!”. Or take a restaurant like Donovan’s. Their photographs indeed show the succulent and tender filet mignon presented perfectly on the plate… AND that plate sits on a classic white table linen in their beautiful dining area with a bottle of wine and candlestick in the background.

Companies like Kraft don’t just snap a shot of their package of shredded mozzarella and describe how it melts perfectly. They SHOW someone lifting a piece of pizza with the ooey gooey yummy cheese melting off the edges with a simple headline… “No one ever drooled over the crust”.

Even grocery stores like Vons understand that to attract customers, they have to show those “ingredients for life” being used in “real life” creating the experience, showing the freshness, eliciting desire for the product and the desire to purchase the product from them.

From burgers, brew and corn-on-the-cob to steak, wine and crisp asparagus in a bernaise sauce, whenever there is food involved, the right imagery that presents the product AND expresses the experience will draw out increased desire. Yes, presenting the product itself is, of course, imperative and in some uses the product alone will be effective. However, for the maximum “must-have” response, illustrating the experience is essential.  

So, take a closer look at your own images… do they show (however subtly) the “experience”? Will potential customers not only say “That burger looks good” but also “I gotta have that burger!”? If not, you may be missing the “wow” factor. If you’d like to discuss how Serena Lissy Photography can bring your food and/or beverages “to life”, schedule a complimentary consultation by emailing us at info@serenalissy dot com.