10 Shocking Food Advertising Tricks That Are Gross IRL

Believe us when we say, these are gross

Posted on

9 February 2017

Posted by

ewfood

Advertising, in general—doesn’t enjoy the reputation of being the most honourable of professions. Fake claims, deceptive lies, photo-shopped magazine covers, we’re all too familiar with the frequent tactics used.

But as far as food advertising is concerned—the manipulation goes far beyond subtle shading and blotch cleaning.

The mouth-watering delicacies we see in TV Ads are anything but appetising IRL. Check out how food stylists and photographers dupe us with unbelievable tricks.

1. Tissue Paper-Stuffed Chicken

The next time you see a juicy chicken roast stuffed with herbs, butter and veggies—know that it’s hardly cooked, glazed with deodorant and stuffed with tissue paper.

2. Mashed Potato Ice Cream

Ok, so we did guess ice cream melts quickly under harsh studio lights. What we didn’t know is the fact that they replace it with mashed potatoes instead!

3. Soap Flavoured Milk

To make milk look freshly poured, food stylists add dish soap bubbles to the surface just before the shoot. This trick works wonders for coffee and other drinks, too - just don't attempt it at home.

4. Engine Oil Pancakes

Remember all syrup drizzling pancake shots that are SO oddly satisfying to watch? A blatant lie. Syrups and honey taste incredible in real but they tend to be runny so photographers turn to motor oil as an alternative.

5. Cardboard Stuffed Cakes

What makes cake slices fluffy and straight? No, it’s not oil or egg or any other edible ingredient. The secret is cardboard. Photographers stuff cardboard pieces to keep cakes and pies from sliding down. They use the same trick to keep burger patties thick.

6. Wax Sauces

Every time you thought your sauce didn’t look vibrant or consistent enough — well, it wasn’t supposed to. To create a perfect texture, advertising geniuses add wax to the sauce.

7. Deodorant Fresh Fruits

That ripe, juicy bunch of grapes you see is not ‘100% organic’ or ‘farm fresh’ – it’s coated with glycerine and deodorants that give it a shiny glow.

8. Fake Ice Cubes

The clinky and crunchy ice cubes are usually hand-carved plastic blocks and oh, that thirst-quenching soda — it’s just food colouring mixed with soap bubbles and water.

9. Waterproof Bread

Those oven-fresh bread slices have nothing to do with the brand’s wheat quality. It's coated with a special spray that is used to protect car interiors from water and sunlight.