The power of food images to communicate important information to consumers

Abstract

This paper reports on an investigative study of food magazine readers' responses when examining food images matched with aesthetic indicators. Findings could guide food stylists in compiling food images to better communicate intended messages. The Q‐sort method applied in this study is a reliable psychometric technique that involves the use of photographs, often in non–food‐related contexts such as architecture and the travel industry. In this novel application in a foods context, six food images, matched with six aesthetic indicators, were Q‐sorted by a predetermined sample of the readership of two of South Africa's most eminent food magazines. The data was factor analysed, from which seven factors emerged. Findings confirmed that Q‐sort, employing food images, could be a useful research approach for non‐verbal communication settings where the technical and artistic messaging of food stylists needs to be clarified to appropriately manipulate the assembly of food image content in order to communicate specific information to consumers. It is proposed that food stylists could purposely create images that could communicate on a non‐verbal level with consumers to ultimately change behavioural intent and eventual purchasing behaviour. This report deals with the implementation of Q‐methodology within food image research and consumers' responses to food images as part of a larger exploratory study that also investigated subsequent behavioural intent. Further investigation may expand the theoretic base upon which food stylists could pursue ways to alter consumer's behavioural intent.

Brewing up brand loyalty: the rhetorical construction of the Starbucks rewards user interface and how consumer behaviour is influenced through gamification and visual tropes

“…Professional photography is used as a rhetorical element throughout the design of this loyalty program, with high-definition, digitally-enhanced photos of everything from lattes, to sandwiches, to cookies. Humans react to aesthetic qualities of food images not only on sensory and cognitive levels, but also emotional levels (Fisher et al 2012)., so attractive food photography will not only entice consumers to purchase product, but will also effect a consumer's overall brand attitudes. In addition, the use of well-crafted, high-definition photography establishes a level of professionalism and credibility for the company's food offerings.…”

Development of the destination food image scale (DFIS) and examination of measurement invariance by gender

“…Destination image can be intentionally created by the destinations to convey certain messages (offering new ideas, encouraging and strengthening certain food consumption) to potential tourists via information resources (Fisher et al, 2012). Encouraging positive image of foods as an important element of the local culture by destinations can ensure the food to be a strong symbol and contribute to the potential tourists' preference for the destination (Seo and Yun, 2015).…”

“…While there are various perspectives in the literature on the image components, the image concept in the tourism literature has different yet gradual, interconnected, multidimensional structures, including cognitive and affective image components (Gartner, 1994;Dann, 1996;Chen, 2001;Pike and Ryan, 2004). The studies on the food image support the same view (Fisher et al, 2012;Lai et al, 2017;Seo et al, 2017). Figure 1 shows the cognitive and affective image components of the perceived food image and the relationships between them.…”

Eating for pleasure: an introduction of the healthy food experience pyramid

“…For instance, 12 per cent of the food photos shared on Flickr from August 2010 to January 2011 were taken with the intent to share "food art" or to portray food in an artistic light (360i Digital Marketing Agency, 2011). Through the use of a Q-sort task that matched food images to aesthetic indicators and then measured consumer responses, Fisher et al (2012) even argue that art in the form of pleasingly arranged food may be able to nonverbally communicate hedonic information such as the expectation of fantasy, entertainment or arousal.…”