“Social Food” video techniques: Their ambiguous role in making healthy food attractive
(A2019-10079)

AUTHORS

Nadia Steils, University of Lille (IAE Lille)

KEYWORDS

social food; social media; healthy eating

ABSTRACT

Using highly arousal-awaking cinematographic techniques (e.g., close-up, slow-motion, saturated colours), social food videos constitute a new and distractive way for bringing food literacy to consumers via social media. These short recipe-videos present a sensorial rich content, which appeals to multiple senses. This research examines how slow-motion and close-up techniques alter consumers’ attitude towards food and distort consumers’ judgment regarding food-related decisions. Using an experimental research design we show how slow-motion and close-up filming of a video-recipe negatively impact food quality perception and increase consumers’ anticipated cognitive dissonance. Findings further highlight the consequent influence on consumers’ decision about healthy food options and their willingness to change the original recipe. The results of this research contribute by warning about the ambiguous consequences of using trending social food video techniques when educating consumers towards healthy eating.

REFERENCES

This paper has been supported by the Nestlé Foundation (France).