Think your food looks basic? The algorithm might actually prefer that
TORONTO, June 3, 2022– Restaurants that place a focus on unique “Instagrammable” foods as a marketing strategy may not receive the results they hope for, as AI technology shows that consumers interact more with food content they view as more typical and "normal appearing”, according to research (external link, opens in new window) from the Ted Rogers School of Management at Toronto Metropolitan University.
Showcasing unique, original and atypical appearing foods to garner attention on social media– everything from elaborate presentations to offbeat combinations of food– is a marketing trend, especially as consumers use social media before visiting a restaurant to view photos and reviews. Effective use of restaurant’s social media can positively impact the business. However, according to researchers Dr. Matthew Philp and Dr. Jenna Jacobson from the Ted Rogers School of Management and Ethan Pancer from Saint Mary’s University, this strategy is not optimal, and this research reveals that typical or “normal” looking foods are preferable for consumers and social media.
Results from the research shows that if Google Vision AI better recognizes food images as actual food (i.e., the more typical it is), the more likely it would receive engagement on social media. Additionally, another experiment showed that typical-looking foods on social media were easier for consumers to mentally process, and therefore drove engagement.
“These findings are counterintuitive, as conventional social media wisdom suggests that users will engage more with unique and original, as this is seen as more “interesting.” However, in the context of food, this might not be the case,” said Dr. Philp. “Instead, in the fast scrolling nature of social media, people appear to engage more with food that they can more easily recognize as being normal and typical.”
Overall, this research shows that restaurants should step away from making and posting elaborate food content, and instead focus on producing, as well as posting, more typical-appearing foods on social media as a means to increase engagement.
For more information about the research or to speak to Dr. Philp, please contact:
Cassandra Earle
Media and Rich Content Specialist, TRSM
cassandra.earle@torontomu.ca