The future of food advertising is animated

As Head of Film at Jelly, I’m always encouraging our directors to explore food-focused work.

It’s such a huge part of the ad world, so having strong, standout pieces in that space is essential. With food ads everywhere and attention spans shrinking, the challenge is finding new ways to cut through – whether that’s through storytelling, technique, or a fresh creative approach that really makes people feel something.

There are two main types of food ad: the brand-led story, and the product-led “food porn” – or a mix of both.

Most slo-mo shots – drink splashes, flour spills, smashing, mashing, stirring, dripping – are typically live-action. Big food brands lean on these stylised takes to highlight their product’s juicy, crunchy, gooey, sweet appeal. But with every food stylist trick on display, is the audience starting to tune out this tried-and-true formula?

Big food brands lean on stylised takes to highlight their product’s juicy, crunchy, gooey, sweet appeal.

In a world where 85% of ads fail to hold attention beyond 2.5 seconds, can brands use animation to reimagine their food and tell stories in new and exciting ways, grabbing attention faster – and holding it?

There are loads of reasons why animation works brilliantly for food: from sophisticated storytelling and characterisation to the quality of visualising the food itself. It’s all there for the taking.

Above: Snap, Crackle and Pop, Rice Krispies mascots since 1933.

Beyond the cereal box: Animation isn’t just for kids

Back in the day, there were animated cereal ads like Kellogg’s Snap, Crackle and Pop, and Frosties’ Tony the Tiger, that used cartoon characters to front high-sugar cereals and appeal to kids. These brands knew the power of animation, even if their intent was questionable.

I know, I know, you might say, “But those were for kids!” And yes, they absolutely were, which is part of the problem. But this legacy has led to a misconception that animation is still just for children.

Animation offers limitless possibilities.

Some brands still hesitate, thinking animation is too juvenile or whimsical for a grown-up audience. But that’s selling it short. Today, animation is far more sophisticated. The work created by modern directors is refined, intentional, and rich with layered storytelling and visual nuance. In the hands of the right creative team, animation can operate on a fundamentally higher plane, communicating with adults through detail, subtlety and emotional depth.

Animating appetite: Visualising taste and texture

Animation offers limitless possibilities. Any art or lighting style can be tailored to suit the food and the brand’s message. It can vividly express taste, smell, touch, texture, and colour. Just as a beautifully plated meal can whet the appetite, imagine that elevated through high-end design and animation crafted for a sophisticated audience.

From hand-drawn 2D to painted styles or stop-motion, these techniques bring food to life. They leap off tables, morphing and transforming, expressing qualities without a word. OXO’s The Magic Touch (2014) nails this with clever stop-motion: no voiceover, just pure visual storytelling.

Above: OXO’s The Magic Touch campaign, directed by Conkerco.

And with CG, food can look as real (or as hyperreal) as needed. Think Ratatouille’s cooking scenes, which were meticulously researched, visually stunning, and completely believable.

Even the chilli fries in Ben 10 prove that food doesn’t need to be realistic to be desirable. If Nikolaas Tinbergen’s The Study of Instinct and Lisa Feldman Barrett’s The Science of Emotion are anything to go by, animation can actually make food look more appealing because it amplifies desirable features: shinier glazes, more vibrant colours, perfect textures. This taps into the idea of supernormal stimuli, where exaggerated versions of real objects create stronger responses.

Animated food can morph into something else, change shape, jump into a pan and cook itself. It can get up off the plate, dance around, talk. It can become a character.

Personality on a plate: Bringing food to life

When food isn’t just the subject, it becomes the star.

Some brands have characters associated with food, while others turn the food itself into the character. Animation is perfect for this, bringing food to life and enabling fun, dynamic interactions. A great example is the Peperami ‘Animal’ – a wild, hyperactive, meat-obsessed mascot that personifies the product with chaotic energy and untamed snack cravings – who fronted campaigns for decades. 

Other personified food icons include Aldi’s Kevin the Carrot and Arla’s Barry the Biscuit Boy.

Screen to stomach: How cinema makes us crave

Animated food in movies entertains, lingers in memory and makes audiences hungry.

From the rich, bubbling gumbo in The Princess and the Frog, and the deeply satisfying sushi scene in Isle of Dogs, to the pasta and soup scenes in Ratatouille, animated food can look so real and delicious it borders on sensory trickery. Hayao Miyazaki is a master of this. His anime feasts in Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle are iconic – almost mythic – in their appeal.

Some brands have characters associated with food, while others turn the food itself into the character.

It’s everywhere: Mushu’s congee in Mulan, snow cones in Monsters, Inc., Scooby Snacks, Krabby Patties in SpongeBob, the spaghetti kiss in Lady and the Tramp… These moments are seared into cultural memory. They prove one thing: when food is animated with love, style, and story, it becomes unforgettable – and often, craved.

Sometimes, a food is so strongly linked to a character, brands can’t help but get involved. After Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, pizza cravings spiked so dramatically that Pizza Hut launched a £20 million sponsorship campaign for the sequel.