1920's Advertising Analysis

Breakfast products were a focal point for 1920’s advertisements. Over the century, cereal gained the reputation as the “breakfast of champions” and is the stereotypical breakfast food in the United States. The producers of the cereal trick the consumers with their box designs, having edited the photo to an unrealistic state. These changes that are made to the designs convinces the consumer to purchase their products in hopes that it will taste just as good as it looks. Moreover, the illusion on the box should not determine the consumer’s interest of the cereal. The tricks that cereal marketers use to make the product sell is unfair to the consumer. Through the use of lighting, photo editing, and staging hacks, the product appears more appealing than in real life. Another hack that helps cereal sell is through celebrity endorsements. Consumers are more likely to purchase an item that has a recognizable celebrity on it due to their indirect trust in that person.

First, the lighting has an effect on the sale of cereal. Lighting makes the food appear brighter and more appetizing. This distorts the color, size, and even perceived taste of the cereal. The lighting is not an appropriate feature to judge the quality of an object. Second, photo editing changes the looks of the cereal. Editors change the grain size and color to appear healthier and vibrant. The box looks too perfect and the cereal does not reflect. For example, the famous kid’s cereal Froot

By changing the photos with lighting devices, picture editing, food staging for exaggeration, and celebrity endorsements, the food industry has been able to expand economically with their misrepresentations of the breakfast food. Consumers need to be more aware of what they are buying, and not just for the appearance of the box. Therefore, shoppers should do their research on a product before falling for the food business