Nick: There are lots of methods. When you advertise milk on its own, for example, it’s usually shown being poured into a glass and it always looks fresh. But if you add it to cornflakes, they absorb it and look unappetizing. So instead of using real milk, advertisers use glue. But not just any glue. Obviously, it must be white.

Woman: How about other dishes? When Thanksgiving comes, we often see roast turkeys advertised on TV that look absolutely mouth-watering.

Nick: Yes, but a film crew can’t wait six hours for a turkey to roast so the bird simply gets brushed with a mixture of browning sauce, yellow food colouring, and washing up liquid. This gives the same juicy look that you would get after roasting. It saves everybody a lot of time.

Woman: Now another one of my favourites. Baked potatoes. They’re always steaming in commercials, which makes them look very appetizing.

Nick: That’s another trick. Steaming food in advertising looks delicious, but in fact, the potatoes aren’t even hot. Usually, wet cotton balls are put into a microwave and then skillfully hidden behind or inside potatoes. This creates a few minutes of steam for the commercial and makes viewers think that the potatoes have been freshly baked.

Woman: Are there any tricks of the trade for presenting desserts in commercials?

Nick: Ice cream is an interesting example. Real ice cream wouldn’t last too long under hot studio lights, but mashed potatoes are camera-ready all day long so they are a perfect substitute. Viewers won’t know the difference. If you want to advertise an ice cream dessert, you use mashed potatoes and replace the whipped cream with shaving foam, put pieces of fruit on top, and then use hair spray to make the dessert look shiny and fresh.

Woman: Well, Nick, I think I won’t watch TV food commercials for a while. Thanks for talking to us.