In the fast-moving world of social media, brands are always looking for ways to make their content pop — and lately, hyper-realistic fake food has become the unexpected star. These meticulously crafted replicas of burgers, ramen bowls, desserts, and even melting ice cream cones are appearing more and more in ads, grabbing attention with their flawless, Instagram-ready look.
The Rise of Picture-Perfect Food That’s Not Real
Hyper-realistic food replicas aren’t exactly new — Japanese restaurants have used sampuru (fake display food) for decades. What’s different now is that brands are using the technique for digital marketing, especially on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook ads.
Why? Real food can be unpredictable. Lighting, temperature, and time can quickly ruin a photo or video shoot. Fake food, on the other hand, looks perfect every time. Marketers can spend hours filming without worrying about melting ice cream, wilting lettuce, or soggy fries.
More Than Just Eye Candy
It’s not just about perfection — hyper-realistic food lets brands push creativity further. For example:
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Impossible angles — Like a burger mid-air with layers suspended in motion.
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Surreal effects — Think giant dripping chocolate fountains that never run out.
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Consistency across campaigns — Every product shot looks identical, no matter the platform or date.
This is especially useful for international campaigns where maintaining the same visual style in every region can be a challenge.
Why Social Media Loves It
Scrolling through your feed, it’s easy to ignore ordinary food shots. Hyper-realistic displays stop people mid-scroll because they feel slightly uncanny — your brain knows something is off, but it still looks delicious. That intrigue can drive engagement.
TikTok creators are also jumping on the trend, using fake food for comedic skits, “behind-the-scenes” videos, and even ASMR content. The result? Millions of views and shares.
Ethical and Practical Perks
Using fake food in ads can also reduce waste. In traditional food photography, entire dishes are often discarded after a shoot. With replicas, the same “dish” can be reused endlessly. For brands targeting sustainability-conscious audiences, this can be a selling point.
The Future of Fake Food Marketing
With advances in 3D printing and materials technology, hyper-realistic food is getting cheaper and easier to produce. Some companies are even experimenting with mixed media — combining physical replicas with CGI to create impossible textures and movements.
In the coming years, don’t be surprised if the most mouth-watering burger you see online never existed in real life.
Jacklyn is a San Diego–based food journalist with a background in the confectionery world. Before diving into food reporting, she worked at a startup crafting plant-based, low-sugar sweets designed to make candy a little healthier
