393649 Fri Apr 20 06:27:31 -0700 2007 15 33 Food Media and News 0 2498790 http://www.thewvsr.com/adsvsreality.htm I don't really know where this would fall in the topic areas. A buddy sent me this web site with pictures of the advertising shot of the specific food versus the real product as you would buy the stuff. Fri Apr 20 06:27:31 -0700 2007 11826 Phaedrus 1 2498815 The absurdity lies in the statement, "This is an ongoing Pulitzer-caliber project." Puleeeeeeze. It all looks bad and validates why I never eat fast food. Fri Apr 20 06:34:48 -0700 2007 2498790 16933 Carrie 218 1 2499928 I have worked as an assistant food stylist on national food ads. By law you must use the real company product, with nothing else to enhance it. So we would get boxes of frozen "Burger King" french fries, buns, burgers, pickles etc. In the case of the fries we would then fry them in small batches and hand select the most perfect ones. Then use medical tweezers placing them to create the most perfect bag of fries, that had to be the same amount of ounces as in the serving size at the restaurant. Same with each item. One ad could take a group of ten people 12 hours to shoot. If it was a cookbook or editorial photo then you get to play with the food more. Add things, use non food items to gloss them up etc. It was interesing to say the least. Fri Apr 20 11:54:16 -0700 2007 2498790 21498 Got Cake 2 2500754 Wow, really fascinating. You should write an article about it. Fri Apr 20 15:14:10 -0700 2007 2499928 10132 sku 1 2499942 The McMuffin bottom is bigger than its top. Fri Apr 20 11:58:21 -0700 2007 2498790 12120 julesrules 2 2506703 Yeah, the real McMuffin may look better. The ad one just looks odd. Mon Apr 23 11:13:11 -0700 2007 2499942 84570 kindofabigdeal 3 2513611 Not surprising but still funny seeing them juxtaposed. Appears that the filet-o-fish wins the prize for looking most like its ad counterpart. Wed Apr 25 08:46:03 -0700 2007 2506703 38807 RC51Mike 4 2515988 true. the filet-o-fish is one food I have never even thought of putting in my mouth. I would love to try a good durian someday, but don't put a filet-o-fish anywhere near me. actually... i don't think i've ever seen one in real life. Wed Apr 25 19:37:46 -0700 2007 2513611 84570 kindofabigdeal 5 2516481 Filet-o-fish is one of the few things at McD's that I like. Thu Apr 26 04:06:37 -0700 2007 2515988 13619 Sharuf 1 2513820 I don't know about this website. Granted, the Arby product did not stand up well, however, most of the other stuff seems to me is a photography issue. Professional pics against bad cell phone pics. Who would take any of this as a serious quality issue. If you grill a good cut of Angus strip loin to medium rare, take a picture, then wrap it in tin foil, wait 15 minutes, unwrap it, take another picture, you will see 2 different things. Besides looks, you will have a steak that is not medium rare any more but will be closer to medium. Food keeps cooking and changes in presentation once wrapped up. It doesn't matter whether it's fast food or if it's a take out meal from the French Laundry. (If they would do take out :) JMO. Wed Apr 25 09:41:59 -0700 2007 2498790 10148 fatboy44 2 2515992 You're definitely right, but I don't think the continuation of the cooking was an issue in these... and it's probably safe to assume that they never looked qutie like the picture. Wed Apr 25 19:39:58 -0700 2007 2513820 84570 kindofabigdeal 3 2516670 Sure, food stylists using a blow torch to brown the meat and varnish to give the bun a glossy appearance, studios, etc. etc. etc. The point I tried to make was that, you can't judge a product by a picture, good or bad. Anyways, we shouldn't be eating most of that junk regardless how good it looks:( Thu Apr 26 06:33:03 -0700 2007 2515992 10148 fatboy44 1 2515955 Well, the items I liked to begin with look fine in the real world pictures. I wouldn't want a bun that stayed all puffed up all the time anyhow. Wed Apr 25 19:23:31 -0700 2007 2498790 80141 ccbweb 1 2519936 In the final photo-set on the page, of the sausage and egg McMuffin, in the "advertising" photograph, it looks like the top and bottom portions of the English muffin are from two different muffins - the bottom portion is significantly larger than the top. Fri Apr 27 02:34:40 -0700 2007 2498790 58039 ElsieDee 2 2520177 Yes I mentionned that above... and later reflected that I probably noticed/was bothered because I too am bottom-heavy ;-p I also used to get stressed out whenever an Aussie friend used "it's all gone pear-shaped" to express the idea that something was going wrong. I'm sure your own proportions are lovely though :) Fri Apr 27 07:02:06 -0700 2007 2519936 12120 julesrules 1 2520035 One day for a hoot jfood is going to take a picture from Blimpies, Quizno's or Subway and walk into the store and say "I want one that looks like that." Would love to see the reaction. Fri Apr 27 05:41:25 -0700 2007 2498790 11290 jfood