The power of colour (in food content)

Colour

Colour plays an essential role in our business. From food stylists and prep chefs, to editors and photographers, we all work with colour constantly; you could even say that the eventual success of a project is, when it comes down to the nitty gritty, determined by the right colour usage.Quote (translated): “Research shows that people make unconscious judgements about one another or products within 90 seconds of a first impression. Between 62% and 90% of that rating is based on colour alone”. Source: CCI Colour - Institute for Colour Research

The Core

Let’s go back to the core. Colours invoke strong emotions and memories, both positive and negative. Think of a fresh, deep red strawberry - I mean everyone wants to take a bite from that, right? But on the other hand, the image of a green slice of bread will immediately be associated with inedible, mouldy food.It’s our job to use these positive colour associations to translate concepts, brands and recipes into mouthwatering content. The colours come together using a multitude of elements - the set design, the light, the props and of course the food. The juxtaposition of colours is as important, if not more so, as each individual colour.

Branding

Throughout every production we keep our clients branding in mind. The brand guidelines and colours help us create an end result that emanates our clients brand. For example, we created some content for high-end pan brand, Fissler. In every shot there is a nod to Fissler’s logo with a subtle hint of red - some red tomatoes in the background, a hint of a red napkin or the corner of a red oven dish.Another example of colour branding can be found in our recent work for Blue Band, a Dutch company making plant-based spreads. Their logo is a deep blue that conjures feelings of loyalty, trust and stability - elements which are an integral part of Blue Band’s branding as their target audience is families, as seen in their slogan?‘Growing up is best done with Blue Band’.

Throughout Blue Band’s branding, the dark blue is very present. In our BlueBand content, we used more pastel blue tones, giving a soft, friendly and loving feeling. This worked brilliantly in combination with toys and children cutlery, creating a child-friendly and trustworthy end result.

Contrasting colours

Depending on the production, for each concept we will dive right into the ingredients used in each dish to see how we can make it more visually appealing. Throughout the recipe writing process, we visualise how the dish will look, asking ourselves various questions - does it have enough colour? Are there any fresh herbs we can add to make the food pop? Does it need any other ingredients to create a more colourful result?For example, a chilli con carne is not really a visually appealing recipe on its own. Serve it in a dark red or brown bowl and one look won’t have you reaching for your fork. However, add some fresh coriander, a dollop of sour cream and serve it in a lighter coloured bowl on a contrasting surface and you’ve instantly upped your mouthwatering game. Some small colour changes can have a massive effect.All colours have a contrasting colour; this is the colour opposite your chosen colour on the colour wheel. For example, red’s contrasting colour is green. This is why on a pasta bolognese, a few fresh basil leaves will pop out and lift the dish. It brings a certain freshness to the image. Alongside herbs and fresh ingredients, contrasting colours work very well with props. A mere hint of a specific contrasting colour can be just enough to transform the image into something exciting to look at. When using an oven dish with grated cheese on top, a white or neutral oven dish can look a bit pale and drab, particularly if combined with a neutral coloured surface. Choose a blue toned dish and suddenly you’ve got yourself a more interesting image - that melting cheese can stand out in all its glory, rather than blending sadly into the background.

Trends

Even without noticing, trends influence everything we do. They influence the way we live, eat dress and where our interests lie. The social, political and visual ebbs and flows of society are captured and translated into colour, material, fashion and food trends.Society in the past two years has seen a huge impact from the corona crisis and we’ve taken another look at ourselves, the planet and the environment. The resulting colours from this movement are more focused on earthy and neutral tones - colours like green, taupe, orange and brown, tones that remind us of nature and help us feel connected. We will see these colours permeate trends, particularly crockery styles and table settings where the use of natural tones and materials will make their impact.

Conclusion

The power of colour is unmeasurable. It has the power to sooth, to agitate, to motivate and to empower. Right now we are seeing the world support Ukraine in a shower of blue and yellow. So recognisable, so emotive. Our business is founded in food and colour; and colour is, as so aptly put by Wassily Kandinsky, “a power which directly influences the soul.”

Authors: Jenneke Wieringa & Luna Vuurman / Copy edit: Rosie van der Elst