Illustrated Content That Sells on Social Media
There is a lot of static food photography. But a cute burger with illustrations dancing through a feed? The scroll is then stopped.
Food content with illustrations, particularly when animated with 2D or frame-by-frame animation, adds a new, handmade feel that is both brand-forward and intimate. It enables companies to stand out while producing images that complement their style, whether it be minimalist, upscale, or whimsical..
Example: Check out Back Market’s looping food animations used in their ads-fun, retro, and totally unexpected.
Perfect Packaging with a Personal Touch
Product packaging is an important selling point for everything from snack bars to juice bottles. Additionally, food illustrations, particularly those that are hand-drawn or digitally painted, can elevate a plain wrapper to the level of art.
Why it functions: Illustrations allude to warmth, authenticity, and skill. They give the product a more artisanal and well-cared-for feel, whether they are rendered in a flat 2D style or with rich textures that resemble analogue drawing.
Example: Oatly uses quirky food-inspired drawings across their packaging and website, giving a voice and personality to an otherwise simple oat drink.
Bring Products to Life with Animation
Imagine your product being explained using lively frame-by-frame animation of ingredients dancing together to create the finished dish, rather than drab voiceover and pictures.
Unlike live-action, food animation enables imaginative storytelling. Whether you’re advertising a sustainable kitchen product, a new recipe, or a food delivery app, animation can simplify and entertain complicated concepts.
Example: HelloFresh used animated ingredients flying around to explain how their service works. It’s fast, easy to follow, and completely brand-aligned.
Menus, Cookbooks, and Digital Content That Pops
Food illustrations can give your printed or digital materials a cohesive and irresistible vibe. Illustrated menus are not only more fun to browse, but they can also elevate your brand perception. Illustrated cookbooks or recipe videos (especially in a playful 2D animation style) feel crafted and thoughtful.
Example: Pasta Grannies YouTube channel sometimes uses animated graphics to explain techniques or ingredients, adding an accessible and charming touch.
Seasonal Campaigns Made Sweet (and Efficient)
Creating new photo content for every seasonal campaign is time-consuming and expensive. Food illustrations allow for more flexibility and speed. You can update color palettes, backgrounds, and compositions easily, all while staying true to your visual identity.
Want pumpkins for fall? Candy canes in December? A heart-shaped latte in February? Done-with no melting, smudging, or reshoots.
Bonus: You can even go full 3D with stylized renders for a more modern or premium feel.
Example: Brands like Chipotle have used both illustrated and 3D food animations on social media to spice up seasonal promotions.
Ideal for Niche & Health-Oriented Brands
When promoting specialised diets or clean eating products, illustrations are immensely helpful. Brands that are vegan or gluten-free, for instance, can present foods that aren’t as visually appealing in real life in an enticing, stylised manner.
This is also useful when real ingredients need to be presented in a polished, idealised form or are difficult to photograph. Not even crumbs. No strange lighting. Simply delicious, flawless design.
Educational and Explainer Videos with a Tasty Twist
If your business needs to explain a process-how your product is made, what’s inside your food, or why your ingredients are ethically sourced-food-themed explainer videos are your secret sauce.
Use 2D animation for a clean, modern look, 3D animation for sleek, futuristic vibes, or frame-by-frame animation for something totally artistic and handcrafted. These styles allow for flexibility and creativity while staying on-brand and visually appetizing.
Example: Hound Studio’s video for Ingredion is a great showcase of how sleek, stylized 2D animation can simplify complex topics-like food science and ingredient solutions-into something digestible and engaging. With flowing motion and vibrant visuals, the animation breaks down the story behind the company’s plant-based ingredients and clean-label mission in a way that’s both informative and visually delicious.
Final Bite: Illustration Is the New Appetite Appeal
Food illustrations are more than pretty pictures-they’re a strategic choice for brands that want to engage, inform, and delight. Whether you go with a bold frame-by-frame animation, sleek 3D rendering, or hand-drawn 2D visuals, you’re serving up style, story, and substance in one bite-sized visual.
So if you’re hungry for branding that stands out-skip the stock photos and get cooking with illustrated content.
Need help bringing your food ideas to life with animation? Let’s talk-we’ve got the pens, pixels, and passion to make it happen.
