Exploring product photography in digital advertising a study of three selected restaurants

Abstract

The present study explored how product photography influence digital advertising in this era. Using 30 product photographs from Connies Creams & Grills, FoodYard Gh, and Chicken Man and based on Kress and van Leauwen's (2006) Reading Image theory and AIDA model of advertising, the researcher analyzed the product photographs to answer the research questions. The researcher used a qualitative case study approach and purposively sampled three restaurants. The researcher analyzed the content of the 30 product photographs of the selected restaurants. First, it was discovered that product photography uses products’ image, rhetorical questions, hyperbole, local language, discounts and colours to engage audiences in the advertisements. Second, it was revealed that product photography is beneficial in that it provides promotional offers and information about products for audiences. Furthermore, the results showed that there is a need for product photography designers to avoid clutter and ensure foregrounding of their unique selling prepositions. Based on these findings, the researcher recommends that there is a need for product photographers to consider eliminating irrelevant information in the product photograph to help customer focus on relevant information.