Say ‘delicious’ again! Why food advertising needs a Tarantino-esque shot to the heart

You ever have one of those moments where you take a bite of a burger and think, “Damn, this is some serious gourmet shit”? 

That’s exactly what Quentin Tarantino did with Pulp Fiction. Amidst the bullets, blood and bad motherfuckers, Tarantino weaves food into the fabric of his film in such an unforgettable way, it’s practically cinematic seasoning. Now, I make food ads for a living, many of them product ads that do the hard work in the mid-funnel to help customers make choices. Take a minute to think of the last food product ad you remember… tricky isn’t it? 

Take a minute to think of the last food product ad you remember… tricky isn’t it? 

Reason being, there just aren’t many good product ads. They’re mostly duller than dull and in desperate need of a Tarantino shakeup; an adrenaline shot to the heart. 

Above: Released in 1994, Pulp Fiction has a wealth of food-related lesson for us to learn.

The state of food product ads

Product advertising has gotten comfortable and complacent and, like in a long and bitter marriage, it’s stopped trying to impress. I see very good, very clever brands and agencies make excellent brand ads, yet equally dull product work. It’s unclear why that is, but something tells me it has to do with product work not winning awards or getting pats on the back from peers. 

Thanks to the culinary chaos that is Pulp Fiction, there are plenty of lessons we can learn from that movie 30 years on from its release.

There’s no debate that an ad with an emotional story translates to success for brands. Smart people have looked at the human brain and the science behind this theory and found it does work better. Stories and emotions hang around up there far longer than facts do. There’s unreached potential in a good product ad. But, thanks to the culinary chaos that is Pulp Fiction, there are plenty of lessons we can learn from that movie 30 years on from its release. Shall we? 

The ‘Royale with cheese’: layers of delicious narrative

Thanks to Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield, we know why a Quarter-Pounder is called a Royale with Cheese in France: “They got the metric system. They wouldn’t know what the fuck a ‘Quarter-Pounder’ is.” 

This iconic opening scene is not just idle chit-chat, it’s a deep dive into cultural quirks, sandwiched between two tasty trivia buns. Tarantino gives us a full-on cultural dissertation disguised as a casual conversation between two goons who, like us, appreciate a decent burger. That’s the kind of smart, savvy storytelling that adds detailed layers to any narrative. 

Above: Use intrigue, humour, tension and irony to engage an audience. 

In fact, the entire movie is a sequence of food metaphors. The tense breakfast scene at the diner, the lengthy conversation about a $5 milkshake. These moments aren’t about eating, they’re about revealing character, setting the scene and pushing the story forward. 

Food ads can do the same. They shouldn’t be just about information, it’s about creatively unfolding a story with the product at the core. Find details, find a unique perspective, either visually or metaphorically, find a universal truth, find suspense, and then watch how the brand sticks in the minds of consumers. 

Taste the irony: make the unimportant important

Think back to Jules intimidating Brett and his Big Kahuna Burger. It’s not a meal, it’s a moment. The combination of Samuel L. Jackson’s menacing calm, Brett’s terrified munching and the casual violence that follows creates an unforgettable scene. 

We get that aaaalllll the time. Say ‘delicious’ again! I dare you. I double dare you, mother fucker.

It’s about creating ‘Oh shit!’ moments that get people talking about the product. Take Jaffa Cakes’ latest campaign. Centred around details of the product itself, it plays on a public debate: is Jaffa a cake or a biscuit? It uses intrigue, humour, tension and irony (because who really cares?). The copy could just as easily have said: ‘A delicious spongy cake with a surprising layer of sweet jelly and crispy chocolate’. We get that aaaalllll the time. Say ‘delicious’ again! I dare you. I double dare you, mother fucker.

Irony takes the edge off and gives you a reason to talk about what seems unimportant. A Tarantino trademark trick we can easily transform into something that will help build brand. 

Above: Try to surprise and delight, like not even showing the product.

Subvert expectations: surprise and delight

Arguably, Tarantino’s most classic move is flipping the script. Just when you think you know where a scene is heading, he throws a curveball, like when Butch coolly pops out of the bathroom with a gun. It’s that subversion of expectations that keeps audiences on their toes. 

Tarantino is never afraid to mix it up. Brands shouldn’t be either. 

Perhaps through a paranoia of mediocrity, Tarantino is never afraid to mix it up. Brands shouldn’t be either. Mexican beer brand Dos Equis tells stories about salt billions of years old and pieces of metal. Who expects that from a Mexican beer? And how about not showing a product, but showing, like Heinz did, the annoyance of 'the wait'? To surprise and delight is nothing new. Friendly reminder: do it. 

Above: Whatever you do, says van Gerwen, do it big, like Sir Kensington’s Obey Tongue spot. 

Keep it real. Big, but real

Despite all the madness, what makes Pulp Fiction resonate is its grandness. Not one character half-asses anything. If they mess up, they mess up big time. Like forgetting the one thing your lover cares about when fleeing from the dangerous people you fucked over. Or accidentally shooting Marvin’s face off in the back of a 1964 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu. 

What makes Pulp Fiction resonate is its grandness.

Whatever you do, do it big. The hyperbolic world of Lurpak clearly springs to mind. Big. Or Sir Kensington’s Obey Tongue... what the F was that? Tropicana basically claims they invented morning people, which I also find rather big. Impossible Foods in the US tells its future users they are meatier than meat, but not made of animals. And casually slaps a burger from a guy’s hands. Big.