Exploring Gratification Factors in Visual Food Communication: With Special Reference to “South-Indian Cuisine”

Abstract

This chapter throws light on the impact of gratification factors in visual food communication on consumer decision making. This research has been done with special reference to ‘South Indian Cuisine'. It will be evident that if an eatery promotes and presents these regional foods with a specific strategy, it will attract more consumers than it had expected. People basically relate well to the pictures of food, specifically because in countries like India, emotion is one majorly used appeal by brands to lure their customers. Hence, even in food industry, a person before ordering a particular dish relates to its pictures in the menu or anywhere else because there are certain gratification factors in visual communication of food that connects the consumer with the reason as to why they want to eat a particular dish. The aim of this research is to understand that which particular gratification factor will highly influence which particular south-Indian food item.