Feeding America's 'Empty Plates' PSA poignantly mocks one of the biggest food movements on the web right now: the viral recipe video. Those videos, popularized by websites like Buzzfeed, are short walkthroughs on how to cook various decadent meals, and they've been all over people's Facebook feeds. By co-opting the format of these viral recipe videos, the Empty Plates PSA shows hunger through a lens that many young Internet users will quickly relate to.
Empty Plates does an excellent job of mimicking the stylistic traits of viral recipe videos. It does not use a narrator, instead opting for simple piece of text written in white Helvetica. The shots are primarily from overhead, with the occasional side shot to emphasize chopping or other complex motions. These are both stock in trade for viral recipe videos.
Viral Hunger PSAs
Feeding America's 'Empty Plates' Ad Copies the Format of Viral Recipe Videos
Trend Themes
1. Viral Recipe Video-inspired Psas - There is a new trend of creating PSAs inspired by viral recipe videos that could be used by non-profit organizations to raise awareness for various social issues.
2. Web-inspired Ad Formats - Marketers are adapting popular web formats, such as recipe videos, to create ads that resonate with younger viewers and generate more engagement.
3. Visual Storytelling for Social Issues - Visual storytelling is becoming an effective way for non-profits to increase awareness and engage audiences about important social issues in a style that millennials can connect with.
Industry Implications
1. Non-profit Organizations - Non-profit organizations can benefit from creating PSAs that emulate popular web formats, like recipe videos, to raise awareness around social causes and boost engagement.
2. Marketing and Advertising - Marketing and advertising professionals can explore creative ways to adapt popular web formats, such as recipe videos, into ad campaigns that resonate with younger viewers and generate higher engagement rates.
3. Social Media Platforms - Social media platforms could create their own content, like recipe videos, to raise awareness for social issues in a fun and engaging way that captures the attention of younger audiences.