Sensory preference manipulation in unique cuisine : viral trends on social media

Abstract

This research explores the phenomenon of sensory preference manipulation in unique cuisines on social media, particularly TikTok. The main focus of this research is to understand how drastic changes in food form, visual manipulation and misleading marketing strategies can influence consumers perceptions and responses to unusual consumers perceptions and responses to unusual foods. Qualitative methods were used to analyze viral content, user comments and virality patterns through the TikTok platform. Findings show that changes to the shape, color, taste and ingredients of food can significantly attract consumer’s attention and create strong visual sensations. Visual manipulation and misleading marketing strategies amplify the virality effect by creating a discrepancy between the expectation and reality of the product, which triggers emotional responses and high engagement on social media. This research provides new insights into how social media algorithms accelerate the spread of viral content and its impact on culinary trends. The implications of these findings suggest that sensory manipulation can be an effective tool in digital marketing strategies, with great potential to influence consumer perceptions and increase the popularity of unconventional foods.