What Porn, Robots and French Philosophy Tells Us About Instagram Food
Using fantasy to capture imagination is the key to success
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Jose has attracted a following of millions with fantastical food on his Instagram feed. The secret of his success can be found in the emotional triggers which hold user’s interest and by understanding the difference between porn and erotica. Going one step further, French philosophy can also show which direction the future of digital content is heading.
When David Bowie first wore his famous lightning bolt makeup as the character Aladdin Sane, he created an otherworldly character and the country became transfixed by this rock and roll alien. Fantasy has been a mainstay of characters and stories throughout history, taking viewers outside of their reality and everyone loves it.
Lil Miquela is the latest digital example. With 1.6 million followers on Instagram she is a major league influencer working with brands such as Samsung and Calvin Klein. She appears racially and sexually ambiguous, has been filmed kissing the supermodel Bella Hadid, but also posts images hanging out with her friends on her Instagram feed. She is also a robot, a simulation, she is not real. Lil Miquela is a digital avatar created by an LA startup called Brud using $6m venture capital funding.
What do David Bowie’s characters from outer space and a completely fake influencer have in common with food? More than you might think, especially if we throw some sexy French philosophy into the mix.
Jose is a vegan teenager with 1.6 million followers on Instagram, a vast figure equal to Lil Miquela. His feed is full of pastel coloured, frosted and sculptured cakes, ice creams and drinks. Jose often gets nearly 100k likes for each image that he posts. His content is ridiculously popular.
Many of Jose’s images blur the boundary between real and fake. They seem beyond reality, or made of plastic, with frosted berries and startling, geometric precision. Can you eat…
