How to create food advertising that sells advertorial

This Ogilvy & Mather “How to create food advertising that sells” print ad was a masterclass in visual hierarchy. The heatmaps show exactly where readers look first—and surprise, it’s not random. Every inch was engineered to guide attention like a GPS for the eyeballs.

Marketing analysis

Ogilvy knew readers scan headlines before reading. That’s why the big, bold “How to create food advertising that sells” gets 71% of visual attention. Then the eyes drop to the image of a crowned man, then to product shots, and finally the Maxwell House ad. It’s storytelling through sequence.

Why it works

• Huge, benefit-driven headline hooks attention
• Clear visual path using faces and product images
• White space isolates key ideas
• Trust badges (client logos) reinforce authority
• Simple layout guides natural scanning patterns

Examples

• Apple’s product pages: headline first, then hero image, then CTA
• Slack’s homepage: bold promise up top, supporting visuals below
• Mailchimp’s campaigns: big type, clean flow, clear next step