In creating high-quality food and beverage content, (Sonja K. Foss, 2004) explains in her book that it is very important to determine the symbolism (colors and visual composition). According to The Drum, the first two seconds of content can create a more profound sensory experience for the audience. The selection of color symbols or color grading in every brand content handled by
@komunalab is based on environmental factors, consumer behavior, and the ambiance intended to be created. Colors are strategically chosen to establish an atmosphere aligned with the experience intended for the audience. The use of color grading and visual composition in food and beverage content can create a more immersive sensory experience by aligning visual elements with the brand identity and the atmosphere intended to be conveyed. Warm colors and cozy lighting can create a comfortable and calm vibe for a “dine and chill” concept. Meanwhile, brands with a natural concept emphasize the use of natural elements such as plants and neutral colors to convey a relaxed and authentic feel, allowing the audience to feel more at ease being themselves. The color grading used can help convey the experience the audience is meant to feel, so it’s not just about aesthetics but also shaping perceptions and emotions that support the visual appeal of the content.
The content produced by @komunalab is based on a brief that includes the theme and communication strategy that the brand wants to convey. Essentially, every brand has a visual approach that aligns with the character they have built, their target audience, and their objectives. If a brand wants to increase awareness, the content presented will focus on product details, the atmosphere of the place, and the story behind the restaurant's operations in real-time. This approach aims to build audience interest through visuals that highlight the uniqueness of the product, the comfort of the atmosphere, and the compelling stories of the restaurant. As a result, the audience can experience a closer connection, fostering curiosity, and encouraging them to visit in person. In contrast, brands aiming to increase engagement will present content that adapts to current trends. Increasing engagement rates heavily depends on audience preferences and current trends. In Indonesia, content that is humorous and encourages interaction tends to have higher engagement rates because audiences are more interested in relatable entertainment elements. One effective trend for boosting engagement is Employee-Generated Content (EGC), where employees are featured as the main talent in entertaining content that encourages audience interaction. By featuring familiar faces and building narratives around them, brands can create a closer connection with their audience. This approach creates a more authentic experience and builds audience curiosity, not only about the product or location but also about the employees who frequently appear in the content. This strategy not only boosts engagement on social media but also encourages further interaction, such as increased visits to the location due to the curiosity it generates. Therefore, effective visual trends are not just about aesthetics but also how content can shape compelling storytelling, build emotional connections, and encourage the audience to continue interacting with the brand.
The first two seconds of a video are key to evoking the audience's emotions, ensuring they connect with the content visually and emotionally
(Kenneth Hein, 2020). In breaking down the first two seconds of a piece of content, there is a term called a “hook,” an opening element designed to capture the audience's attention from the start, making them interested in watching the content from beginning to end. There are two types of hooks applied by @komunalab in every food and beverage content they produce: (1) Visual Hook, a visual element that immediately captures the audience's attention through visual composition, movement, or special effects in the video. This hook uses purely visual elements to build curiosity without any text statements at the beginning of the video. In its content, @komunalab uses two types of visual hooks that are frequently used and relevant to food and beverage content, including: Hectic Pacing, a video filming technique with slight shaking to create a tense situation and a dramatic effect. This technique is used to increase viewer retention by heightening tension and triggering adrenaline in viewers as they watch the content. Second, Silhouette Reveal, a visual hook technique that uses the silhouette or shadow of the subject as the main element at the beginning of the video, before gradually revealing its details through changes in lighting, camera movement, or other visual transitions. This technique is used to build curiosity and create a dramatic effect that captures the audience's attention within the first few seconds.
Figure 1. Example of content using the visual hook
“Hectic Pacing”
(Source: @tsamie.noodlebar’s Instragram reels )
In image (1), the visual hook “hectic pacing” begins by showing a chef receiving many orders, marked by order tickets stuck in a row on the kitchen table, with the chef taking the order tickets one by one, then continuing to the kitchen scene showing the process of making ramen, from boiling the noodles, frying the shrimp, pouring the soup, toasting the meat, and plating the ramen.
From the beginning of the scene receiving orders to preparing the orders, the video uses a shaky cam technique, slightly swaying from front, side, and diagonal top angles, followed by fast-cut editing with frequent changes in perspective or quick movements of 0.7–2 seconds per angle, enhancing the hectic atmosphere and adding intensity and anxiety with an energetic music beat that complements the mood. Such visual hooks are used to create a chaotic impression, with the hectic and shaky style generating visual tension that keeps the audience glued to the screen.
Gambar 2. Contoh Konten menggunakan visual hook
“Silhouette Reveal”
(Sumber: Instragram reels @tsamie.noodlebar )
Next, in image (2), the visual hook “Silhouette Reveal” begins by showing a shadow on the wall, the shadow depicts a chef putting on an apron, sharpening a knife, cleaning vegetables, and pouring broth into a Teflon pan, as if the chef is preparing to cook. The video is shot using a stationary camera that remains still, focusing on a single angle, accompanied by tense music. This visual hook, using the silhouette effect, is employed to add an element of mystery or visual dramatization. By only showing the shadow's shape, this scene encourages the audience to guess who is behind the shadow, what they are doing, and what is being introduced. The “Silhouette Reveal” effect is used to capture the audience's attention at the beginning of the video, maintain engagement, and enhance the visual appeal of the content.
This type of visual hook is commonly used by @komunalab in content aimed at increasing brand awareness. This hook is effective for showcasing product details, setting the mood, and building a narrative from the brand's perspective. With this approach, viewers are more moved by the quality of the
content presented, making the hook used top of mind for them when recognizing the brand.
Figure 3. Example of content using a hook in the form
of a “curiosity hook” statement
(Source: @kedaihalamanabah’s Instragram reels)
The application of Text Hooks in the content produced by @komunalab on the image (3) Text hooks are statements that pique curiosity, such as the sentence in the first two seconds, “As a result of misreading the guide.” The word “consequences” immediately indicates that something negative or undesirable has occurred, and “misreading” is an action that anyone can experience, so people will feel a connection and want to learn more. The curiosity hook used directly highlights the conflict in a short sentence, allowing viewers to
understand the context without thinking too much, thereby increasing the likelihood that they will continue watching. Additionally, such a hook can prompt comments from people who have experienced similar situations or have opinions on the topic. If the content is relatable, people may share it with friends who might have gone through something similar. By using this hook concept, the brand has a significant opportunity to increase engagement.
Figure 4. Example of content using a question hook called
“empathy hook”
(Source: @kedaihalamanabah’s Instragram reels)
Next, in image (4), the hook takes the form of the question “Is being a cashier really that hard?” using an empathy hook that touches the audience's feelings within the first two seconds of the video. This question highlights the job of a cashier, a profession that people often encounter in their daily lives, and by using this question, it also opens up the opportunity for the audience to think, “Yes, how hard is the job of a cashier really?” However, at the end of the video, @komunalab designed a concept by adding a comedic element. The video shows the cashier’s job, which is simply sitting while watching waiters serve food to customers. By using this plot twist, the content received a lot of interaction, especially in the comment section. Using an empathy hook like this helps the brand increase content engagement, as the audience feels connected and interested in participating in the discussion in the comment section.
This text-based hook is more suitable for content aimed at increasing engagement and driving brand sales. This strategy is effective because most of the content created is tailored to audience preferences and adapts to popular strategies or trends. The primary goal of using this hook is to encourage audience
interaction in every published content, such as through likes, comments, or shares. Additionally, this hook is designed to spark the audience's curiosity, prompting them to learn more or even visit the location. With this hook-based approach, brands can build stronger engagement and increase the likelihood of converting viewers into customers.
After breaking the first two seconds, according to @komunalab, the next step is to determine an interesting information strategy that includes a middle hook, problem, and solution as answers to the curiosity that has been built by the hook at the beginning of the video. With this strategy, viewers will stay tuned and feel connected to the content.
Figure 5
(Source: @tsamie.noodlebarInstragram reels)
One example of this strategy can be seen in Tsamie Noodle Bar's “launching new ramen menu” content. The video opens with a hook of a silhouette of someone preparing to cook, wearing an apron, sharpening a knife, preparing vegetables, and pouring broth into a pan, which naturally leads the audience to assume that the person is a chef. The next scene features a middle hook showing a chef pouring ramen broth into a bowl, then shifting to a yellow cloth hanging on the restaurant wall, before returning to the chef boiling noodles, and once again showing the cloth. This sequence builds suspense and becomes the climax of the content, making the audience wonder about the meaning of the yellow cloth and what lies behind it. When the ramen is finally plated, the chef finally unfolds the cloth and reveals a poster announcing the new ramen menu at Tsamie Noodle Bar. This scene serves as the answer and resolution to the questions built throughout the video.
In addition to the engaging information delivery strategy, @komunalab identifies supporting factors that help maintain viewer engagement, such as: (1) High-Quality Content, with attention to the setup of equipment used to execute the content. Proper lighting, including external lighting, and using a suitable camera like the Sony a600 that @komunalab uses can produce clear video resolution and smooth frame rates, making viewers more comfortable enjoying the content. This creates a satisfying effect, making viewers more interested and immersed in the content. Camera tracking from various angles, using dramatic
shaky video footage, creates dynamic and dramatic effects that enhance the viewing experience. Video editing in selecting frames, determining transitions, and adding color grading that aligns with the brand’s and consumers’ mood creates a unique sensory experience for viewers. By paying attention to proper equipment setup, high-quality visuals can be achieved in the content.
Figure 5. Equipment setup, filming, and editing (Source: @komunalab’s Instagram Story Highlight)
The next factor, (2) Facilities and location, greatly influence the quality of the content produced. When a brand aims to showcase the clean vibe and ambiance of its location, the shooting location must also be kept clean. Additionally, the food presentation facilities featured in the content must be flawless to support the aesthetic value of high-quality content. According to @komunalab, for Instagram Reels content, visual authenticity is crucial to align with audience expectations when they view and experience the product or location directly. With good visuals, viewers will feel like they are watching a movie but with a shorter duration, capable of building the atmosphere and emotions to maintain their attention on the content they are watching.
In addition to visuals, the selection of audio or background music in the content also plays a role in keeping viewers engaged. Audio has a significant impact on audience emotions. For example, using jazz music creates a cozy, relaxed, and calm atmosphere that viewers feel, making them comfortable while watching the content. Additionally, using sound effects in content can enhance its quality, preventing it from becoming monotonous to the audience's ears. For instance, using sound effects like boiling water, chopping vegetables, or slurping noodles can stimulate the senses and create an engaging effect for the audience's ears. By carefully selecting the right audio in content, there is a higher potential to attract viewers for a longer duration.
After completing the post-production stage, the next step is the content quality standardization stage. If the content is deemed satisfactory, it will receive approval from the internal team @komunalab and the client before being published. The interaction process on the content after publication averages 150 likes, 15-20 comments, and 30 shares over a one-month period. The comments section is dominated by consumer enthusiasm to visit, with various comments including: inquiring about the availability of existing menus and new menus, asking for the restaurant's address, operating hours, mentioning friends, praising the quality of the content, and comments about the hook used in that context. Consumers feel deceived by the visual hook displayed in the content, meaning that the visual hook used by @komunalab in the content is able to attract attention and influence the emotions of the audience.
The use of @komunalab's services has had a very positive impact on the brand, one of which is Tsamie Noodle Bar, which has seen a significant increase in traffic engagement and awareness on their social media. Before using Komunalab's services, Tsamie had around 3,000 followers and now has 16,500 followers on Instagram. Additionally, within a given period, Tsamie receives a total of 135,000–180,000 impressions from feed content, reels, and stories. In one month, @komunalab produces 7–10 reel content pieces, Each Reels content piece averages 7,000–15,000 views and 200 total engagements, with the audience spread across several regions, including: Cirebon 14.8%, Majalengka 8.1%, Rajagaluh 7.1%, Sukahaji 5.8%.
In terms of sales, Tsamie Noodle Bar has seen a significant positive impact, with a 20-30% increase in sales revenue after utilizing content production services and social media specialists. Prior to the collaboration, Tsamie Noodle Bar received approximately 200 customers on weekdays, but this number has increased to 250-300 customers. On weekends, the number of visitors, which previously reached 300 people, has now surged to 400-500 people. This increase has made Tsamie Noodle Bar increasingly confident in @komunalab, which has been collaborating with them for three years.