Denser Advertising Design, Higher Food Calories: How Visual Density Affects Consumer Responses to Food Advertising

Visual density is an important yet overlooked feature of food advertising. Drawing on magnitude theory, we report four experiments and one secondary data study showing that denser food ads increase perceived calorie content. As a result, higher visual density improves consumer responses when higher calories are desirable, such as under fullness or indulgence goals and for indulgence-positioned foods. By contrast, it reduces responses when lower calories are desirable, such as under health goals or for health-positioned foods. These findings show how visual design shapes food perceptions and offer practical guidance for food advertising.