These days, the food and drinks markets are changing faster than ever, and in many cases even more dramatically. In this Special Report we look at what trends might be coming down the culinary road in the next decade, as well as reviewing the developments of the past 10 years.

In 19th Century London, oysters were sold on almost every street corner. They were a staple of the poorest.  An everyday, cheap alternative to meat.  Today, of course, they are a luxury. At New York’s famous Grand Central Oyster Bar a dozen will set you back around $50. At Scott’s in London, you could pay well over £60. 

Cars may be going electric and new AI technology may be amazing us with its potential. But nothing is more essential to life than food and drink, and nothing is more susceptible to fads, fashions and full-on revolution.

Only a few years ago, veganism was seen as little more than an eccentric cult, gin and tonic was your grandparents’ favourite tipple, fast food was a first-rate idea and a big juicy steak was the epitome of aspiration.

Well, in case you hadn’t noticed, the world’s moved on. And so has the creative work clients are demanding. Health, diet, sourcing, sustainability, plant-based, food miles, organic and botanical are today’s marketing buzzwords. Food got serious, you could say. 

A good moment, we thought, to reflect on the past decade while investigating what might be coming our way in the next few years. 

So, time to be bold yourself.  Order up a dozen sustainably produced bivalves with a glass of organic Sauvignon and get stuck in.

Read our take on Mintel’s predictions for the food and drink market with our guide to the themes and buzzwords coming to the industry.

We talk to Dan Hooper, the Los Angeles based Creative Director of YesMore agency to hear about what’s happening in today’s instagrammable drinks world.

Award-winning creative director Tony Malcolm explores the past, present and future of McDonald’s and Burger King advertising as these two mega brands slog it out in the world’s fast food market.

And as we look to the future of food and drink advertising, we thought it would be interesting to see what’s been influencing you most in the past two decades in our selection of some of the most searched for print ads in our archive from 2002 to 2022.

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A GLOBAL BUNFIGHT:
Burger King vs McDonald's

Award-winning creative director Tony Malcolm explores the past, present and future of McDonald’s and Burger King advertising as these two mega brands slog it out in the world’s fast food market.

I was involved in McDonald’s advertising on both sides of the pond as a writer, CD and ECD for well over a decade. I remember when I first was asked to be on the account in the early 2000s and thinking it was a poisoned chalice to delve into the murky world of fast food. It was also a massive opportunity to work with one of the world’s most iconic brands under the glow of the Golden Arches.

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DECODING THE FUTURE: Trends in Food and Drink

What buzzwords, doublespeak, jargon, or even, genuinely important language will strategists sprinkle through their documents and expect you to understand and convert into compelling creative solutions?

We turned to the futurists at Mintel for an insight into the themes and memes likely to dominate between now and 2030.

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DAN HOOPER
Why Social Media Likes To Drink

Craft beers and niche liquor brands are all the rage and using social media to come to market. In a departure for L[A] we look outside the conventional ad world and ask Dan Hooper, Los Angeles based Creative Director of the YesMore agency, what’s happening in today’s Instagrammable drinks world.