It started as just a live video on FB of Winnipeggers Alfonso and Milan doing conversation. Then the camera accidentally moved and focused on the food that they were eating. It is now the viral Diverse Food Canada which gets viewed by thousands of people. Alfonso is amazed by how their simple videos are making impact. “The videos are without effects and gimmicks, it is just Milan and me eating the food. Our faces are not shown, viewers just see our hands and the food, as plain as that. In 15 minutes, the views balloon to at least two thousand. People are thanking us. Those in charge of the kitchen in their home get ideas on what to cook. A mother is thanking us because the sound we produce with the utensils touching the food, and with our teeth sinking into what we eat, they trigger the appetite of her picky eater child”.
Alfonso said that his millennial nephew has the explanation about the effect on people of their eating spree. “My nephew told me that it is like MUK BANG, the videos of Koreans eating by the bulk. Such activates the AMSR or the Autonomous Meridian Sensory Response. The sounds we make while eating our food are causing satisfaction and enticing listeners to crave. And this caters to the generation Z people. We have Generation Y, Generation X, millennials, and now the generation Z who are always on their headset while at home, on the bus, everywhere. They are very sensitive to the sound they hear. That is the future of advertising”.
Food businesses are gaining well from inviting Alfonso and Milan to simply try their food. The videos get shared on social media hundreds of times. The next moment, the restaurant’s phone won’t stop ringing from orders and inquiries. “We started of course from Filipino businesses. They are those selling spring rolls, lechon belly, etc. Then other cultures took notice, we received invitation from big names in the food industry, one is a major Canadian fast food chain.
There were also Ukrainian, West Indian, Jamaican restaurants that hosted us. Of course, there was one who saw the potential and offered us to make money out of it. We said ‘No’. It is something we do for free. Many restaurants invite us because they want to grow their business, however budget is a problem. We feature the restaurants for free, also their specialty food. We are doing it for passion, fun and to give back, that trinity. I you complete that you are happy. If passion is gone, you are working. If fun is gone you are bored. Giving back to the community is a way of thanking people”.
“We go live daily for 10 minutes, because people’s attention span is just 15 minutes. There is no contest or game to attract viewers, it is just food and eating, that simple. The FB metric engagement for our live videos is high. Insight is at 75% to 80%, that is comparing engagement vs just visit. Visit is you just viewed it for 10 seconds, insight is you became an engaged user and you viewed the entire video. It only means that Diverse food Canada really draws interest and is very effective. As we always put as hashtag – We eat for your success. Despite success, since we started just last summer, nothing is changed in the program.”
Alfonso and Milan are both excited about the big things ahead. ABS CBN will feature them in its Balitang North America.
A major event is being cooked also for their first anniversary next summer where all the restaurants that hosted them will be put together at Gold Eyes football field for free eating feast.
To contact Alfonso and Milan, simply visit their FB page Diverse food Canada and message them.
