Canada, June 25, 2012

A juicy beef patty with melted cheese oozing out of a sesame bun. This is the picture normally portrayed in McDonald's advertisements and posters.

But what you see isn't exactly what you get as the burger you purchase at the fast-food outlet looks a bit squashed and less juicy.

A reader who asked McDonald's Canada's director of marketing Hope Bagozzi why do burgers in McDonald's advertisements look different from the ones you buy in a store got her answer in a new video.

Bagozzi demonstrated the preparation and photography process behind a perfectly styled cheeseburger - or in this case, it was the Quarter Pounder.

Bagozzi purchased a Quarter Pounder from a local outlet and brought it to Watt Photostudios, the agency responsible for McDonald's creative merchandising for the last seven years.

In the video, a Quarter Pounder is created from scratch by the agency but goes through a makeover - physical posturing, food styling tricks and computer-assisted digital touchups. It even goes through a syringe, blow torch and hot iron treatment.

The end result is what you see on McDonald's posters - a sumptuous, yummy-looking cheeseburger.

Click on the photos below to see what goes on behind a McDonald's photoshoot.

klim@sph.com.sg