La publicidad en el sector gastronómico de la ciudad de Ambato pospandemia

Abstract

The gastronomic sector in the city of Ambato faces an increasingly digital and competitive communication environment in the post-pandemic context. The COVID- 19 health emergency accelerated the adoption of digital platforms among consumers and exposed the fragility of traditional advertising models that relied on physical location and word-of-mouth referrals. In this scenario, social media, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, have emerged as the primary channels for discovery and gastronomic consumption decisions, making graphic design a strategic discipline for translating the value proposition of food establishments into coherent, differentiated, and high-impact visual messages. This research adopts a mixed-methods approach with a descriptive scope, grounded in bibliographic-documentary methodology and field research. Consumer surveys targeting Ambato’s gastronomic sector, interviews with owners and industry professionals, digital audits on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok of three local establishments , Tartelier, El Chiflido, and MM Wings, and a benchmarking analysis against national references such as McDonald’s and Burger King were conducted. Statistical analysis techniques were also applied to determine correlations between multi-channel digital presence and visit motivation. Findings reveal that 51.2% of consumers discovered gastronomic establishments through social media, 69.7% recalled seeing digital advertising from the sector, and 73% acknowledged that such advertising influenced their first visit. However, the comparative analysis demonstrates that digital presence without strategy does not guarantee effectiveness. Local establishments show significant gaps in areas such as price and value communication, delivery management, and content planning, while international references allocate between 18% and 28% of their content to structured campaigns and promotions tailored to each platform. Based on these results, an editorial report of recommended advertising strategies was developed, proposing concrete communication guidelines adapted to the characteristics of each digital platform. This document serves as a practical tool aimed at strengthening the visual identity, content planning, and performance measurement of gastronomic businesses in Ambato. The research concludes that the effectiveness of digital advertising depends directly on the level of structuring, visual consistency, and strategic orientation of campaign implementation, positioning graphic design as a key discipline for the competitiveness of the gastronomic sector in the post-pandemic context.