Some time ago, on the popular ABC TV programme Gruen, the panel analysed the coffee industry and how its advertising has become more dramatic and ridiculous.

One aspect of coffee advertising that they covered is the dramatic nature of the crema. With each passing year, drops of coffee seem to become bigger and more pronounced as they collide with the crema.

After another recent trip to Aldi, I think that it’s now safe to say that coffee is defying the very laws of physics on coffee-machine packaging too.

Continuing Gruen’s work, I thought that we should have a quick look at it.

What on Earth is happening here? Rather than coffee falling into the glass, it’s now being sucked up into the air, perhaps by a passing UFO.

In this case, the perspective is all weird and the glass seems to be on a totally different angle from the neighbouring (and curiously undersized) milk frother. Not to mention, how is the milk being poured so aggressively at that odd angle without spilling, particularly when the vessel is almost full?

Has your coffee ever accomplished such acrobatic feats? Watch your barista the next time that you buy one and see what happens. Don’t be seduced by this deceptive imagery.