Fake out-of-home advertising blurs the lines between reality and fiction. How does the trend work and what challenges does it bring with it?
A social media advert shows a train on the London Underground system with its “false eyelashes” being styled by an oversized mascara brush. The accompanying video, posted by cosmetics maker Maybelline, is reaching millions of views.
What seems like scenes from a science fiction film is actually a trend in the advertising world: Fake Out of Home formats (FOOH), which at first glance seem surreal, but at the same time deceptively real.
What is Fake Out of Home Advertising?
FOOH is a new form of advertising that uses computer-generated imagery (CGI) to blur illusion and reality, often with the help of 3D effects. These effects are placed on real and usually familiar environments such as Big Ben or the Brandenburg Gate. Unlike classic out-of-home advertising, however, these ads only exist in the digital world.
The result is often viral videos that excite social media users and reach millions of views. It is particularly important in such FOOH campaigns to create unpredictable moments.
The fascination of the surreal
The great success comes from the element of surprise. Real, often well-known public spaces are mixed with digital effects. This blurs the boundaries between fiction and reality.
What’s special about it: seeing something unfamiliar in a familiar setting immediately catches the eye and forces us to pause in the whirlwind of videos. When Big Ben wears a giant down jacket or a giant dragon emerges from an outdoor advertising space to clear the way for the tram, it’s surprising and makes you want to find out more.
Generation Z in particular , which is often described as being tired of advertising, can be reached more easily this way. They are often not tempted by the same old, boring advertisements. The reason: they basically have their own ad blocker in their head that simply blocks out the advertising. To reach this generation, one thing is needed above all: creativity.
Technical implementation and challenges
Creating FOOH advertising requires a high level of technical know-how and creativity. 3D artists and VFX experts work closely together to seamlessly integrate the virtual elements into the real environment. Factors such as light, shadows and perspective must be precisely coordinated to create a realistic impression.
One of the biggest challenges is finding the balance between attention and credibility. The advertising should surprise and impress, but at the same time not seem so unrealistic that it is immediately exposed as a fake.
It is also important that such a FOOH video is not recorded with the highest quality cameras. In order to make it look as realistic as possible, it should be as close to a “normal” video as possible.
Legal and ethical issues
As FOOH advertising becomes more widespread, legal and ethical questions also arise. Do such ads have to be marked as “not real”? There is currently no clear requirement for this. However, it can become quite absurd for viewers if they assume that what they see actually exists. As a result, you increasingly read confused comments from users who are not aware that what they see is not real.
Those responsible for FOOH advertising are increasingly facing problems not only from an ethical but also a legal perspective. If someone places a FOOH advert and uses a facade that is already “occupied” for advertising in the real world, they can be warned. Imagine it like this: advertisers pay a lot of money in the real world to have their advertising displayed on certain screens or facades. These advertisers therefore increasingly feel attacked by FOOH formats and issue warnings. Even if a FOOH advert takes place in iconic places, this could theoretically lead to a warning.
Conclusion: Fake Out of Home as a creative extension
Despite frequent criticism, especially from the classic out-of-home industry, FOOH should ultimately be understood for what it is: not just a trustworthy medium, but a creative platform that consciously merges reality and fiction, thus making the advertising landscape a lot more exciting. Fake Out of Home advertising represents a trend at the intersection of technology, creativity and marketing. It offers brands the opportunity to generate attention in innovative ways and push the boundaries of what is possible.
At the same time, FOOH presents advertisers with new challenges. It is important to use the opportunities responsibly and find a balance between creative freedom and transparency. This is the only way to ensure that FOOH does not remain just a short-lived hype, but establishes itself as a valuable tool in the marketing mix.
