Exploring Fake Out of Home Advertising Trends

An ‘Illusionist’ and Disruptive Trend

Major Brands Embrace Fake Out of Home

Today, outdoor advertising is experiencing a rise in fake out of home advertising (FOOH), a trend that blends illusionist elements with the chosen real-world environment to attract audience interest. However, there is still debate about whether this advertising trend will continue to grow or remain a fleeting fashion.

Text by Patricia Fernández

In light of the uncertainty surrounding fake out of home (FOOH), IPMARK has gathered opinions from brands and creatives who have adopted this trend, characterized by the use of CGI (computer-generated images) and augmented reality. In this context, the connection between brands and their audiences generally takes place on social media platforms like Instagram, where outdoor campaigns alter real events with unreal elements. The aim is to create a positive impact through striking, original, and disruptive actions.

However, not everything is perfect. It is crucial for brands to clarify that FOOH images are unreal. The goal should not be to deceive the viewer or make them feel that their perception of reality is being manipulated, as this could lead to indignation rather than excitement.

Additionally, fake out of home should not cross ethical and moral boundaries, and it must maintain a professional image for the brand. To achieve this, it is necessary to work with experts in augmented reality and CGI who can create the desired effect among potential consumers, who currently value simplicity and authenticity.

Following the successful results of pioneers in FOOH, such as Cerveza Patagonia, Apple in New York, Barbie in Dubai, Sex Education in Buenos Aires, Maybelline in New York, and L’Oréal in Paris, Tanqueray 0,0% was among the first in Spain to adopt this trend by creating an unreal ‘gin and tonic’ using the Schweppes building in Callao, Madrid. “From the start, we saw many global examples of FOOH and thought this could be interesting for the brand,” says Sebastián Díaz, marketing manager of Tanqueray & Gordon’s in Southern Europe.

To gain insights into the perspective of brands and creatives on this trend that is currently revolutionizing the outdoor advertising landscape, IPMARK has interviewed Samsung, Iberdrola, Porsche, and Ecovidrio to discover whether FOOH will have a long-lasting presence.

Samsung, a FOOH with Influencer

“In the last months of 2023, we saw many brands adopting fake out of home strategies. However, we wanted to add extra value, a unique and innovative proposal characteristic of Samsung. Beyond being a striking video that could be shared on social media, we wanted the product to be the main focus. Thus, we relied on the AI integrated into the Galaxy S24 camera, which allows us to select and remove elements from an image and customize the photograph as desired. And we took advantage of the iconic vertical screen in Callao […],” says Elena Fernández, integrated marketing communication manager at Samsung Iberia.

This Samsung FOOH campaign received 27 million views. “Good creativity not only delights the audience but also generates ROI for the brand,” Fernández notes. Xuso Jones, the campaign’s featured influencer, adds: “For me, it has been a very special action and a milestone as the first FOOH in Spain with a content creator. I am very proud to have participated and of the wonderful reception it has had among my audience, who were amazed by the content just like I was […].”

“Xuso Jones not only helps generate more engagement and reach but also fosters interaction with users, which helps create a sense of verisimilitude that we believe is key when designing a piece like this,” shares Elena Fernández. According to Cristina Neira, content manager at Publicis Media Content, this campaign, which featured Xuso Jones from one of Callao's iconic buildings, “breaks user expectations by starting with something very realistic and then surprising and impacting them with something unexpected, making them question whether it is reality or fiction.”

Neira offers her perspective on whether fake out of home should be considered as part of outdoor advertising: “I would classify this format within the digital realm rather than outdoor advertising, as to achieve the previous point, its consumption must be digital (although it starts from a physical location) so that users doubt whether it is happening or not (if it is outdoor, it is clear that it is not happening) and to enhance its viralization through organic consumption of the medium (everything is done via mobile: consumed, enjoyed, shared…).”