Fake Out of Home (FOOH): What it is about

Fake Out of Home, often shortened to FOOH, refers to digitally created outdoor advertising that exists only in virtual form and is primarily distributed through social media. Unlike traditional OOH formats such as billboards, FOOH uses CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) to place digital brand elements into real-world settings. These clips often show staged scenes at iconic landmarks, creating strong moments of surprise for viewers.

The choice of those well-known locations is no coincidence, but are deliberate selection because they boost attention and strengthen the overall effect. A 2024 Harris Poll study found that 65 percent of adults are more inclined to engage with a brand when they see it in a well-known place, and 46 percent automatically associate such settings with higher quality. The effect is especially pronounced among Gen Z, millennials and people living in major urban areas.

This strong attention makes FOOH highly shareable. The unusual visuals encourage users to watch, react and circulate them in their social feeds. FOOH therefore taps directly into the principle of social media amplification. Content spreads far beyond its original audience because users actively pass it on.

FOOH campaigns on social platforms

The rise of Fake Out of Home can be seen in numerous well-known examples. One of the most widely discussed cases was Maybelline’s “mascara subway.” The clip begins in an ordinary London Underground station, but the arriving train is equipped with oversized eyelashes and appears to be brushed by a giant mascara wand. Although the scene looked real, it was entirely created with CGI. Similar FOOH concepts include a vision of Big Ben wearing a The North Face jacket on a gloomy day in London.

In Germany, Echo Poster brought Air Up into the spotlight at the KaDeWe in Berlin. In a FOOH clip, an enormous Air Up bottle appears to float out of the building. The video was shared frequently on social media, including by well-known entrepreneurs such as Frank Thelen, and achieved reach far beyond Berlin.

Strong potential for earned media

Brands can realize ambitious ideas through FOOH at relatively low cost while generating significant attention through social media amplification. Elaborate stunts can be simulated digitally without the logistical expenses of real installations, location fees or permits. Successful clips can reach millions of viewers online. Although CGI campaigns do not generate physical impressions on the street, they create high visibility through online views.

The reach generated this way counts as earned media. The associated KPI, the Earned Media Value (EMV), measures how much unpaid attention a campaign receives through likes, comments and shares that do not require paid promotion.

Even smaller companies can create memorable experiences through FOOH at a fraction of the cost of real-world activations. Fake Out of Home leverages the logic of social platforms and the amplification effect. The result is significant awareness and measurable earned media.

Using FOOH responsibly

While FOOH offers many advantages, it also comes with challenges. Viewers often cannot immediately tell that a scene is digitally produced, which can lead to disappointment when people try to visit a supposed installation that never existed in physical form. Clear communication is therefore important. If it is not transparent that the content is CGI, trust issues can arise.

There is also the question of legitimacy, as virtual campaigns use real locations as backgrounds without paying for the media space. Many iconic places also require special permissions for commercial use. For these reasons, brands should apply FOOH strategically, ideally in combination with traditional OOH. This allows them to benefit from the wow effect without damaging credibility.

Conclusion

FOOH is a powerful addition to the interaction between OOH and social media. It creates striking imagery that is ideal for viral distribution, but it does not replace real outdoor advertising. Instead, it enhances it. When used transparently and integrated into a broader cross-media strategy, FOOH can become a strong driver of social media amplification and maximize a campaign’s reach and impact.