FOOH Ads in London: Best Fake Out of Home Campaigns

Table of Contents

• Why Fake Out of Home Ads in Paris Are Gaining Traction

• Examples of Fake Out-of-Home Ads in Paris

• Challenges and Considerations for Fake Out-of-Home Ads in Paris

• Final thoughts

Fake Out of Home (FOOH) advertising has become one of the most recognisable social-first ad formats globally, over the past years. Instead of installing a physical ad in a city like London, brands digitally insert large-scale or impossible CGI visuals into iconic locations, then distribute them as a short-form video across social platforms.

What makes these London FOOH campaigns work is the combination of globally recognisable landmarks like Tower Bridge or Big Ben, exaggerated scale, and distribution through platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels: where the first second determines whether someone keeps watching.

London works particularly well because its skyline and landmarks are instantly identifiable, even in a split second. That immediate recognition makes surreal CGI feel believable enough to trigger engagement and shares.

Below are several London-based campaigns that gained traction, and a quick breakdown of why they worked.

1. Disney+ “The Simpsons” – River Thames, London

In this FOOH ad, giant pink donuts float down the River Thames toward Lambeth Bridge, where Homer Simpson’s mouth is digitally aligned with the arch as if he’s eating them.

Using the River Thames, which runs through central London and is seen by millions of residents and visitors annually, makes the visual instantly recognizable and amplifies the likelihood of organic spread.

2. Erborian – Giant Spheres Over Covent Garden, London

This next ad features hundreds of glowing, skin-toned spheres floating above Covent Garden in a CGI activation that visually exaggerates the brand’s “radiance” positioning.

Covent Garden attracts over 44 million visitors per year, making it one of London’s most photographed retail districts, which strengthens the believability and shareability of beauty-led FOOH ads built around foot-traffic-heavy shopping areas.

3. Yeni Rakı – Robotic Arms Around Big Ben, London

In this London ad timed to World Rakı Week, Giant robotic arms appear around Big Ben holding a glass of Yeni Rakı. Big Ben is one of the most globally recognized landmarks in the UK, photographed by an estimated 3–5 million tourists annually, so using it as a backdrop gives an international alcohol brand immediate cultural context without additional explanation.

4. London Marathon – Medal at Tower Bridge

Another ad featuring a popular landmark, a massive 2025 London Marathon finisher medal is shown hanging from Tower Bridge as runners pass below. Tower Bridge is not only one of London’s most visited landmarks (over 850,000 annual exhibition visitors) but also an actual point along the marathon route, making the FOOH ad feel contextually grounded.

5. FENTY x PUMA – Soccer Balls at Leadenhall Market, London

This last London FOOH ad features two oversized silver FENTY x PUMA soccer balls that appear wedged and stacked at the entrance of Leadenhall Market in a multi-city CGI campaign. The combination of architecture of the landmark and London consistently ranking among the top three European cities for brand-led social media impressions, this ad makes a highly recognizable visual anchor and strong cross-market campaign continuity.

What Makes These FOOH Campaigns Successful?

A strong FOOH campaign usually comes down to three core traits:

1. One Clear Visual Idea

FOOH works best when the entire concept can be understood in under two seconds.

The strongest campaigns revolve around a single exaggerated visual, a giant product, a landmark interaction, or an impossible scale shift, that communicates the idea instantly in-feed. 

2. Immediate Brand Recognition

If the audience can’t tell who the ad is for right away, the impact weakens.

Because FOOH is typically short-form and distributed on platforms like TikTok or Reels, the brand needs to be identifiable through shape, color, product silhouette, or cultural association. Not just a logo at the end. Successful executions make the product itself the visual anchor so recognition happens naturally.

3. A Setting People Already Recognize

Location does a lot of the storytelling work in FOOH ads.

Using a well-known city, landmark, or retail district adds instant context and scale without explanation. When viewers recognize the setting, they understand the exaggeration faster and are more likely to engage or share. 

FAQs about FOOH ads in London

1. Can You Share Examples of Successful Fake Out of Home (FOOH) Campaigns?

Several FOOH campaigns perform well because they combine a clear visual idea, strong brand recognition, and a recognizable setting.

Examples include:

• Disney+’s The Simpsons activation, where giant donuts float along the River Thames into Homer Simpson’s mouth

• Erborian’s campaign showing glowing spheres drifting above Covent Garden

• Yeni Rakı’s CGI execution featuring robotic arms holding a glass around Big Ben

• The London Marathon campaign placing a giant finisher medal on Tower Bridge

• FENTY x PUMA’s multi-city campaign, including oversized soccer balls staged in Leadenhall Market

What these campaigns have in common is that the idea is immediately readable, the brand is obvious without explanation, and the setting adds context rather than distraction.

2. Why Do So Many FOOH Ads Use Major Cities Like London?

Recognizable cities reduce the amount of explanation needed.

Landmarks like Tower Bridge or busy areas like Covent Garden already carry cultural meaning, so when something unrealistic happens in those spaces, the contrast is immediately clear. This helps the idea land faster and increases the likelihood that people will stop scrolling and engage.

3. How Long Should a FOOH Video Be?

Most FOOH videos fall between 8–15 seconds.

That length matches how short-form platforms rank and distribute content, but more importantly, it forces the idea to stay simple. If the concept can’t be communicated in that timeframe, it usually means the execution is too complex for the format.

4. What Makes a FOOH Ad Feel “Native” to Social Media?

It comes down to how easily the video fits into a feed.

FOOH works best when it looks like something that could have been captured on a phone, even if it’s fully CGI. Overly polished edits, long intros, or heavy storytelling can make it feel like a traditional ad, which increases the chance people scroll past.