To adapt to the ever-evolving way people consume media, fake out of home (FOOH) ads are a new creative phenomenon that has taken the advertising landscape by storm and cemented itself as an incredibly powerful tool for brands.
These ads, also known as "mixed reality videos" or virtual out of home, use cutting-edge technology to place CGI elements into real-life video footage. This creates an immersive and memorable experience for consumers that, when done correctly, can often outperform a brand's usual content and garner millions of views across social media platforms. This is why many brands are jumping on the FOOH advertising craze, hoping to achieve similar success.
With great power, however, comes great responsibility. And while FOOH ads have the potential to be game-changers in your marketing arsenal, they also come with unique challenges that, if not addressed properly, can lead to disastrous results.
In this article, we will explore the common mistakes made in FOOH advertising and how to avoid "Fake Out Of Home Ads Fails", as well as successful examples of brands that did their homework and got it right.
If you're still unsure what FOOH ads are, here's a guide to Fake Out of Home in 2024.
5 Common FOOH Ads Fails
FOOH ads can be an extreme waste of money and effort if not executed correctly. Here are some common FOOH ads fails that sometimes can be overlooked during the production process.
FOOH Ads Fails # 1: Not Knowing How To Tell a Good Story
Effective storytelling is a powerful tool in advertising, and this is no different from FOOH advertising. Often, brands get caught up with the shiny new-age technology behind FOOH ads and forget the core of what makes advertising successful – a compelling story.
Without a clear narrative, FOOH ads fails in connecting with the audience and can feel disjointed, and confusing. CGI alone cannot carry a campaign, and brands must ensure that their FOOH ads have a strong, coherent story that resonates with their target audience and shows them the benefits of their product or service.
FOOH Ads Fails # 2: Losing focus on the audience
Tying in with the first FOOH ads fails, a common mistake is when brands lose sight of who they are trying to reach. While it may be tempting to use flashy CGI effects and create a visually impressive ad, it will only achieve its purpose if it connects with the target audience.
For example, a luxury fashion brand targeting affluent consumers would not benefit from using cartoonish CGI elements in its FOOH ads. Instead, focusing on creating a sense of exclusivity and sophistication would be more effective in reaching their target audience.
Extensive research and data analysis are essential to knowing what resonates with your audience. Understanding their interests, behaviors, and preferences will help create FOOH ads that speak directly to them and, in turn, drive better campaign outcomes.
At rendersnek, we pride ourselves on putting the audience at the heart of our FOOH campaigns. When you work with us through the ideation process, we take into account various metrics and insights to ensure your FOOH ad resonates with your intended audience. Contact us to learn more.
FOOH Ads Fails # 3: Technical glitches and inconsistencies
FOOH ads rely heavily on seamless integration between real-life footage and CGI elements. Any technical glitches or inconsistencies can immediately make your FOOH ads fails in keeping up the illusion -- and ultimately ruin its impact.
Lighting, for example, is an essential factor that can make or break the believability of FOOH ads. If the lighting and reflections in the real-life footage and CGI elements don't match, it can create jarring differences and distract from the message.
Another example would be the physics within the ad itself. Often the interaction between the CGI and the real-life footage should blend or look realistic. At the end of your ad, your audience should be left wondering, "Did they really do that?" not, "That looks fake."
If you want to learn a more in-depth process and steps for creating fake out-of-home ads, this article explains how to Create Viral Fake out-of-Home Ads.
FOOH Ads Fails # 4: Imitation over innovation
With how easy it is to go viral in this day and age, it can be tempting to try to replicate the success of others by copying their ideas and concepts. And while this may initially seem like a smart move, it could easily backfire if not done carefully.
Audiences, especially the younger and savvy ones, will quickly catch on when your ad is unoriginal or simply copies another brand's idea. This can lead to a lack of interest and engagement and damage to your brand's authenticity.
Instead, strive for innovation in your FOOH ads. Find unique and creative ways to tell your brand's story and connect with your audience rather than trying to piggyback off the success of others. This will set you apart from competitors and establish your brand as a leader in the industry.
Even with a well-crafted FOOH ad, having a media plan is key. This involves understanding where your target audience spends their time online and effectively placing your ad in front of them.
TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and even LinkedIn are popular platforms for FOOH advertising, and each has a unique audience demographic. For example, if your target audience is younger users, placing your ad on TikTok would likely be more effective than YouTube shorts.
Fortunately, many audience targeting and optimization tools are available on the market today, so you don't have to do it blindly. The easiest way is to use the insights on your existing channel and check who you are usually reaching and how it differs between platforms.
How to Avoid Common FOOH Ads Fails: 5 Tips and Strategies
Experience is a great teacher, and learning from others' mistakes can save time, money, and effort in the long run. Here are some tips and strategies to help you avoid common FOOH ads pitfalls.
Tip 1: Understand your target audience
Before you get caught up in the creative process of FOOH advertising, start by fully understanding who your target audience is. What motivates them? What are their interests and values? Does your audience belong to a specific demographic? Are there any cultural sensitivities or trends that you should be aware of? What would benefit them the most from your product or service?
For example, if you want to promote a productivity app, your target audience might be busy professionals looking for ways to manage their time better. How is your app better than similar ones on the market? What features would be most appealing to your target audience? How can I show all that using a FOOH asset, and where can I reach them—maybe on LinkedIn or other social media platforms?
Answering these questions will help you create a more targeted FOOH ad that speaks directly to your audience's interests and needs. Knowing what resonates with them will increase the chances of your ad being well-received and successful.
Tip 2: Plan, plan, and plan some more
The saying goes, "If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." This is especially true in FOOH advertising. Planning out every aspect of your ad, from the story and visuals to technical details and audience feedback, can help prevent costly mistakes down the line.
Plan the hook of your ad. What will make your audience stop scrolling and pay attention? What will make them stay and finish watching your ad? What emotions do you want to evoke in them? What will make your ad special and not repetitive, something your audience hasn't seen before?
The messaging and planning behind an ad is crucial. When conceptualizing your ad, ask yourself: What is your goal for the ad? Will your ad be part of an extensive campaign or a standalone? Does your message align with your brand's values and mission? What technical specifications and challenges do you need to consider?
Tip 3: Craft a compelling story
You already have the visual nature of the FOOH ad on your side, so use it to your advantage. Show, don't tell. Instead of just putting your product in front of your audience, take them on a journey.
A short ad doesn't mean you can't tell a compelling story. Don't be afraid to get creative, use the power of visuals, music, relatable characters, narration, and humor to craft a narrative that keeps your audience engaged until the last second.
Additionally, ensure your message aligns with your brand's values and is consistent with your overall marketing strategy. Think about what makes your brand unique and how you can use that to tell a story that resonates with your target audience. Is there a problem or pain point that your product or service solves? How does it improve people's lives?
The key is creating a narrative that captures your audience's attention, keeps them hooked until the end, and ultimately leads them to action.
Tip 4: Have a solid technical team in place
FOOH advertising is a seamless marriage of technology and creativity. So, having a strong technical team in place is crucial to the success of your ad.
These experts should have both the knowledge and experience in CGI and understand the legal and technical aspects of FOOH advertising. They should be able to troubleshoot any technical issues that may arise during the production process and ensure that your ad is compliant with all necessary regulations.
A strong technical team will also help you stay ahead of the curve by incorporating cutting-edge technology and techniques into your FOOH ads, so don't underestimate the importance of technical expertise in FOOH advertising.
Got a question about FOOH ads or already have a concept in mind? Contact us, and let's make it happen!
Tip 5: Integrate your FOOH ad with other campaigns
Your FOOH ad should not exist in a silo. It should be part of a larger marketing strategy and seamlessly integrated with other campaigns you may have running.
For example, if your current social media campaign focuses on building brand awareness, your FOOH ad can serve as a call to action for viewers to follow your page or visit your website. This creates synergy across your campaigns and can increase brand recognition and conversions.
Integrating your FOOH ad with other campaigns also allows for cross-promotion, giving your audience multiple touchpoints to engage with your brand. It's a great way to maximize the impact of all your marketing efforts and drive results.
Successful Examples: How Brands Get FOOH Right
A good FOOH ad can create a lasting impression and effectively communicate a brand's message to its target audience. Here are some examples of brands that clearly did their homework with FOOH advertising; the results speak for themselves.
In this FOOH ad, Zara used CGI to create an illusion of pink floaties dropping from the sky, with the Empire State Building in the background. The ad ends with a giant pink sign about the Barbie movie, followed by Zara branding.
This ad was released during the week of the Barbie movie’s release. The realism of the floaties set against a recognizable New York City backdrop is a playful, clever way to promote the clothing brand's Barbie collection. And it certainly resonated with their target audience of young, fashion-forward women, receiving over 17 million views on Instagram.
This FOOH ad from Silverstone Circuit and F1 is a perfect example of how crucial the marriage of flawless technical expertise, interesting storytelling, and the use of a personal brand is. The ad begins with a Facetime call between British F1 drivers George Rusell and Lando Norris, with the former flipping the camera and showing a gigantic Pirelli tire on the track.
The ad then shows a huge tire slowly rolling on the race track, with a marquee behind it reading "10 more years of Silverstone at Circuit." The ad received over 12 million views, and fans were happy to hear that Silverstone would remain on the race calendar for 10 more years.
Realism is key in FOOH advertising, and this ad from Samsung just nails it. The ad shows footage of Big Ben and the River Thames at night - with a twist. The ad is for their Freestyle Smart Projector, so the London attraction is seen opening up its gears and the smart projector coming out.
A guy is then shown opening the projector app on his phone. Seconds later, the projector displays a video of Santa and a reindeer skipping across the Thames river, followed by a Happy 2024 message.
An impressive ad, to say the least, this ad is a good lesson on creating a compelling story about your product and using the visuals to make it pop. And it doesn't look easy to make either, with the footage filmed during nighttime, which surely made incorporating CGI elements a technical challenge. But it was well worth it, with over 100k views on Instagram and many users applauding Samsung for how unique and creative the ad was.
A strong hook and narrative that draws viewers in is crucial if you want your FOOH ad to succeed, especially for something as simple as gift cards. And that's precisely what Pull&Bear did. The ad shows a sequence of life-sized gift cards in Los Angeles, California, falling down one after the other, creating a domino effect.
Starting on top of a building, the effect makes its way down the street—almost hitting a pedestrian crossing the street—before it eventually topples down a tower of green Pull&Bear gift cards. The ad ends with a slo-mo of one of the gift cards to show the Pull&Bear branding before eventually falling onto the pavement.
This FOOH is a perfect example of how you can create a compelling story around any product or service. The ad is visually engaging, full of energy, showcases the brand's signature green color, and perfectly aligns with the brand's image.
Having almost 1.6 million on Instagram, it's safe to say that the ad effectively showcased Pull&Bear's gift cards as something fun and exciting — exactly what they were going for.
Your FOOH ad doesn't always have to announce something huge or promote an upcoming event; sometimes, it can be as subtle as showcasing your brand's values and image. This ad from Volvo does precisely that.
The viewer first sees a hand holding a car key. After turning it on, a sleek black Volvo car tunnels through an underground driveway. We then see a garage door with the Volvo logo on the second story of a building opening up, revealing the car. The ad ends with the message marquee that reads (in German), "Luxury without the bling-bling (Unless the bling-bling increases security at some point).”
This ad perfectly represents Volvo's brand image of elegance, luxury, and simplicity. It highlights what the brand stands for without being too flashy or over-the-top while still showing that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. The message shows that Volvo doesn't need to rely on flashy features or gimmicks; its cars speak for themselves. And with almost a million views on Instagram, this ad demonstrates that your FOOH ad can be both subtle and effective.
A successful FOOH advert is all about a good blend of creativity, storytelling, and clever use of technology. Check out this ad for Benefit Cosmetics Benetint Cheek & Lip Stain, where reality and technology work hand in hand to showcase the product in a busy cityscape.
The ad shows a massive bottle of the product displayed on the rainy streets of San Francisco, with life-sized jello-like blobs coming out of it, bouncing onto the street, and floating into the sky. One of the blobs hits a woman's umbrella as she passes by, causing a part of the umbrella to turn pink, showcasing the product's color. One also hits a building window as it floats, turning it pink.
This cheeky (pun intended) FOOH ad perfectly demonstrates the product's unique feature - it's a stain that can be used on both cheeks and lips. And with over 1.4 million views on Instagram, it's safe to say that this ad was a hit among Benefit Cosmetics' target audience.
Key takeaways
FOOH advertising can be a powerful and effective tool in your marketing arsenal, as long as you do it right. Understanding your target audience, planning meticulously, telling a compelling story, and having a strong technical team are all essential elements of a successful FOOH ad.
Be creative, take risks, and stay true to your brand's values, and you'll see the results in increased engagement, brand awareness, and ultimately, sales. Keep these tips in mind when trying out a FOOH advertising and if you need some help feel free to contact us at any time.
