FOOH and CGI ads
12 CGI "billboards" and street stunts that never physically existed, why they got millions of views, and how to make one.
Doable with a small team, gifting or a simple partner swap.
Needs a paid creator, some production or a co-branded product run.
Celebrity fees, TV airtime or a large custom build.
Budget is our estimate of what it would take to run the same idea yourself, not what the brand spent.
The giant product
6 examples
Product: [HERO PRODUCT], [X] storeys tall Place: [RECOGNISABLE STREET / LANDMARK] Action: one satisfying move (pour, stitch, spin, pop) Length: under 15 seconds, vertical
Budget: Mid. A CGI artist and one location shoot.
The floating mac and cheese
A CGI video of a giant bowl of mac and cheese hovering above a Singapore street.
Result 1.3 million views.
Why it spread
A convenience-store snack at monument scale is a cheap, attention-grabbing launch. Source
The Alonso helmet bus
A CGI video of a red London double-decker unveiling a giant version of Fernando Alonso's BOSS-designed helmet outside Selfridges, for the British Grand Prix.
Result 21.9 million views.
Why it spread
Tying a CGI moment to a real event gives people a reason to share it that week. Source
The BOSS sewing machine
To launch its new Double B monogram, BOSS released a CGI video of a giant sewing machine stitching the logo on the Champs-Élysées.
Result 24.1 million views.
Why it spread
A familiar street plus an impossible object makes people watch twice. Source
The Thames bottle
The Ordinary showed a 12-metre version of its reformulated product sailing down the Thames on a branded boat.
Why it spread
A product at monument scale on a famous river is made for a short video. Source
The mascara buses
A CGI video of London transport wearing giant false lashes being brushed with mascara.
Why it spread
It looked real enough that people argued about whether it was, and shared it to ask. Source
The giant lipstick
A CGI animation on Instagram showed an oversized replica of L'Oréal's liquid lipstick in a real street setting.
Why it spread
The product becomes the landmark, so every view is a product shot. Source
The skyline takeover
3 examples
Subject: [SYMBOL / CREATURE / PRODUCT] from your brand or story Sky: over [CITY SKYLINE] at [GOLDEN HOUR / NIGHT] Shot: handheld, like a passer-by filmed it Caption: plain, as if it really happened
Budget: Mid. Complex animation, but no permits needed.
The jade dragon
A CGI video of a jade dragon soaring over the Singapore skyline around Marina Bay Sands.
Result 5.1 million views.
Why it spread
Fake out-of-home looks real at a glance, so people watch twice and share to ask if it's real. Source
Lingerie shadows
For New York Fashion Week, a CGI campaign hung giant lingerie above Manhattan streets, casting huge shadows.
Why it spread
An impossible image in a real place is made for sharing. Source
The flying pterodactyl
A CGI video appeared to show a giant pterodactyl made of drones flying over Manhattan.
Why it spread
It looked just plausible enough, which made people ask whether it was real. Source
Is it real?
3 examples
Claim: [SOMETHING THAT SOUNDS IMPOSSIBLE] Footage: filmed like a real moment, no logo up front Reveal: [HOW / WHEN YOU ADMIT IT'S FAKE] Tie-in: why it fits your brand
Budget: Small to big. A deepfake teaser is cheap; stadium AR is not.
Switzerland Is Fake
A deepfake video by Zurich comedian Patrick Karpiczenko claimed Switzerland is fake, as a teaser for a photography museum's reopening.
Result Went viral and sparked debate.
Why it spread
A provocative claim about what's real fits a photo museum exactly, and people argued about it. Source
The Bambino bag cars
Videos showed Jacquemus's Bambino bags as tiny cars driving through the streets of Paris.
Result 48.8 million views.
Why it spread
A fashion item at vehicle size is impossible not to film, and people argued over whether it was real. Source
The flaming lion
To reopen its stadium, the Argentine football club had a CGI flaming lion leap out of the sky onto the pitch.
Why it spread
An impossible moment in a place fans know well is instantly shareable. Source
How to make a FOOH (CGI) ad
- Pick one landmark people instantly recognise. The realness of the place sells the fake.
- Give the product one simple action. The best ones do a single satisfying move.
- Shoot it like a passer-by filmed it: handheld, vertical, natural sound.
- Keep it under 15 seconds and post it without a hard sell.
- Don't pretend it's real forever. Brands that were vague about it got pushback.
Want a viral launch video for your product?odim.co can brief creators and CGI artists for your launch.
Talk to odimFOOH and CGI ads: FAQ
What is fake out-of-home (FOOH) advertising?
Fake out-of-home, or FOOH, is CGI video that shows ads, products or objects in real public places where they never physically existed, made to be shared on social media.
What are some famous FOOH examples?
Maybelline's mascara buses, Jacquemus's Bambino bag cars (48.8 million views) and BOSS's giant sewing machine on the Champs-Élysées are well-known examples.
Is fake out-of-home advertising misleading?
It can be if a brand implies it was real. Most brands treat it as obvious fantasy, but some got pushback for being vague.
How much does a FOOH ad cost?
Far less than a real build. The main costs are a CGI artist and a location shoot.
What is a CGI ad?
A CGI ad uses computer-generated imagery to show something that wasn't filmed for real. FOOH is the most shared type: CGI objects placed into real street footage.
More viral marketing examples
By industry and season
Spot a mistake or know a campaign we should add? Email team@odim.co.