FOOH: The Beginner’s Guide for Agencies

Your average online consumer is bombarded with hundreds of ads every day. With the advertising landscape so heavily saturated, the need for innovative ads that stand out and take up real estate in an audience’s head has never been greater.

This is where Fake Out of Home (FOOH) advertising is breaking new ground.

How does FOOH Advertising work?

Fake Out of Home, also called faux OOH or faux out-of-home advertising, elevates traditional advertising to the next level by combining footage of real-life environments with hyperrealistic CGI elements. These 10 to 15 second videos look absurd yet hyperrealistic, and this combination is exactly what grabs the attention of your audience online, making them wonder whether what they’re seeing is real or not.

This style works so well because it creates those “wow” moments that stick with people on social media. This format is super flexible as well, letting brands come up with creative and even otherworldly visuals that would be challenging to recreate in traditional or digital ooh advertising. This is what makes FOOH such a great way to tell stories and connect with audiences in a completely new way that’s never been done before.

To dive deeper into Fake Out of Home advertising, check out our article on What Fake Out of Home is.

Advantages of FOOH Advertising for Agencies

In today’s competitive landscape of digital advertising, fake OOH offers significant advantages that make it especially relevant for digital marketing agencies and brands. With the creative freedom Fake Out of Home provides, agencies can craft extraordinary scenarios that blend real-life environments with computer generated imagery, resulting in visually stunning content that captures attention and engages audiences.

The cost-effectiveness of faux OOH is another game-changer for agencies. Instead of investing massive budgets in physical installations or complex video productions, agencies can create high-impact campaigns with significantly lower financial investment. This approach enables smaller agencies to compete with larger players and deliver impressive visual experiences without breaking the bank.

However, agencies must recognize that creating exceptional FOOH content requires specialized expertise. Partnering with experienced digital production studios and CGI experts is crucial. These professionals understand the intricate technical requirements and creative nuances needed to produce truly compelling FOOH advertisements. By collaborating with the right experts, agencies can transform innovative concepts into stunning visual narratives that captivate audiences.

For more inspiration, check out our FOOH library!

A Simple 4-Step Guide To FOOH Ads

Fake Out of Home advertising, sometimes referred to as CGI ads, is transforming how brands draw attention in online spaces. In today’s crowded digital landscape, this unique approach of blending real-world scenes with CGI animation creates a fusion that stops audiences in their tracks.

But producing a FOOH ad takes more than beautiful visuals, it’s about combining strategy, creativity, and execution. Here’s a simple breakdown of the steps involved to bring your FOOH ad to life:

1. Creating a compelling concept

The first step to any great faux OOH ad is coming up with a solid idea. Start by thinking and brainstorming about the place and timing of your ad, where are you filming it, and when. Consider what kind of hook will grab attention and how the concept fits your brand’s vibe. A good hook can captivate your audience in just the first couple of seconds of the video.

When you’re on the drawing board, think outside the box. Come up with as outrageous and imaginative ideas as possible because FOOH can make it happen. Whether it’s a flying makeup product in Times Square or a gigantic bag on a busy Parisian street, let your creativity run wild. The magic of FOOH lies in its ability to merge the impossible with the believable, so don’t hold back.

Just ensure your concept speaks directly to your target audience and aligns with your brand goals. The more creative and intentional you are here, the better your chances of making something unforgettable.

2. Validating your idea and creating a timeline

Not every wild idea will work, so it’s crucial to validate your concept with a team of experts who can assess its feasibility. Our library offers a valuable resource for this process, showcasing successful FOOH ads and their creators.

This involves checking if the idea fits within your budget, timeline, and resources, as well as selecting the right production studio to handle the job. Look for studios with proven experience in FOOH projects, they’ll not only understand the technical challenges but also take care of legal work, like getting the necessary permissions and adhering to guidelines when filming landmarks or iconic attractions.

While freelancers might seem like a cost-effective choice, studios often provide a more reliable and comprehensive service. They can manage everything from shooting high-quality footage to seamlessly integrating CGI into your footage and (should) have more resources to deploy – therefore offer more safety.

Insider Tip: If you’re on a tight budget but still want high-quality FOOH content, consider a hybrid approach. Some agencies work with in-house videographers for the live-action footage and then collaborate with specialized CGI studios for post-production. This can help cut costs while still delivering polished results.

A good studio also isn’t just about creating cool visuals, they’re there to help you map out a solid timeline for the whole project. From brainstorming to the final edits, every step needs to be planned out to avoid hiccups and keep everything running smoothly. Setting clear expectations and staying in sync with your production team is crucial in making sure your big idea turns into an awesome, polished FOOH ad that hits the mark.

3. Planning and shooting the video

If you have a video department, make sure they remember the following:

With your idea ready to go, it’s time to map out every detail of the shoot. Start with a storyboard or previsuals that visually outlines the flow of your ad and includes reference images to make sure everyone on the team is on the same page. Location scouting is equally important – choose a spot that fits your concept and provides great lighting.

During the shoot, pay special attention to camera movements. Avoiding pan movements can simplify the process of tracking and integrating CGI elements later, saving you time and headaches in post-production. Stick to smooth, intentional shots to ensure a polished final product and make sure your raw footage is high-quality by carefully managing lighting, framing, and camera stability.

Also, keep social media in mind. Watch out for where buttons like “like,” “share,” and “comment” will appear on platforms when shooting your video. These elements can obscure key parts of your ad if not accounted for during filming. Collaborate closely with your production partner to lock in all the logistics, from visual design to technical setup. Solid planning now means fewer surprises on shoot day, giving you the foundation to create a standout FOOH ad.

If you don’t plan on doing the video material yourself, you can try to find a 3D studio that also offers video production services. This will make the process easier for you, as they can handle both the live-action shoot and the CGI integration, ensuring a seamless final product.

4. Fine-tuning your FOOH ad

Once your video is shot, the real magic happens in post-production. Your 3D partner will use software tools like Blender, Houdini, Cinema 4D or others to enhance visuals and add realistic 3D objects like smoke, fire, or water. No matter if you have your own VFX department or if you work with an animation or VFX studio, make sure to provide concise and detailed feedback. Vague comments like “make it pop” won’t cut it. Changes in fake out of home work are very often not a quick change and can take up to 2-4 days of effective working time.

Once your FOOH ad is live, don’t skip giving credit to everyone who helped bring it to life. Acknowledge your partners – digital marketing agencies or production studios – after all, they played a huge role in transforming your idea into reality. Proper recognition not only strengthens relationships but also shows your professionalism and respect for the collaborative effort. You came up with the vision, and they executed it – both contributions deserve a moment in the spotlight.

Looking for reasons to incorporate Fake Out of Home advertising into your marketing strategy? Head over to our blog to learn Why FOOH Advertising is Important for your Success in 2025.

3 Best Practices for Running Successful FOOH Campaigns

Planning a FOOH campaign is all about combining creativity with strategy. Whether your goal is to go viral or just make an impactful statement for your brand, following a few tried-and-true methods can help you stand out. Here are three best practices to keep in mind:

1. Tap into the increasing demand

As more brands turn to FOOH to stand out and grab attention, the demand for experts in this space is skyrocketing. For brand agencies and marketing agencies, this is a huge opportunity to stand out and become leaders in a field that’s still gaining momentum.

To stay ahead, don’t hesitate to try out new, bold ideas, this is an industry that thrives on creativity and fresh concepts. The more you explore and push boundaries, the better positioned you’ll be to lead the charge in the future of advertising.

Nevertheless make sure to always get some insights how complex your idea is. Workload can vary crazy in FOOH advertising. Some effects and objects are rather easy to create, some others are loads of work. Working with experts will help you navigate projects successfully.

2. Use the right KPIs to measure success

When it comes to FOOH campaigns, tracking your performance is crucial. Thankfully, many digital ads examples – such as display advertising, video ads, or social media campaigns – are already on platforms with existing metrics, so you don’t have to start from scratch. Key performance indicators (KPIs) like engagement rates, impressions, and social media shares are the best way to measure if your campaign is connecting with the audience.

Of course, setting clear goals from the beginning helps you understand which metrics matter most for your brand. With these KPIs you’ll get an accurate picture of how well your FOOH ad is performing, and it’ll give you the insights you need to tweak your strategy and refine your approach to make each campaign more effective than the last.

Moreover, sharing these performance insights with your clients can demonstrate the success of your efforts. For instance, you might follow up with a message reporting on the performance of your FOOH ad in comparison to other campaigns of your client. Highlighting these successes not only showcases the effectiveness of the campaign but also reinforces your commitment to delivering results.

3. Learn from great examples

If you’re looking for inspiration for a successful FOOH campaign, there are plenty of great examples in our FOOH library that can guide your next big idea.

Take this Adidas’ campaign in India for example. Set in the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Chelian, the ad features a group of Indian cricket players looking stunned at a helicopter flying overhead. The helicopter isn’t just flying, it’s carrying a gigantic Team India jersey. The moment the players see it, their awe is obvious on their faces. The campaign cleverly plays on the theme of “one jersey, one nation,” symbolizing unity and national pride through the lens of teamwork.

The impact of this FOOH campaign was massive: it received over 47 million views, 1.3 million likes, and 7.7 million comments on Instagram.

This campaign shows exactly how a bold and creative FOOH ad can turn heads and start conversations both online and offline. This ad accomplished what most marketers strive for: It didn’t just advertise – it made a statement.

Why You Should Embrace FOOH Advertising

Jumping into FOOH advertising may seem daunting, but it’s easier than it looks when you break it down. Focus on developing fresh ideas, partner with experienced teams, and learn to track the right KPIs to measure success. By following these steps, you’ll be set up for success.

Agencies and brands that embrace FOOH can enjoy significant benefits, including enhanced creative freedom to craft visually stunning content, cost-effective campaigns that maximize budgets and the potential for their ad to go viral on social media and beyond.

This innovative approach positions agencies as pioneers in the industry, demonstrating their commitment to exploring new ways to make brands stand out. The future of advertising is here, and it’s waiting for your ideas to take center stage.

To support your journey, our library serves as a collection of successful FOOH ads and their creators. This resource can provide valuable insights into what works in the realm of fake out of home advertising.

Additionally, if you are a creator of CGI ads yourself and your example is not in our library yet, we encourage you to contact us through our submission form. Your work could inspire and guide others in the world of FOOH advertising!

FAQs about FOOH

1. How does FOOH differ from traditional OOH and DOOH advertising?

FOOH goes above and beyond traditional Out-of-Home (OOH) and Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising by allowing brands to create extraordinary scenarios that blend reality with imaginative digital elements. While OOH relies on physical installations and DOOH utilizes digital screens in public spaces, FOOH leverages CGI to create experiences that would be impossible to achieve in the physical world.

2. What types of businesses can benefit from fake out of home advertising?

FOOH advertising is versatile and can benefit a wide range of businesses, including product-based companies, service providers, educational institutions, and non-profits. Any organization looking to create engaging and visually striking content can leverage FOOH to enhance their marketing efforts.

3. Do agencies need specialized skills to create FOOH campaigns?

Yes, creating effective FOOH campaigns often requires specialized skills in CGI and AR technology. Agencies should partner with experienced digital production studios or CGI experts who can navigate the technical complexities involved in producing high-quality FOOH content.

4. How do marketing agencies validate FOOH concepts before production?

Validating concepts involves brainstorming with a team of experts to assess feasibility in terms of budget, resources, and timeline. Collaborating with experienced animation and VFX studios can provide insights into what is achievable within your constraints.