Chelsea FC recently launched their third kit for the 2023/24 season, and they did it in a very innovative way. They used Faux OOH, a trending marketing technique that combines CGI and organic social media posts to create the illusion of a real outdoor advertising campaign.

Faux OOH stands for Fake Out Of Home, and it’s a way of creating digital billboards or elements that look like they are part of the physical environment, but they are actually computer-generated and posted on platforms like TikTok or Instagram Reels. The idea is to make the audience think that they are seeing something real, and to generate curiosity and engagement.

Chelsea FC showed off their new kit draped over the London bridge and swaying in the wind. The TikTok videos were posted by influencers, who pretended to be casually passing by and capturing the scenes with their phones with the caption “Eton Blue. A shirt fit to take over the capital. #ThePrideOfLondon”

Faux OOH is not a new concept, but it’s becoming more popular among brands who want to stand out in the crowded digital space. It’s a way of creating a buzz without spending too much money or resources on traditional advertising. The barrier to enter is now lower with software like Blender and Unreal Engine being used in creative agencies rather than just the movie industry.

Faux OOH is not AR, and it’s not an traditional ad either. It’s a hybrid format that blurs the line between reality and fiction, and leverages the power of social media to spread organically. It’s a format has recently been adopted for brands like L’Oréal Paris’ giant lipstick that literally paints the town red and Maybelline New York’s train-beautifying mascara, both of which went viral.