Fake Out of Home Before the Show: The Teaser That Makes Your Booth a Destination
Imagine a 40-metre version of your mascot walking along the beach the week before the show. Or a giant golden slot machine emerging from the sea in front of the host city, reels spinning as the waves crash. People share it. They comment “is this real?”. And they show up at your booth wanting to see what comes next.
That’s the power of Fake Out of Home (FOOH): CGI integrated into real footage so convincingly that it feels like a live street stunt. For gaming events, it’s one of the most effective pre-event teasers we know.
Why FOOH works so well before an event
- It stops the scroll. Real-world footage with something impossible in it triggers instant curiosity.
- It’s local. Placing your stunt in the host city (Barcelona, Malta, Lisbon, London) speaks directly to the people about to travel there.
- It’s shareable. People forward “did you see this?” content to colleagues. That’s free reach inside your exact target audience.
- It costs a fraction of a real stunt. No permits, no crane, no city authorisation. Just a great idea and a CGI team.
A FOOH video created for Pragmatic Play: Wheel Drops
Four FOOH concepts for gaming events
- 1
The arrival. Your brand character or game symbol “arrives” in the host city: landing at the airport, sailing into the harbour, climbing a landmark. Final frame: “Find us at booth X.”
- 2
The countdown on a building. A giant 3D countdown projected on an iconic facade, one new clip a day during the last week.
- 3
The game breaks out. Your new slot’s symbols escape the screen and take over the streets: wilds rolling down a boulevard, a bonus wheel spinning on a square.
- 4
The mystery object. A huge unexplained object appears in the city, with no logo. Reveal the brand only in the last teaser, and the full story at the booth.
How to make a FOOH teaser that helps sales, not just likes
A viral clip is nice. A viral clip that books meetings is better. Three rules:
- Always land on the booth. Every FOOH clip ends with the event name and your booth number.
- Keep the world consistent. The object or character in the FOOH clip should appear physically or on screen at your stand. Visitors love finding the “real” version of what they saw online.
- Plan the series, not just one clip. Two or three FOOH videos released over three weeks build a story. One clip is a moment; a series is a campaign.
The Alea Goddess in front of the Sagrada Familia for ICE Barcelona
A note on honesty
FOOH works because it’s spectacular, not because it deceives. In the gaming industry, audiences are sharp and know CGI when they see it. The best FOOH content plays openly with the “is this real?” question and enjoys the wink. Keep your messaging transparent and compliant with your markets’ advertising rules.
Where FOOH fits in Drive To Booth™
FOOH belongs to the Pre-Event Attack phase of Drive To Booth™: it creates the curiosity that your booth video and on-site experience then satisfy. Discover our Fake Out of Home service.
Next step
What if the character from your teaser could actually greet visitors at the booth?
Read next: Hire an AI Brand Ambassador for Your Next Gaming Conference.
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