These ads digitally place company products in iconic locations to create the illusion of in-person advertising. They have become a mainstay of today’s marketing strategies.

Kao found the perfect collaborators at the University of Cincinnati, where it tasked the school’s NEXT Innovation Scholars with creating innovative content. Bearcat students delivered innovative and alluring “Wrapped By” ads that lit up Instagram feeds across Europe.

Faking it … and making it

Fake-out-of-home marketing develops captivating scenes for global audiences by transforming everyday spaces into engaging brand experiences that drive awareness and connection. Kao’s case involved wrapping Goldwell and KMS Hair Care packaging around London’s iconic phone booths and Big Ben tower, Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate and a vibrant Christmas market.

NIS students first took Instagram users to London, where “Big Ben had a makeover a la Goldwell style.” The hair care brand’s gift packages were superimposed over the city’s famous clock tower to give it an aesthetically pleasing, holiday-themed new look.

Staying across the pond, UC’s student scholars decided to give London’s bright-red phone booths some KMS Hair flair.

These videos delivered immersive brand experiences that extend beyond traditional digital ads. By collaborating with Bearcat students – whether through NIS at the 1819 Innovation Hub or via top programs like UC’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning – Kao unlocked fresh creativity and innovation for its brands.

Kao’s fake-out-of-home campaign stretched to continental Europe as UC’s NEXT Innovation Scholars developed innovative content for a German audience. The students “gave Brandenburg Gate a little Goldwell touch,” offering Berlin’s most renowned structure a festive look.

Germany receives widespread acclaim for its Christmas markets, with holiday festivities in Munich, Dresden and Leipzig attracting global travelers. UC students transported Instagram followers from across Europe to a bustling nighttime market, where they witnessed stalls being wrapped in a tasteful KMS Hair design.

The NIS students’ Goldwell posts were featured on Kao’s Instagram accounts for the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Meanwhile, the two KMS Hair Care posts were placed on a platform covering Europe as a whole.

Aaron Bradley, founding director of UC’s NEXT Innovation Scholars program, is excited to partner with Kao on FOOH marketing. “Opportunities like this are a great example of what sets UC apart in the innovation space – our undergraduate students are working with real companies on real projects with global reach,” he says. “We can always count on the team at Kao to bring us exciting projects with the potential to see our students’ work come to life for customers across the globe.”

Local base, global impact

Kao’s partnership with UC reaches beyond its collaboration with NIS students for FOOH posts. The beauty and personal care company opened an office at UC’s 1819 Innovation Hub to showcase leading innovation initiatives and collaborate with top Bearcat talent.

By positioning itself at the heart of the Cincinnati Innovation District, Kao gains unparalleled access to brilliant UC students. Kao also positively contributes to Bearcat scholars’ career trajectories through technical challenges like the FOOH posts and via co-ops, internships and full-time roles.

While Kao’s fake-out-of-home posts may not offer true-to-form depictions of Big Ben or the Brandenburg Gate, one thing is clear: the company’s UC presence is turning heads – on campus and around the world.

Featured image at top: NIS students working on a project at UC's 1819 Innovation Hub. Photo/Sydney Myers