Robotic ruse

Robotic ruse

London – Adverts for a new type of synthetic human had social media in a flush this week, before the campaign was revealed to be a clever ruse for a new tv show.

Article/17581 #1
Persona Synthetics advertisement for Humans on Channel 4, UK

London – Adverts for a new type of synthetic human had social media in a flush this week, before the campaign was revealed to be a clever ruse for a new tv show.

  • By 12 May the website for Persona Synthetics had received 423,000 visits
  • Campaign was developed by Channel 4 Marketing, 4Creative and media agency OMD UK

To advertise its latest drama, Humans, Channel 4 built an entire campaign dedicated to making the technology seem a reality. A website for technologists Persona Synthetics, newspaper ads showing off the latest in personal assistant robotics and a Regent Street store front all conspired to persuade people that they could buy an android for real. The first tv spot was broadcast during an ad break for Prometheus, a film that employed a similar marketing approach, creating a fake TED Talk set in the year 2023 and a website for Weyland Industries and a corporate video for its humanoid David.

The Big Picture: Brands are adapting the techniques pioneered by Orson Welles and The Blair Witch Project for the social media age. Read our Faction Marketing macrotrend on blurring the narratives of fact and fiction. 

Discover More News
The Trend: Skintellectual Bodycare

News

The Trend: Skintellectual Bodycare

Bodycare is getting an upgrade, driven by consumer demand for science-backed, active and ingredient-led products and treatments that contribute to ...
Beauty : Skincare : Longevity
The Big Idea: India’s Beauty Playground

News

The Big Idea: India’s Beauty Playground

To tap into India’s booming beauty market, global and local brands are using skincare-infused make-up, men’s grooming innovations and localised mar...
Beauty : Retail : Indian Beauty Market
The Campaign: Colgate champions smile diversity with The Beauty of Gaps campaign

News

The Campaign: Colgate champions smile diversity with The Beauty of Gaps campaign

Colgate is challenging beauty standards and celebrating smile diversity with its latest campaign, My Smile is My Superpower.
Beauty : Diversity : Health And Wellness
The Viewpoint: Embracing True-Age Beauty in China

News

The Viewpoint: Embracing True-Age Beauty in China

Sue Kyung Lee, global CEO of beauty brand SK-II, tells LS:N Global why its recent ad campaign in China sparked passionate discussions about how wom...
Beauty : China : Ageing
The Space: Liberty's Fragrance Lounge

News

The Space: Liberty's Fragrance Lounge

On 15 March 2024, luxury department store Liberty opened The Fragrance Lounge, its new innovative space redefining how scents are discovered a...
Beauty : Retail : Fragrance
Download the Future Forecast 2025 report

News

Download the Future Forecast 2025 report

Now that you know what shaped 2024, discover what’s on the horizon. Download our Future Forecast 2025 report comprising 50 new trends across 10 key...
Future Forecast
The Trend: AI Edu-play-tion

News

The Trend: AI Edu-play-tion

In our AI Edu-play-tion microtrend report, we talk to the innovators using generative artificial intelligence to re-imagine screen-free educational...
Technology : AI Education : Gen Alpha
The Big Idea: Five brands shaping the future of voice-activated AI wearables

News

The Big Idea: Five brands shaping the future of voice-activated AI wearables

A significant shift towards touchless devices is playing out in the technology industry, driven by increased commercialisation and accessibility of...
Technology : Voice-Activated AI : Wearable Tech Innovations
The Campaign: Camdom is the world’s first digital condom for safer intimacy

News

The Campaign: Camdom is the world’s first digital condom for safer intimacy

This Sexual Health Awareness Month (September 2024), condom brand Billy Boy and creative agency Innocean Berlin unveiled Camdom, an app that acts a...
Technology : Camdom App : Digital Condom
The Viewpoint: How to master AI

News

The Viewpoint: How to master AI

AI was on everyone’s lips in 2023 as the curiosity about large language models – from individuals and businesses – grew significantly.
Technology : AI Adoption : Mastering AI
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN