IWC HOME in Berlin
Study case
Ah, Berlin! A city of contrasts, pulsating with creativity and history, served as the backdrop for a project that required more than a traditional approach. FOOH – Fake Out Of Home – is a format that turns the world of outdoor advertising upside down, and we had the opportunity to combine its potential with IWC HOME’s vision. On one hand, excitement; on the other, a solid dose of challenges. But you know what? We love projects like this.
IWC HOME is a brand that has proven for years that interior design products can be more than just functional – they’re an art form that creates spaces filled with harmony, elegance, and warmth. Each product is designed to become a part of customers' everyday lives, bringing a sense of aesthetics and comfort to their homes.
Renowned for its success in the Polish market, the brand decided to take the next step – to venture beyond national borders and enter the demanding yet opportunity-filled German market. Berlin, a city epitomizing diversity and creativity, was chosen as the location for the first IWC HOME showroom in Germany. Here, in the heart of a dynamic metropolis, the new showroom was to become a space where modern design meets the needs and tastes of local consumers. This decision was not only a strategic move but also a symbolic beginning of the brand’s international expansion, aiming to surprise and inspire new generations of interior design enthusiasts.
The challenge
Berlin. The location? None other than Living Berlin – Kantstraße 17, an address in the city's heart, where creativity thrives and cultural diversity inspires at every turn. It’s a place that provides the perfect backdrop for a brand that merges modernity with cozy design. But wait! This wasn’t going to be an ordinary store opening.
The question that guided us from the start was: How do we show the local community that a new brand is entering their market – and doing so with flair? In a bustling city where every billboard fights for attention, traditional advertising methods could easily get lost in the sea of messages. We needed something exceptional – something that would momentarily pause Berliners in their tracks, make them see their surroundings from a new perspective, and leave a lasting impression.
We began working on a campaign vision that wasn’t just about announcing a new store but about drawing the audience into the story of the IWC HOME brand. We wanted to present their products as an integral part of the urban landscape, emphasizing that their furniture fits seamlessly into everyday life, just like Berlin’s iconic spaces. The key to achieving this? Fake Out Of Home (FOOH) – an innovative format that allowed us to merge reality with digital illusion in a way Berlin had never seen before.
Magdalena Maciejak, Marketing Strategist in Epilog Studio
“Our trip to Berlin was a bit like riding a rollercoaster of creativity—fast, emotional, and slightly crazy. But it’s exactly these kinds of projects that make our work so exciting! Thanks to FOOH, we were able to surprise Berlin’s residents with something entirely new—a blend of reality and digital magic that pauses life’s hustle for a moment and immerses people in the brand’s story. It’s more than just advertising; it’s an experience that lingers in memory. If you’re curious about how FOOH works and why it’s the future of marketing, head over to our blog—we explain everything step by step!”
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Client’s problem
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Berlin is a city that bombards passersby with visual stimuli at every turn. From neon lights to street art and classic billboards, everything competes for a moment of attention. In such an environment, traditional outdoor advertising could easily fade into the crowd. Our goal was to create something that would stand out from this auditory and visual cacophony.
FOOH, with its dynamic nature and element of surprise, became the answer to this challenge. It’s a format capable of stopping even the busiest city dwellers—not because it shouts, but because it tells a new story.
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In an era of short attention spans and fast-paced living, storytelling becomes a real challenge. Our animations had to encompass everything: aesthetics, the brand's message, and information about the new store—all within the time it takes the average Instagram user to scroll past a single post.
The solution was to minimize content and maximize emotions. Instead of speaking, we let the visuals do the work. Each animation became a mini-story that surprises, entertains, and engages all at once.
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Berlin was meant to be the backdrop, but it was IWC HOME’s products that were destined to be the stars of the show. The choice of locations was no accident—iconic city spots like Kantstraße became the canvas for our FOOH animations.
This approach allowed the brand to demonstrate that its products are both globally appealing and closely tied to local culture. Virtual interactions with Berlin’s architecture emphasized that IWC HOME’s furniture fits naturally into the daily lives of residents—just like their favorite cafés or meeting spots.
Each of these challenges required unconventional approaches and bold decisions, but that’s exactly what makes our work so exciting. After all, the best solutions are born where the difficulties begin!
Solutions
Fake Out Of Home is a format that merges reality with digital illusion, creating the impression that the boundaries between them disappear. To fully harness the potential of FOOH, we combined footage of Berlin’s urban spaces with meticulously designed CGI effects. In each animation, our goal was to make viewers, as they scrolled through their social media, pause for a moment and ask themselves: "Is this really happening?"
Every CGI element—from a massive armchair leaning out of a window to a subtly shimmering lamp seamlessly integrated into the urban scenery—was carefully crafted to appear as a natural part of the surrounding landscape. This allowed us to create something that elicited a "wow" effect and engaged audiences in a way rarely achieved by traditional advertising formats.
Location, Location, Location – The Magic of Berlin
The choice of location was one of the most critical stages of the project. Berlin is a city brimming with diversity—from historic streets to modern districts full of industrial charm. We knew the locations had to not only resonate with the city’s aesthetic but also naturally blend into its daily rhythm.
Together with the client, we selected places that are both recognizable to Berlin’s residents and open to reinterpretation. These are spaces that are part of the city’s everyday life, like Kantstraße, but through CGI gained an entirely new perspective. Our animations became a bridge between reality and the visionary world of the IWC HOME brand, allowing the audience to feel that the brand’s products are more than just interior elements—they are part of their lives.
Creativity Above All – Stories Told in a Few Seconds
Each animation we created was a mini-story—short, yet packed with meaning. This format demanded the utmost precision and imagination from us. How do you capture the essence of a brand, intrigue the audience, and even inspire them, all in just a few seconds? The key was visual storytelling. Every animation was designed not only to surprise but also to evoke emotions—ranging from awe to warm associations with the comfort that IWC HOME offers.
Grzegorz Wojnar, Founder of Epilog Studio & Project Manager
“Working with the FOOH format was an entirely new challenge for us. It’s not just about technology but about creating emotions that stay with the audience for a long time. Each animation was not only a technical challenge but also an opportunity to show that advertising can be something more—a memorable experience.”
Adaptation for Social Media – A Format Perfect for Instagram
With the campaign’s audience in mind, we ensured the final animations were tailored to the dynamic nature of social media. Instagram, with its fast-paced content consumption, demands formats that capture attention within the first few seconds. Our animations were designed to stand out in the feed—featuring dynamic shots, vibrant colors, and an element of surprise.
Each animation had viral potential, helping to increase the campaign’s reach and audience engagement. The results were immediate—hundreds of interactions, shares, and comments, proving that our strategy worked.
Precise Integration of CGI with Reality
Integrating CGI into real footage of urban environments is a process that demands exceptional precision. Our goal was to create animations that would feel like an integral part of Berlin—without the "sticker effect" that could detract from the authenticity of our work.
Every detail—from shadows and reflections to subtle changes in lighting—was meticulously matched to the conditions of the environment where the scenes were filmed. This approach allowed us to achieve an effect where the CGI not only blended seamlessly with the city but seemed to live and breathe within it.
