LED rotor displays – whose hologram-like effects often draw crowds at trade shows– are still a rare sight in real life. But marketers seem to have taken a liking to them, as seen currently at Zurich and Basel train stations in Switzerland, where brands are capitalizing on the increased foot traffic during the Women’s European Football (Soccer) Championship.
Big versions of these LED rotor machines, branded “Hypergram,” have been set up at both stations. They were provided by UK-based Disturbed Media Group but resemble the systems developed by Hypervsn , which Sixteen:Nine founder used to call “maddly spinning LED thingies.” They may even use the exact same technology. So far, they’ve been used for one-day promotions by a frozen chicken brand and a toilet cleaner brand.
While the idea of using hologram-style visuals for campaign stunts sounds enticing, these displays do have certain issues. For one, the type of special-effect campaigns they are intended for often depend on social media buzz to extend their reach. But most standard smartphone camera settings don’t translate the holographic illusion—making it hard to capture the wow factor in a shareable way.