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FOOH production in Istanbul means filming a place everyone knows and adding, in CGI, a giant product or scene that isn't really there. The stage is somewhere viewers recognise in the first frame: the Bosphorus, Galata Tower, Maiden's Tower or a street in Kadıköy. The work runs in five stages: idea and location, shoot planning and permits, the plate shoot, CGI integration, and edit and delivery. The timeline isn't a fixed number of days; it depends on the complexity of the idea, the number of locations and the approval rounds.
We explain what FOOH is and why it spreads in our guide to FOOH and why it goes viral. This piece covers the Istanbul side: which location suits which idea, how the shoot is planned and how the timeline runs. For the service itself, formats and FAQs, see our FOOH ad production page.
Why is Istanbul such a strong stage for FOOH?
Because Istanbul's landmarks are recognised in the first frame, and FOOH gets all of its effect from an unexpected scale in a familiar place. Viewers know the location, so their eye goes straight to what shouldn't be there; the illusion needs no explanation. Galata Tower and Maiden's Tower say Istanbul at a glance, not only to local viewers but to anyone abroad who knows the city.
The city also offers very different stages: a wide stretch of water framed by two shorelines, historic towers standing on their own, a landmark on the water and busy streets full of everyday life. Placing a modern product next to historic stone creates a contrast of its own. In HONOR's Maiden's Tower film, that contrast becomes a launch stage that blends technology with heritage.
How do you choose a FOOH location in Istanbul?
Choose the location to fit the idea: will the product rise from the water, sit on a tower, appear in front of a landmark or stand in the middle of a street? The table sums up four Istanbul stages and the ideas each one suits.
| Location | What it adds | Ideas it suits | Clytech example |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Bosphorus | A wide water surface, both shorelines, an open horizon | A giant product rising from or standing on the water | Bioderma: giant serum bottles rise from the Bosphorus |
| Galata Tower | A vertical silhouette visible from much of the city | Ideas that sit on or transform the tower | Nutella's Galata Tower film; the Galata Tower AI FOOH video |
| Maiden's Tower | A landmark standing alone on the water off Üsküdar | Launches and reveal moments | HONOR: a giant phone partly veiled in red |
| Kadıköy | Everyday street life at pedestrian scale | A giant object in the street that makes people ask if it's real | Reis Kuyumculuk: a giant bag in Kadıköy |
For a street-level example, Reis Kuyumculuk's Kadıköy bag film composites a digital installation into real street footage, placing the brand inside the everyday rhythm of the city. Before you lock the location, ask these questions:
- Recognition: Is the place recognisable in the first frame, without explanation?
- Scale: At what size will the product look believable? Too small and it gets lost; too big and the place stops reading.
- Light: Where is the sun at the time of the shoot? Glare on the Bosphorus or shadows in narrow streets can change the plan.
- Camera position: Where will the camera be, and how far can it move? Land, water and high vantage points each open different options.
- Crowds and access: How busy is the location at that hour, and how will the crew and kit get there?
- Permits: Settle during planning whether the location and the way you want to film it call for permits.
How are the shoot and CGI integration handled in Istanbul?
On most of our projects our own team films the location, and the CGI element is placed into the footage to match the camera move, light and shadows. We cover planning from brief to launch in how to plan a FOOH campaign; here we look at what each type of Istanbul location asks of the production.
Water: reflections and movement on the Bosphorus
When an object rises from or touches the water, waves, foam, wet surfaces and reflections have to match the real footage exactly. The surface never stops moving, so the line where object meets water needs the most care.
Distance: Maiden's Tower and skyline shots
For an object placed beside a distant landmark, scale and atmosphere decide everything. If haze, colours fading with distance and the direction of light aren't applied to the CGI element too, it looks pasted on.
Texture: historic stone and light at Galata
An object touching a historic building has to match the texture of the stone and the light and shadows as they shift through the day. Camera tracking rebuilds the shot's movement digitally, so the object stays locked to the tower as the camera moves.
Crowds: street scale in Kadıköy
People, vehicles and birds pass in front of an object standing in the street. In compositing, these moving elements are layered back in front of the object one by one; such details often make the scene believable.
Format: vertical and horizontal delivery
Plan both formats before the shoot: FOOH lives mostly in 9:16 vertical feeds, but the web, YouTube or screens may need a horizontal version. In Istanbul the choice is tied to the location. The Bosphorus and its shorelines are horizontal by nature, so a vertical frame either focuses on a vertical element (a tower, a bottle rising from the water) or shows the width through camera movement; a vertical landmark like Galata Tower fills a 9:16 frame on its own. Every Istanbul example in this piece was produced in 9:16. If you also want a horizontal version, say so in the brief, so framing is built for both formats from the start and the vertical cut isn't just a crop of the horizontal one.
What stages does a FOOH timeline go through?
A FOOH timeline is read in stages, not days: the complexity of the idea, the number of locations and approval rounds set it, and we confirm the exact schedule after the brief. Here is each stage and what we need from you:
| Stage | What happens | What we need from you |
|---|---|---|
| Brief and first reply | You share the goal, channels, product information and references; we reply within 24 hours with an approach. | A short brief, plus product photos or a 3D model if you have them |
| Concept and location | The idea, the location and previsualisation frames are prepared. | Sign-off on the idea and location |
| Shoot planning and permits | Angle, time of day, equipment and any permits are settled. | Support with permits if needed |
| Plate shoot | The location is filmed so CGI can be added on top. | No sign-off needed |
| CGI and compositing | The product is modelled, lit and placed into the footage. | Interim approval on the first composite |
| Edit and versions | Colour, sound, and vertical and horizontal versions are prepared. | Final approval |
| Revisions and delivery | Files are delivered after the agreed revision rounds. | One decision-maker who gathers approvals |
These decisions affect the timeline most:
- Deciding the location early: If the location changes, the shoot plan and permits start over.
- Product assets ready: A 3D model or clear product photos shorten modelling.
- Number of locations: Each new location means its own shoot plan and compositing.
- Weather and light: Outdoors, the weather and the light you want set the date; a backup slot reduces risk.
- Locking the idea before the shoot: If the idea changes afterwards and the plate no longer fits, a reshoot may be needed.
When you need to ride the news cycle, AI FOOH can be a faster option; we pick the route with you based on the idea.
Examples from Clytech
Clytech is a CGI, FOOH and AI advertising studio based in Istanbul and London. We have delivered 150+ projects for 85+ brands in 15+ countries, and our work has passed 500 million views in total. Here are four FOOH projects we produced on Istanbul landmarks:
Bioderma: giant serums over the Bosphorus. Giant bottles of Bioderma's signature serums rise from the waters of the Bosphorus as passers-by stop to take in the surreal view. The 9:16 FOOH campaign pairs skincare innovation with Istanbul's iconic scenery and was designed to spark curiosity and spread across social media.
PROJECT VIDEO
HONOR: a giant phone reveal at Maiden's Tower. In front of Maiden's Tower, a giant HONOR smartphone appears partly veiled in a flowing red drape, the image of a dramatic product reveal. The 9:16 FOOH activation turns the landmark into a launch stage.
PROJECT VIDEO
Nutella: Galata Tower CGI film. Galata Tower sets the stage for Nutella in this CGI film. Blending real footage with a digital scene, it creates a cinematic FOOH illusion that ties the brand to the city's landmark, and it was produced in vertical format for social media.
Galata Tower AI FOOH experience. In this AI-driven FOOH piece, Galata Tower gets a surreal makeover, with the city's historic texture and CGI illusion in the same scene. Built for viral sharing, the 9:16 video deliberately blurs the line between real location and digital illusion.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a filming permit for FOOH in Istanbul?
It depends on the location and how it's filmed. When permits are needed, we obtain them, or on some projects the brand does; we clarify this during planning.
Is the giant product actually installed in the city?
No. FOOH involves no billboard rental and nothing is physically installed in the city; on most of our projects, the giant product or object is added in CGI to real footage shot by our own team. Paid social distribution is planned separately.
Do you only produce FOOH in Istanbul?
No. We work across Turkey, starting with Istanbul, and abroad. We produced PUBG Mobile's campaign for the Republic's 100th anniversary in six regions (İzmir, Ankara, Mardin, the Black Sea region, Antalya and Istanbul), and the campaign passed 30 million views in total.
Can FOOH be made with AI?
Yes. Depending on the brief, we also produce FOOH with AI, on the desktop or on top of existing footage; the Galata Tower video is an example of AI-driven FOOH. We explain how AI fits into our production pipeline on the AI ad film production page.
Next step
If you are considering FOOH in Istanbul, start with two questions: which place will viewers recognise in the first frame, and what shouldn't be there? Bring us the answers and we'll shape the location, shoot plan and timeline together. Send us your brief or start with our company presentation. You can find all of our CGI, FOOH and AI services on the services page.