Forget 3D billboards, Netflix has taken a giant leap in advertising tech with its billboard ads for the new film Extraction 2. They bring Chris Hemsworth's Tyler Rake to life in a way that even your TV can't do. The poster 'sweats' real drops of water.
The streaming brand has installed billboards in New York City and Los Angeles that contain laser-cut 'pores' in Hemsworth's forehead. A hidden water supply behind the ads slowly pumps out droplets of water to mimic real perspiration (such an innovation may be one for our pick of the best billboard advertising).
"Action so intense, our billboards sweat,” Netflix claims on the Extraction 2 billboards. The pieces have been placed at street level rather than high up so people can pose for photos, wipe Hemsworth's brow and, as some people have claimed, even lick his sweaty face.
"I'd lick it all," one person wrote on Instagram. "Is there a shirtless version?" someone else wants to know. Marian Lee, Netflix’s chief marketing officer, told Variety that it was keen to experiment with the advertising for Extraction 2 since the first film was released during the Covid-19 lockdown when it wasn't possible to do this kind of work. I just fear Netflix may need to include a hygiene warning to deter overenthusiastic fans.
Extraction 2 is on Netflix now. If you need to upgrade your home viewing setup, see our pick of the best TVs.
