Media - DOOH Campaigns · Local OOH Blog

The Times Transforms DOOH Screens Into Historical Portals

The Times and The Sunday Times launched an immersive DOOH campaign using mixed reality and AI to recreate historical moments directly inside modern city streets.

Local OOH Editorial 2026-05-22 4 min read
Back to all articles
The Times Transforms DOOH Screens Into Historical Portals

Quick answer: The Times and The Sunday Times launched an immersive DOOH campaign that transforms digital screens into historical windows using AI and mixed reality technology, recreating iconic moments from Birmingham and Manchester directly inside modern city streets.

When Digital Screens Become Time Portals

The Times and The Sunday Times introduced “For Our Changing Times,” a mixed reality DOOH campaign designed to transform public screens into immersive historical experiences.

Instead of showing static advertising, the screens begin with live footage of the surrounding streets before gradually transitioning into scenes from decades earlier connected to those exact same locations.

The result creates the illusion that history is unfolding again directly in front of pedestrians.

The Times mixed reality DOOH campaign

Real Streets Recreated Through Mixed Reality

The campaign launched across Birmingham and Manchester using large-format D6 DOOH screens integrated directly into busy urban environments.

In Birmingham, audiences witnessed wartime scenes inspired by the Birmingham Blitz, while Manchester executions recreated women’s suffrage marches tied to the city’s activist history.

By blending historical moments with modern environments, the campaign creates a strong emotional connection between audiences and the places around them.

AI And Historical Storytelling Combined

Developed by T&P alongside MOSAIC, the project combines AI-generated visuals, live camera feeds and mixed reality technology to create seamless transitions between past and present.

Buildings, people and historical details were recreated with careful accuracy to make the scenes feel authentic inside the modern city landscape.

Rather than feeling like traditional advertising, the campaign resembles a public historical installation integrated directly into the street.

Historical windows DOOH experience

Journalism Becomes Part Of The Experience

Historical excerpts from The Times archives were integrated directly into the visuals, reinforcing the publication’s role in documenting major moments across the last 240 years.

The campaign transforms archival journalism into a visual public experience, connecting media, history and immersive storytelling through outdoor advertising.

Instead of simply delivering information, the executions allow audiences to emotionally experience historical moments within the same physical spaces where they originally happened.

Why The Campaign Stands Out

The campaign demonstrates how DOOH is evolving beyond traditional advertising into immersive cultural storytelling.

By combining mixed reality, AI and location-based history, The Times transforms public screens into experiences designed to stop pedestrians, spark curiosity and encourage social sharing.

More than a media campaign, the project turns city streets into interactive historical windows connected to the publication’s legacy.

The campaign proves that the future of DOOH is not only digital — it is immersive, emotional and deeply connected to public space storytelling.

Sources

Comments (0)

Join the conversation. Keep it respectful and on-topic.

No comments yet. Be the first to comment.

Leave a comment

Plan OOH in your market

Local OOH covers outdoor advertising across the United States. Browse key markets:

Los Angeles, CA San Francisco, CA New York City Austin, TX Miami, FL Tampa, FL Chicago, IL Nashville, TN Denver, CO Philadelphia, PA Seattle, WA Las Vegas, NV Savannah, GA Columbus, OH Newark, NJ New Orleans, LA
View all US markets →

From the Local OOH Blog

Happiness Saigon Launches Việt Mockup Library

Happiness Saigon Launches Việt Mockup Library

Happiness Saigon launches Việt Mockup Library, an open-source collection of real Vietnamese media placement mockups designed to support authentic local creative work.

Published: May 20, 2026
C&A Turns Bus Stops Into Denim Experiences

C&A Turns Bus Stops Into Denim Experiences

C&A transforms Amsterdam bus stops into immersive LED-lit denim showcases, redefining DOOH advertising through design, lighting, and urban interaction.

Published: May 18, 2026