Virtual Placements

A non-intrusive TV-only solution, without the need for modified surfaces or cameras

What are Virtual Placements

Accurately replacing real-world objects with virtual alternatives is not the only approach to virtual advertising. The ability to place realistic objects where none exist, such as virtual paint on grass or on the shiny court of an indoor arena, provides more opportunities for fan engagement. The key, just as with virtual replacement, is to look authentic and real so as not to distract from the action. Simply layering on computer graphics is fine for a game clock or other match graphics but looks obvious and out of place if it is trying to blend into the environment around it. Authenticity and realism are crucial.

Enabling real-time TV-only virtual advertising opportunities

The Supponor platform supports placement of virtual advertising in different types of situations and on different types of surfaces. In situations where there will be little or no occlusions (from the ball, players, or otherwise) seemingly real virtual objects can be placed such as virtual digital billboards or static brand logos in the video scene and maintain that realism even when the camera pans and zooms around.

However, if the virtual object is to be placed in an area where people or objects are likely to walk ‘in front of’ or ‘on top of’ the virtual object, such as on the field of play, this becomes more challenging. Supponor uses an ensemble of technologies and techniques, including our advanced chroma and luma keying algorithms ,alongside trained AI/ML models that together provide industry leading performance for virtual placement.