In September last year I had written about a Nike Sneaker Customization concept from Miami Ad School. Since then, ad agency kempertrautmann, along with German shoe retailer Görtz, creates the same virtual shoe store at Hamburg Central Station and transforms a digital billboard into a point of sale for shoes.
A station billboard that behaves like a shop window
Using Microsoft Kinect gesture controls, the shopper’s feet are scanned and reproduced on the screen. A selection of shoes is then presented to try on and compare virtually. A social component lets shoppers share a snapshot of themselves with the shoes on Facebook. Those who decide to buy receive a QR code that leads to a mobile checkout, with next-day delivery.
Virtual shoe fitting is an interactive retail experience that overlays a chosen shoe style onto a live on-screen view of your feet, so you can judge look and proportion before purchasing.
In European retail environments where commuters split time between offline browsing and mobile checkout, the strongest executions connect fast “try” moments to a low-friction purchase path.
Why it lands: it compresses the path from curiosity to checkout
The idea removes the biggest barrier in out-of-home retail, which is the gap between “that looks interesting” and “I can actually get it”. The Kinect scan creates a personal moment, the virtual try-on creates confidence, and the QR code turns intent into an immediate transaction rather than a promise to remember later. That matters because each step reduces the drop-off that usually happens between public interest and private purchase.
Extractable takeaway: If you want digital out-of-home to sell, not just impress, design the experience so the last step is not “find us later”. Make the last step “buy now”, with the minimum possible handoff friction.
What the campaign is really proving
The real question is whether a public screen can do enough selling work in the moment to replace the need for a later retail visit.
It is less about tech novelty and more about role change. The billboard stops being a broadcast surface and starts behaving like a staffed shop assistant. It recognizes you, helps you evaluate options, and hands you a clear next step to purchase.
This works best when the technology serves the buying decision, not when it becomes the point of the experience.
What this retail screen gets right
- Personalize instantly: a scan, a fit, a quick moment that feels made for the passer-by.
- Keep choices bounded: a curated range beats a full catalog when people are in a hurry.
- Build a shareable artifact: snapshots extend the experience beyond the station.
- Make the handoff obvious: QR-to-checkout should feel like the natural next click, not a separate journey.
- Promise something operationally real: next-day delivery turns “stunt” into “service”.
A few fast answers before you act
What is the core idea?
A digital billboard in a train station becomes a virtual shoe store. Shoppers try on shoes using gesture control, then complete purchase on mobile via a QR code.
Why use Kinect in a public space?
Because it enables hands-free interaction and creates a personal “fit” moment without requiring an app download or typing in a rushed environment.
What makes this different from a normal QR poster?
The poster does not only link out. It provides evaluation first. The virtual try-on is the persuasion layer, and the QR code is the conversion layer.
What is the biggest execution risk?
Latency and calibration. If the scan feels inaccurate or the overlay looks wrong, the experience loses trust and the checkout step will not happen.
What should you measure?
Interaction starts, completed try-ons, QR scans, checkout completion rate, and next-day delivery satisfaction. Those metrics show whether the billboard is acting as a true point of sale.
