I can't believe I fell for that ridiculous floating Louis Vuitton logo

"Make the logo bigger" is the most infamous piece of graphic design feedback, one that has plagued designers since the dawn of time. But how do you make a logo bigger without simply adding more pixels? Why, make it out of boats, of course!

That's what fashion brand Louis Vuitton appears to have done in the mediterranean, just a few months after the Louis Vuitton Cup sailing competition. Footage of the logo recreated by a giant formation of boats has taken social media by storm – but all is not as it seems. Let's just say it's time for me to brush up on how to spot AI images.

Alas, it turns out our old friend AI is responsible for the stunt. The lo-fi helicopter footage of the logo was in fact created by Vertex CGI, which creates viral CGI marketing campaigns. While it's unclear whether this one was actually created for Louis Vuitton itself, Vertex CGI claims on its website to have worked with brands including Meta, Adidas and PlayStation.

I'll admit that at first glance, I fell hook, line and sinker for those boats. And with fake CGI marketing stunts becoming more ubiquitous, it's becoming harder to know when a bold piece of out-of-home advertising is actually real. Next you'll be telling me Kia's fireworks logo reveal wasn't legit.