The new indoor format of UK-based Ocean Outdoor blends LED, motion tracking, and mixed reality to turn footfall into interactive brand engagement.
London: Ocean Rolls out Walk-in DooH ‘Portal’ at Battersea
Ocean Outdoor UK is launching a new immersive digital out-of-home format designed to shift audience interaction from passive viewing to active participation.
Called Ocean Portal, the freestanding installation debuts this week at Battersea Power Station in London, where it is being used for a bespoke entertainment showcase developed by Ocean Studio. The launch activation includes an interactive game that challenges participants to jump across melting ice blocks, using motion tracking and audio to drive engagement.
The format is built as a walk-in, half-cube structure measuring roughly 4.5 by 3 meters (14.8 by 9.8 feet), with five LED surfaces including a digital floor. Interior and exterior screens combine with real-time tracking, mixed reality, and Ocean’s DeepScreen 3D capability to create an enclosed, responsive environment. The LED displays are supplied by LED Studio, using Glue-on-Board-technology and a 2.6 millimeter pixelpitch.
Ocean Labs has integrated Lidar and structured light sensors to capture audience movement, allowing content to react instantly to individual gestures and group behavior. The system runs on gaming and virtual production platforms, including Unreal Engine and Unity, reflecting a broader convergence between DooH, gaming, and film production technologies.
Ocean is positioning the Portal as both a standalone activation unit and a shared advertising platform. Brands can either commission exclusive installations or participate in scheduled rotations at high-traffic indoor locations such as retail centers, transport hubs, and event venues. Interaction data can be analyzed post-campaign and extended into social media content.
CEO Nick Shaw described the format as part of a wider shift in how DooH environments are conceived. “Rather than asking audiences to stop and look, the Portal invites them to step inside, becoming active participants,” he said, adding that the system combines physical space, premium screen inventory and real-time production into a single hybrid platform.
The modular structure can be reconfigured for different environments and supports heavier loads, opening the door to product-based activations alongside digital content. Ocean says the unit can also be deployed for touring concepts across multiple locations.
The UK rollout follows Ocean’s earlier introduction of its outdoor “Showcase” format, with the Portal now extending the company’s experiential DooH strategy into indoor, high-footfall environments. The format is also being made available in Germany.