BMW ad ‘burns’ logo on to cinegoers’ eyelids

LONDON - BMW has come up with an innovative, albeit spooky, way of making sure viewers remember its latest ad - it is imprinting the firm’s logo on people’s retina.

The campaign uses the phenomena that occurs when you look at the sun and then close your eyes, leaving an ‘after-image’ that can still be seen for several moments afterwards.

The ad for the German car manufacturer, which has been previewed at cinemas in Germany, uses a heavy duty flash designed for lighting film sets that shines through a cardboard stencil right at the end.

When the flash goes off, it seems just like standard flash and could be taken as being the headlights from the superbike featured in the ad, reports the Daily Mail.

But when the people close their eyes, they see the clear afterimage of the BMW logo.

The ad begins with champion motorcycle racer Ruben Xaus speaking about what motivates him to race.

Shot in moody black and white, it progresses with scenes of Xaus preparing to race before hitting high speeds in a racetrack.

“Just close your eyes and look deep inside yourself,” he says at the end of the ad. “Maybe it’s your dream too. Close your eyes and you will see it. Close them now.”

At that moment, the screen goes black and the audience close their eyes. Imprinted on their eyelids is a sharp afterimage spelling out BMW, which lasts for a few moments before fading away.

A video explaining how the ad works has become a hit on the internet and has been viewed almost half a million times.