We’ve all been there—browsing happily until it hits: the dreaded CAPTCHA. You confidently click every crosswalk, bridge, or bicycle… and still get told you’re not human.

Creative network Iris Worldwide has launched a new international campaign for World, a platform offering privacy-first human verification for the internet. The campaign centers around the product World ID, which enables users to prove they’re human without sharing personal information. As bots grow more advanced, traditional captchas have become less effective, adding friction for actual users while failing to block sophisticated fraud.

To spotlight this problem, Iris developed the “Real World Captchas” campaign, in collaboration with its UK and Singapore offices. Large-scale installations mimicking CAPTCHA image grids were set up across Singapore, Berlin, and Buenos Aires.

Each piece recreates the digital puzzle in physical space, like asking a passersby to “select all bikes” or “click on traffic lights” using real urban objects.

By visualising the issue offline, the campaign underscores the need for more seamless and secure ways to navigate an AI-driven internet. World currently counts over 25 million participants across 160 countries.

At the base of each installation is the message “there’s a better way to prove you’re human” and scannable QR code directing passersby to World ID, a digital identity that enables people to verify they’re real and unique humans, without sharing any personal data.

“Proving you’re human is becoming increasingly important online—but the ways we do it are increasingly irritating and, even worse, ineffective,” said John Patroulis, Chief Marketing Officer, Tools For Humanity, a contributor to World.

“World ID is a simple and anonymous proof of humanity built for the age of AI. To make people aware of it, we reminded them just how ridiculous the current method actually is. The best ideas are simple and surprising. With real world captchas, we’re trying to capture attention with something as playful as it is provocative.”

“For years, we’ve tolerated captchas as a necessary evil. This campaign challenges that mindset,” added Menno Kluin, Global Chief Creative Officer, Iris Worldwide.

We’ve taken something people are used to ignoring online and dropped it into the real world to make it unmissable. It’s a disruptive creative device with a clear message: there’s a better way.”

Credits:

Agency: Iris Worldwide
Eduardo Maruri – Global Creative Chairman
Menno Kluin – Global Chief Creative Officer
Paolo Agulto – Executive Creative Director
Leigh Armstrong – Global EVP Client Leadership
Annabel Foxler – Head of Production
Yi Rong – Art Director
Harry Holmes – Senior Producer
Weihao Lam – Senior Art Director
Brian Gartside – Global Design Lead
Junhong Tan – Creative Group Head
Matt King – Senior Retoucher
Wihan Meerholz – Creative Director
Guto Blanco – Creative Director
Billy Thomas – Head of Artwork

Photography:
Gabe Chen – Singapore
Chloé Desnoyers – Berlin
Tatu Garcia – Buenos Aires

Production: Iris Cylndr
Fraser Lawson – Senior Producer
Ana Gonzalvo – Post Producer
Chaz Callingham-Woods – Editor
Jonny Briggs – Editor

Clients :
John Patroulis – Chief Marketing Officer
Eliza Chiang – Client Lead