World’s ‘Real World Captchas’ Pokes Fun at Outdated Online Humanity Tests

Global creative network Iris Worldwide has today unveiled a major new international brand campaign for World, turning one of the internet’s most outdated rituals — the captcha — into a high-impact outdoor statement.

World, a secure, privacy-first way for people to prove they’re real humans online - without sharing personal information, is building the real human network (with 25 million participants in over 160 countries to date) to ensure everyone benefits from the age of AI. World has built World ID, an anonymous proof of human for the internet that is easy, secure and private. Once verified, individuals can prove they’re human, not bots. No more pesky captchas, just verify with World ID.

A collaboration between Iris’ UK and Singapore offices, the ‘Real World Captchas’ campaign shows oversized captcha-style image grids installed in real urban environments in Singapore, Berlin and Buenos Aires. Placed in front of familiar objects like traffic lights, bikes, fire hydrants, and street signs, the installations are meant to stop people in their tracks and prompt them to reflect on how bots shape the internet—and how we fight back.

The work taps into a universal digital frustration: As bots become more sophisticated, captchas have lost the ability to truly to stop bot-driven fraud, while slowing down real human internet users. The campaign reframes this tension visually, bringing the captcha offline and into the real world, spotlighting the increasingly difficult and ineffective ways we are asked to prove we are human.

The installations closely mimic the visual style of online captchas, including the infamous square that barely grazes the object, to create a relatable, even visceral reaction from anyone who’s ever been annoyed by the technology.

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

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

Menno Kluin, global chief creative officer, Iris Worldwide, added, “For years, we’ve tolerated captchas as a necessary evil. This campaign challenges that mindset. 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.”