Recently, Fitler Square residents noticed an odd new feature in the neighborhood: a large video advertisement being projected onto an exterior wall of 2400 Chestnut, a 34-story luxury apartment building near the banks of the Schuylkill River. The video, a brief 10-second loop, is an ad for Samsung’s newest flagship phone, the Galaxy S25. Initially, it was thought that the ad had been sanctioned by the owners of 2400 Chestnut, but the story took an unexpected turn: the building’s manager, upon being contacted by a Fitler Focus reporter, claimed that the ad was “not authorized” and that an unknown “white van” had been projecting the ad from the Walnut St bridge without the knowledge or consent of the owners or managers.

This practice, known as “projection mapping,” is a new and controversial form of marketing that has increased in popularity in recent years. The projection is also a case of what is known as “guerilla marketing,” which involves unapproved advertisement in public areas. In early January, a similar Samsung ad, also advertising the S25 phone, was projected onto the famed London Eye ferris wheel. It is unknown whether Samsung sanctioned or commissioned the ad at 2400 Chestnut; Samsung’s media department could not be reached for comment.

According to Lumen and Forge, a Las Vegas-based projection mapping agency, the phenomenon of “guerilla projection mapping” exists in a “legal grey area.” Guerilla projection mapping, which came to prominence during the Occupy Wall Street campaign, could lead to charges of “trespassing [and] property damage.” Although Philadelphia’s Department of Licenses & Inspections (L&I) requires a permit for outdoor advertising, it does not specifically refer to projection as a form of outdoor advertisement. A spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department did not have prior knowledge of the situation but said that unauthorized projections could violate L&I regulations. L&I did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

On the nights of Friday, January 1^st and Saturday, February 1^st, Fitler Focus reporter James Young went on-site to the Walnut St bridge in an attempt to identify the individual or company responsible for the advertisements, but the white van was not present on these days. The building manager of 2400 Chestnut stated that the van had New Jersey license plates; no other information is currently known about the van or its owner. It is also unclear how many times the advertisement has been projected onto 2400 Chestnut, but at least two incidents are confirmed; both occurred in January.

Projection mapping itself is not an unprecedented practice in Philadelphia, although this is the first documented case of guerilla projection mapping in the city. In 2022, a city-sanctioned Holiday Light Show, presented in partnership with Independence Blue Cross, was projected onto the West side of City Hall each night from November 15^th to New Year’s Day. Independence Blue Cross has also worked with local projection mapping company Klip Collective to create projection mapping installations on the “IBX” statue outside their Center City headquarters. According to Klip Collective’s website, the company has provided its projection services at numerous other locations including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Sundance Film Festival; Klip Collective could not be reached for comment on this article.