If the advert about robots scared you… you are not alone.

Channel 4's Persona Synthetics: Everything you need to know

If you’ve been stumped by an advert about robots – in the TV ad break, in a newspaper, online or even on the front of a shop – you are not alone.

A commercial that purports to be selling real “Persona Synths” is actually a clever marketing campaign for a new Channel 4 drama about robots called Humans.

Here is the advert everyone is talking about.

And don’t worry if you were left scratching your head after seeing the fake “Persona Synthetics” adverts, Tweets and Facebook posts – everyone else had to double take too.

Closer to humans than ever before. The new generation Synthetic Human, arriving soon. pic.twitter.com/OlnjLu59tK — Persona Synthetics (@PersonaSynth) May 5, 2015

amazing work from @Channel4 on the #personasynthetics ad's. I spent 30 minutes on the tube confused by the ad in @TimeOutLondon — Nanci Veitch (@NanciVeitch) May 12, 2015

Wtf is that #PersonaSynthetics advert 😳 — George (@FFigureFBust) May 11, 2015

Got rather nervous with an advert selling robots….false alarm not real. Robot apocalypse postponed for now #personasynthetics #relieved — Mark McTaggart (@markTAGart) May 11, 2015

Persona Synthetics advert is so scary!! I thought it was a real thing #personasynthetics — ebony (@ebonywoodward_) May 11, 2015

#personasynthetics advert literally scared the life out of me…I had to rewind it to see it again to make sure I wasn't going insane! #urgh — Jenny Thomson (@little_jen54) May 11, 2015

To make it more believable, Humans aka Persona Synthetics even has its own website, Facebook and Twitter.

Channel 4 even installed a shop front in London’s Regent Street claiming to be “a delivery store for Persona Synths opening soon”.

(Channel 4)

But it is really all just an extravagant and very clever marketing ploy for drama series Humans, which is due to start in June.

The show’s website gives very little away: “William Hurt and Katherine Parkinson star in this drama series set in a parallel present where the latest must-have gadget for a busy family is a synth – an advanced robotic servant.”

According to the adverts in this “parallel present”, people can choose from two models – a female Sally and a male Charlie – both who can do plumbing, driving, cooking, cleaning and even personal training.

Meet Sally (Model ref: PS Lundstrom S6-Xi), a general domestic Synth designed and produced in Sweden. pic.twitter.com/fSwbciOGGI — Persona Synthetics (@PersonaSynth) May 6, 2015

Charlie (Model ref: PS Andro A7 “Dechron”) is a handsomely designed domestic synth. pic.twitter.com/aCs0pwc7C9 — Persona Synthetics (@PersonaSynth) May 6, 2015

This is how the fictional robot is marketed: “Experience the new generation Synthetic Human from Persona Synthetics. Not just an appliance but a deeply personal lifestyle choice: your Synth is the help you’ve always wanted.

“All models are fully documented and exhaustively tested before sale, with full service histories provided. At Persona, your peace of mind isn’t an optional extra.”

Aside from the fake TV advert, which is actually being aired in among the commercials for shampoos, supermarkets and sofa sales, here is a less misleading ad for the actual drama.

And another…