In a marketing campaign that might make Grandma squeal, Snap has unleashed an advertisement that shows the merits of its augmented reality features. However, its effects dive deep into the uncanny valley and might haunt the dreams of users.
As explained by Snap: “At Snap, we celebrate the joy, irreverence, and spontaneity of communicating with your real friends in fun, unexpected ways. Over the years, we’ve pushed the boundaries of how people see and experience the world through augmented reality. AR makes conversations and experiences better, and unlocks new ways to connect with others, learn about the world, shop, and more. [Our new campaign] shows you what it’s like to see the world the way Snapchatters do.”
Maybe it will bring in lots of users who are looking for a less polished, Instagram, social media aesthetic, but it’s definitely likely to come in handy to gain the attention of younger users. According to Social Media Today, 72% of active users on Snapchat are already using these AR features every day.
Their report says: “AR is a key focus for Snap, and despite operating at a much smaller scale than Meta and Apple, which are both also investing big in AR projects, Snap has continued to punch above its wait in this area, by continually coming out with AR content that grabs attention and engages audiences.
“Meta is still struggling to maintain relevance with younger audiences, a key element that could de-rail its metaverse vision, while Apple has actually leaned on Snap to help showcase its advanced AR tools over time.”