Snapchat has announced a new collaboration with Channel 5 in the U.K., which will see Snapchat’s AR tech embedded into a new program which looks at the development of some of the ancient wonders of the world.
As you can see in this example, the collaboration will see Snapchat’s AR experiences presented to viewers via a QR code, which, when scanned, will enable them to enter an AR activation, via the Snap camera, to glean more context about the wonder in discussion.
As explained by Snap:
“Airing on Channel 5 in the UK, the series follows Bettany Hughes OBE across three continents to investigate the Seven Wonders, traveling to ancient locations across Greece, Egypt, and Turkey to meticulously re-examine the 2,200-year-old "bucket list." By simply scanning an on-screen QR code with their phones, viewers will be able to virtually travel to moments in time to explore, learn, and see these sites. From traveling to Egypt’s Old Kingdom to check out the Giza Pyramids to seeing the beautiful Hanging Gardens of Babylon - people will be able to explore these awe-inspiring sites in Augmented Reality.”
It’s an interesting experiment, providing AR activations directly linked to the TV series, which could help to boost awareness of the capacity of AR for extended educational purpose, and boost interest in Snapchat’s AR tools.
And with AR glasses on the way, developed by Snap and others, that could be a valuable access point for a wide cross-section of the community, who may not traditionally be Snap’s target audience.
Snapchat users are predominantly younger, and not, I would suggest, within the target demographic for this program. But through this new partnership, more TV viewers could end up trying out Snap’s advanced AR options, which could help to establish a pathway to broader AR reach and resonance.
It’s an interesting collaboration either way, and another means for Snap to boost its audience reach.
