Snapchat Introduces a New AR Content Studio to Assist Brands in Creating Innovative AR Campaigns

With improved eCommerce and data applications, as well as the anticipated release of AR-enabled smart glasses in the near future, Snap Inc. is seeking to help more companies take that step into AR campaigns with the debut of Arcadia, a new creative studio for AR.

According to Snap:

“Arcadia is a creative studio focused on the next generation of branded Augmented Reality experiences. Powered by a team of world-class experts that pioneered mobile Augmented Reality, we translate new technology into the most innovative, impactful, and effective experiences on behalf of our partners. With AR as our singular focus, we deliver across platform, web and app-based environments.”

The new studio will connect brands with seasoned AR professionals in order to develop new, innovative tools and campaigns that will help them stand out on the platform and, ultimately, create their own viral moment with branded promotions in the app.

Snap's AR tools have long attracted users with this feature. While other, well-resourced platforms are moving into AR, Snapchat has been able to keep a consistent supply of viral visual trends thanks to its development teams' creative and cultural savvy, which it's now looking to offer up to business partners, which might give considerable opportunity.

Furthermore, Snapchat has stated that Arcadia will be 'platform agnostic,' meaning that the experiences created by the Arcadia team may not be limited to Snapchat and may, in theory, live on in other forms and formats, helping to broaden the possibilities of these projects.

Snap's expertise in this area could be a huge help, but it'll almost certainly come at a high price. This might put Arcadia projects out of reach for smaller firms, while Snap also mentions that Arcadia will function 'on a studio model,' which means it will take on only the most creative and technical projects.

As a result, it won't be available to everyone. However, it might lead to a new wave of cutting-edge AR methods and campaigns, as well as enable Snapchat's self-serve Lens Studio support a broader range of AR experiences for a wider array of campaign types.

It's an intriguing effort with a lot of potential as a significant incubator for next-generation augmented reality experiences.

And, with the imminent arrival of AR glasses, this could become a much greater consideration for many more businesses in the near future.