Our office has been taken over by Straw Hats! 🏴☠️
For the launch of Season 2 of Netflix’s ONE PIECE we developed a custom Snapchat game. Player take the wheel of the legendary Going Merry and must navigate the treacherous currents of Reverse Mountain to reach the Grand Line. Yes that’s a lot of One Piece lore, but that’s exactly the point. To fully immerse yourself in the One Piece Universe.
It was a cool challenge to build a game for such a massive franchise with such a rich universe. We wanted to make the ship and the swirling currents of Reverse Mountain look as premium as possible while ensuring it fits perfectly within a Snapchat Lens. We even developed a custom control system to make the boat extremely maneuverable. Which you’ll definitely need because have you ever tried navigating Reverse Mountain?
There’s only one thing left to do, put on your Straw Hat and conquer Reverse Mountain via the link in the bio.
And of course, starting today, start watching season 2!
Watching a trailer can be contagious. 🦠💥
Ever had that feeling of being completely sucked into a movie trailer? This is that but literally. In our Cold Storage trailer experience you don’t just watch the story, you become part of it.
You might think you’re safe behind your Hazmat suit protected from the highly contagious and mutating fungus. But as the tension rises the fungus grows and eventually taking over both the screen and... you.
Think you can survive the trailer? Try the Snapchat Lens in the bio.
Our 𝐀𝐑-𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 rewarded a workout with a can of Red Bull Zero
At Rotterdam Central Station we launched the first AR-vendingmachine in the Benelux, together with @bauermediaoutdoornl and @redbullned . Part of the Zero Excuses 2.0 campaign this activation encouraged commuters to kick off the year fit and energized.
The tram stop was transformed into a Red Bull OOH gym for stopping power while the AR-vendingmachine delivered staying power. Using a digital screen with an integrated camera and augmented reality (Snap Inc./Lens Studio’s AR tech) commuters were challenged to get moving. Complete 10 squats and the vending machine instantly activated rewarding participants with a can of Red Bull Zero.
What a way to end the year! 🌟 @dior invited us to bring their Holiday universe at the New York flagship to life through an immersive AR experience. Building on our previous collaborations across AR Lenses, Mirrors and Snap Spectacles.
The entire boutique including its iconic façade was transformed into a warm and playful Gingerbread world. We extended the magic by having the real life gingerbread car pass by a mountain of gifts in AR.
As a tribute to Monsieur Dior’s story a Gingerbread version of The New Look, the Lady Dior bag and his beloved dog Bobby play a role in this joyful AR narrative.
By 3D-scanning the complete storefront we created a custom Snapchat Landmarker that reveals an enchanted world perfectly aligned with the physical location. Blurring the line between reality and imagination.
In September together with @2k , @drum.agency and @snapchat we brought the fourth installment of the iconic @borderlands franchise to life through an AR takeover at Waterloo Station (London) with an immersive AR Mirror and an interactive AR Vending Machine.
Commuters stepped into the AR Mirror and became the cel-shaded infamous Ripper, letting them break free from the chains with some badass moves. Fully aligned with the global “Break Free” campaign.
With the AR Vending Machine people dove straight into some looter-shooter action. Digital loot rained down and with speed and strategy they had to grab as much as possible. Hitting the right score unlocked some exclusive Borderlands merch.
The AR take-over was part of 2K Games & DRUM’s ‘Order is Overrated’ campaign which completely dominated the station with 100+ digital and print placements, cosplayers and an impressive physical booth.
At @sportspro.media in London, we recently showcased our AIMagMaker experience. On the AR Mirror people could choose their favorite sport (from football to cricket) and instantly appear on the cover of a sports magazine. Ready to shine like a pro.
The result is a fun and shareable photo that can be downloaded via the QR code. Brands can also integrate a data capture flow (for example, collecting an email address to send the photo) if desired.
We also presented our “Keepy Uppy” football experience to demonstrate the power of body tracking. The experience tracks every movement in real time, allowing users to show off their juggling skills across three rounds using their feet, knees, and head.
Both could be fun (branded) experiences for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
The PLAYAR team Snapped their way to the City of Angels this week 👻🌴
@pt.pavlo.tkachenko@fredericvanderheyden (also nominated for a Lens Fest award) and @yass_ar_xr were invited as Lens Creators to @snapchat Hackathon and of course the annual Lens Fest.
Pavlo teamed up, among others, with our friend and fellow Belgian AR dev @stspanho for the @spectacles Hackathon. Their ‘Fireside Tales’ app made it to the finals and won third place. 🔥 Yassine’s team competed in the Games category and also made the finals—taking home second place with their game ‘Epic Dance Battle.’💃
Bruno and Bas were in LA for meetings and joined the rest of the crew at Lens Fest yesterday. This year marked 10 years of Lenses—yes, the iconic Rainbow Puke Lens is officially a decade old. (We’re getting old 😅.) The event featured a super fun Snap Arcade with vending and claw machines, plus a Hall of Mirrors where visitors could relive all the classic AR Lenses.
There were also plenty of keynotes and breakout sessions. CTO Bobby Brown announced some exciting new features for Lens Studio and SnapOS.
It’s been an incredible week, capped off by Lens Fest as the ultimate celebration of AR—not just as a medium, but as a vibrant, global community. It’s always inspiring to reconnect with familiar faces and meet so many new ones.
✨ 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘙 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘰𝘱-𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘵 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘴 ✨
For the @dior Lucky Collection pop-up boutique in Harrods London, we developed an 𝗔𝗥 𝗠𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿 in collaboration with Dior and @snapchat to provide visitors with two enchanting experiences.
🔮 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: In keeping with the boutique’s house of cards aesthetic, guests were able to select their zodiac sign with a simple gesture. Echoing the collection’s spring motifs, butterflies, dragonflies and blooming flowers came to life around them in a magical photo moment.
🕶️ 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝘆-𝗼𝗻: Dior 30Montaigne sunglasses were presented in a playful way: bees, as a central element of the Lucky collection, flew in to place the glasses directly onto the user’s face, with an option to switch between styles.
Both journeys ended with a photo moment to share/download. A built-in selfie opportunity linked to a data capture form, turning engagement into valuable leads.
Located inside the Dior boutique, these lighthearted AR moments leveraged storytelling to blend seamlessly with the Lucky collection’s themes of charms, symbols and magic. These activations demonstrate how AR can 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻-𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
🚤 The world’s first AR Mirror on a boat? Check! ;-)
At @sailamsterdam.official , @kpn turned the Amsterdam waters green with their Media Boat De Louis, complete with DJ, disco lights, giant kiss-cam, not to be missed campaign hero Louis the cat…and, below deck, our AR Mirror experience.
When you descended below deck, you’d find yourself in an immersive green room surrounded by several elements from the mirror game.
As solo or co-op captain(s), you set sail together with Louis 🐱⛵
Moving your body steered the ship, dodging islands and connecting boats with KPN’s lightning-fast internet. Playing co-op demanded proper collaboration to steer in the same direction, otherwise shipwreck was imminent!
⚓ At the finish line, a video download of your sailing course awaited.
Ship ahoy!
Cartier’s most iconic ambassador is back: the panther! Bolder and more majestic than ever before.
We brought him to live on the cover of the New York Times!!
And in Paris, one of the cities of the global tour, with an immersive OOH experience on the Place Saint-Michel.
A career at Defence takes many forms. 🪖🦺 🎓 🥼
Our Magic Mirror experience introduces you to this diversity in a playful way.
Last May, passersby in the Dutch shopping mall Hoog Catharijne were surprised by a Magic Mirror that let them step into a Defence role – quite literally. From Marine to IT specialist, with or without a weapon, in uniform or civvies: the experience shows that Defence is more than you think. And yes, everything you see is real-time AR.
This out-of-home activation is part of the new ‘Time for Defence’ campaign by the @minvandefensie and @dentsucreativeams , designed to highlight the many ways you can shape a career at Defence, on your terms.
After kicking off at the National Career Fair, touring schools across the Netherlands and stopping by TwitchCon Rotterdam, the mirror is not done travelling just yet ;)
🤳 Besides the OOH activations, we also developed a Snap AR Lens that lets you try on the different job roles wherever you are via your phone in the Snapchat app.
💻 Check out all the details incl. link to the Lens on our website. Link in bio.
The PLAYAR team is excited to be attending @madfestlondon , one of the UK’s boldest and most disruptive marketing, advertising, and tech festivals.
Come find our Co-founder Bas Gezelle and Client Manager Riek Janssens in the area next to the Creator Stage and step into our immersive Magic Mirror to explore a catalog of interactive AR experiences. Or try one of our other XR experiences like the Dior experience for Snap’s Spectacles (AR Glasses)
Whether you’re curious about how we can bring magic to your brand/clients—blending physical and digital worlds through XR, spatial experiences, and/or next-gen video—we’d love to chat. See you there or send us a DM if you want to meet!
