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In the ever-evolving landscape of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), augmented reality has become a powerful tool for brands to engage and captivate audiences.
In strategic collaborations with influential partners like the Saudi Ministry of Culture, the Saudi Fashion Commission, Garnier Green and Chalhoub Group, Snap MENA orchestrated immersive experiences that not only transcended technological and creative limits but also left an enduring impact on diverse audiences.
From dynamic storytelling to cutting-edge experiences, take a journey through the lens of Snapchat to discover how Snap and MENA's forward-thinking brands are redefining digital engagement and connecting with their audiences.
TasawAR at Riyadh Fashion Week
Snapchat teamed up with the Ministry of Culture, the Saudi Fashion Commission, and content partner Chalhoub Group to launch the TASAWAR exhibition.
TASAWAR, which means "imagine" in Arabic, invited the community, the region’s biggest Snap Stars, fashion celebrities, VIPs, C-suites and industry stakeholders to embark on a journey of imaginative experiences that ultimately celebrate culture and enrich the senses. Fashionistas from across the world descended upon Saudi Arabia for the inaugural Riyadh Fashion Week — and were pleasantly surprised by the unveiling of an avant-garde AR exhibition that pushed the boundaries of fashion and creativity through technology.
The exhibition, which was curated by Snapchat, featured five talented Saudi Designers — Hindamme, Atelier Hekayat, KAF by KAF, Abadia and Aram — who used Snap’s AR to bring their collections to life using AR-mirrors and Snap’s sophisticated try-on technology. The immersive experience featured venue landmarkers, designer showrooms, virtual runways, dress try-ons, as well as headpiece selfie Lenses, bringing together over 15 AR lenses.
Snap AR Ramadan Mall
Snap Inc.’s pioneering AR Ramadan Mall returned to the platform last holy month, seamlessly bridging the physical and digital worlds to create a unique and immersive retail experience powered by augmented reality. Following the overwhelming response to the inaugural Snap AR Ramadan Mall, which reached over nine million people, last year’s experience was even bigger and better, inviting the region’s most popular brands to showcase their products using a range of interactive shopping experiences.
As a virtual, true-to-life marketplace, the Snap AR Ramadan Mall allowed businesses and retailers to engage consumers with product demonstrations and AR experiences in an immersive retail space.
This 2023 edition promised to be even more exciting and innovative than its predecessor, incorporating a wide-range of fan-favorite brands spanning luxury, apparel, beauty, automotive and food & beverage. Through the AR mall, Snapchat was able to provide customers with an engaging shopping experience that is fun but true to how they would shop in real life. The virtual stores enabled brands to reach millions of shoppers and incremental visitors above and beyond their usual customers who typically step into their physical stores.
Riyadh International Book Fair
Snapchat in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia unveiled a cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) lens designed to revolutionize the interactive experiences of the deaf community during the prestigious Riyadh International Book Fair 2023.
The groundbreaking AR lens marked a historic leap as it became the very first Arabic sign language lens ever introduced in the Middle East and North Africa region.
The lens utilizes Machine Learning technology, enabling the camera to accurately identify and interpret 28 distinct hand gestures from the Arabic Alphabet used in Arabic Sign Language demonstrating how AR can enhance cultural events and engage diverse audiences.
The event showcased cutting-edge 3D Technology display, immersing attendees in an interactive experience where a book springs to life through the front selfie camera. With each tap, inspirational quotes on reading were unveiled, offering a unique and engaging journey.
Additionally, the event introduced a specially designed lens experience for children, aimed at promoting a love for reading. The experience transported users inside a hot air balloon crafted in the shape of a book, showcasing the message "Reading Uplifts You".
Garnier Green x KSA National Day
In celebration of KSA National Day, Garnier Green worked with Snapchat to unveil a one-of-a-kind opportunity powered by augmented reality. Snapchatters were invited to inspire the design of the next Garnier Tote and create for a noble cause while at it. The ‘Shop Greener, because Saudi Deserves Green’ initiative was in support of Garnier Green Beauty’s campaign that aimed to engage with communities across the Kingdom to encourage sustainable beauty choices.
By using the Green Beauty Lens this KSA National Day on Snapchat, the Saudi community were able to engage with an AR powered customizable tote bag experience. Amateur and professional designers showed off artistic flair and submitted awe-inspiring designs to @GarnierKSA for a chance to inspire the design of the next Garnier Tote. The winner was contacted via Snapchat and features from their design inspiration were showcased on the physical tote bag which was sold across Panda stores. Customers were also able to grab a tote bag for free on purchase of any Garnier product. Not only that, but if they came back with the tote bag, and purchased Garnier products worth only SAR50, they received SAR5 cashback!
