Snap announced on Tuesday that it’s launching a global creative studio to help brands develop augmented reality (AR) advertising and experiences. The new studio is called Arcadia and aims to help companies develop experiences that can be used across web platforms and app-based AR environments.
The studio will partner with brands and creators to engage with Snapchat’s millennial and Gen Z audience. Arcadia has already partnered with numerous companies, including Verizon, WWE, Shake Shack and P&G Beauty.
Arcadia will function as a division of Snap and have the creative freedom to operate independently and help brands create AR experiences, not just for Snapchat but for other social media platforms as well. Snap outlines that Arcadia will serve brands and creators in various ways that align with their goals. For instance, Arcadia can take on all of a brand’s AR production or simply offer AR strategy expertise to clients in the form of workshops and trend reporting.
“Arcadia delivers a compelling solution for brands and agencies who understand the immediate value of developing world-class AR experiences, rooted in craft, technology and customer experience,” said Jeff Miller, the global head of creative strategy at Snap, in a statement. “With the launch of Arcadia, Snap Inc. is further investing in an AR ecosystem, backed by partners, creators and tools, that drives full-funnel results for businesses across the globe.”
Snap has been leveraging AR capabilities across Snapchat in several different ways over the past few years. Its first popular foray into the technology gave users the ability to add filters, such as dog ears, on top of their photos and videos. The company later expanded this by letting users add their animated Bitmoji characters to their videos.
More recently, Snap announced several updates to its developer tools and AR-focused Lens Studio, many of which are focused on bringing shopping deeper into the Snapchat experience. The company also announced a new generation of its AR-capable Spectacles in May. The fourth generation of the glasses will operate 30 minutes at a time, feature dual 3D waveguide displays and a 26.3-degree diagonal field of view.
