Meta pulls the plug on AR effects platform Meta Sparks

Meta is shutting down its AR effects platform Meta Sparks, effective 14 January 2025. 

Following the shutdown in January, AR effects built by third parties, including brands and AR creators, will no longer be available on Meta platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Messages. Users will no longer see third-party AR effects when accessing the camera too. 

On top of that, creators will also no longer be able to log into Meta Spark Studio, Meta Spark Player or Meta Spark Hub. 

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In a statement, Meta said it is "committed to making this transition as smooth as possible", adding that the decision is part of its larger efforts to prioritise the products it believes will best serve the future needs of its consumers and businesses alike. 

"On behalf of everyone at Meta who has worked to bring you Meta Spark, please know that we close this chapter with deep gratitude towards you – the users who have created, published, shared, and enjoyed AR Effects across Meta’s platforms over the past seven years," said Meta in the same statement. 

Up until the 14 January, creators will still be able to use the Meta Spark platform to create, publish and manage AR effects across Meta's family of apps. 

In addition, if a user has already used a creator or brand's AR effect in a story or reel, the content will not be affected. Meta affirms that it will also continue to maintain the platform until the shutdown date. 

The tech giant also recommends AR creators and businesses who have published effects to Instagram, Facebook or Messenger to download and save project files, assets and demo videos. 

"If you are an AR creator and want to continue to showcase the AR effects you built on Meta Spark, we recommend you create a portfolio on an external website," it added. 

Comments seen by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE reveal that users are "heartbroken" about the news and also expressed gratitude to the platform for uplifting their careers. 

Some users questioned Meta's decision to remove the platform and its tools, adding that they don't understand the reasoning behind the shutdown. 

Meta Sparks first came into the scene in 2017. Over the years, brands such as JobsDB and Diageo have levered AR effects for its campaigns. 

Just last year, Singapore Post (SingPost) invited Singaporeans to find its SingPost posting boxes in its "Finding Postie" augmented reality experience campaign. The campaign was part of its 165^th anniversary celebrations.

The islandwide campaign was done in collaboration with creative agency PROTOCOL and aimed to cast a spotlight on the iconic and sometimes overlooked posting boxes, according to a statement by the company.

"Finding Postie" leveraged Meta’s Spark augmented reality filter technology on Instagram to drive community engagement on social media when participants interact with the posting boxes around them with the 65th anniversary decal.

Meanwhile, in 2021, JobsDB developed AR filters as part of its "Office's heart talks" to target Gen Z's and their mindset about work. JobsDB collaborated with multiple micro-influencers to amplify the creative on their own IG Stories, while tagging JobsDB's official Instagram profile.

Within just a month, the series of AR Filters generated more than 180,000 impressions, over 21,000 opens, above 5,800 video captures and around 440 shares. The results showed that more than 90% of the engaged users were Gen Z: 61% were 18 to 24 years old; 30% were 13 to 17 years old.

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