Snap cements AR partnership with WPP to tap on eCommerce boom

Snap and WPP have tied up to help brands build and deliver immersive experiences for consumers using AR. With a particular focus on eCommerce, the partnership combines Snap’s AR technology with WPP’s integrated capabilities across creative, media, commerce and technology, allowing WPP clients to better connect with their customers on the Snapchat platform and drive results through AR.

As Snap's first agency AR partner, WPP will collaborate with the company on new products and technology, such as the recently launched Snapchat Trends tool, which allows teams to use proprietary insights and data to inform creative and campaign development. WPP will also gain access to a custom AR Lab Strategy Guide, which includes best practices to inform creative development using Snap’s AR technology while ensuring that branded AR experiences can be brought to market faster and easier.

Additionally, Snap and WPP will implement a co-developed custom optimisation scorecard for WPP clients, which will be used to generate more effective campaigns. Their methodology aims to provide insights into the performance of these campaigns, allowing teams to measure success and adapt in real-time.

According to a recent study commissioned by Snap, 94% of people are expecting to use AR for shopping purposes the same as or more than 2022 versus 2021. At the same time, WPP said it was an early adopter of AR technologies and has led the market by investing in its AR capability and partner ecosystem. GroupM has doubled its 2021 social AR investment in the last year.

The partnership will further develop WPP’s AR capability through a structured learning and development curriculum via the AR Lab Academy, a training programme centred on AR technology and products. With support from a dedicated team at Snap, the programme aims to certify a minimum of one thousand WPP employees by the end of this year. In addition, Snap will sponsor a quarterly AR production competition for WPP clients. The competition will focus on clients in key markets, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, the UK and the US, and for the most innovative AR experiences, Snap will provide funding to bring the winning campaigns to life on Snapchat at scale.

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