UNIQLO SG goes all out with AR mural, in-store activation and mask giveaway to support hawker culture

UNIQLO is going all out to put Singapore's hawker culture at the forefront this National Day through a series of initiatives starting this July. The brand is creating an AR mural and exhibition display across UNIQLO Town stores. It will partner local artist duo 8EyedSpud and MeshMinds, a creative tech studio partnered with the United Nations Environment Programme, to create an interactive in-store, augmented reality mural at ION Orchard. This will build on UNIQLO’s commitment in support artists and the creative work they produce, while bringing the local arts and culture to the masses to encourage creativity and individual expression.

In this creative intersection between art and Augmented Reality (AR) technology, customers can unlock interactive experiences about hawker culture via “creative prompts” that appear upon pointing their mobile screens at the mural. Shoppers can further engage with the wall mural by unlocking an interactive face filter on Instagram after scanning the AR mural.  Banking on local hawker heroes, these filters allow users to take selfies with their favourite hawker art, further immersing them in the hawker experience. As part of its local initiative, Uniqlo is also partnering with HawkerHeroes.sg to distribute 14,000 AIRism mask packs to local hawkers from June onwards. This comes shortly after its distribution of 13,000 AIRism masks by UNIQLO to the entire fleet of foodpanda riders last year.

The AR experience will be complete when customers also access the background melody - a mix of a groovy, upbeat tune with the clinking of woks and kitchenware. This momentarily transports customers to the familiar environment of the hawker centre and brings it to life.

The brand will also create a UTme! T-shirt customisation service at Orchard Central that will allow shoppers to create one-of-a-kind designs by printing elements of the mural on UNIQLO’s iconic T-shirts. This customisation service offers added personalisation, encouraging all to show their admiration for local food. To educate the masses on hawker culture and encourage sustainable practices, each UNIQLO Town store will sport a distinctive showcase.

The stores at Plaza Singapura and Orchard Central will kickstart a series of pop-up showcases at its sustainability corners. Held in partnership with Zero Waste SG, the showcase at Plaza Singapura will display common types of disposables and their reusable alternatives, to encourage shoppers to bring their own reusables when doing takeaways. To reflect UNIQLO’s commitment to sustainable stewardship of valuable resources through its business, the showcase at Orchard Central highlights UNIQLO’s efforts in reducing single-use plastic by phasing out plastic shopping bags and introducing eco-bags. In addition, Orchard Central will have a showcase highlighting interesting facts about Hawker Culture. As UNIQLO’s global flagship store is known to showcase the brand’s full assortment of LifeWear, the showcase will also highlight how AIRism technology provides maximum comfort in warm environments like hawker centres.

Joyce Tan, marketing director of Uniqlo said, “Hawker Culture, which is included in UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, is a source of pride for all Singaporeans. An integral part of our daily lives, it represents a community spirit and our shared love for food. This coming National Day, UNIQLO would like to welcome Singaporeans in celebrating this hallmark of local culture together and preserve it for the generations to come.”