Stranger Things Portal
In 2017, a new Apple ARKit update had made it possible to anchor AR to the ground and let users move around it. Like a portal to another world.
This update caught my eye. I was working on a Stranger Things campaign with Netflix, and looking for ways to immerse fans in the “Upside-Down.”
Using the new tech, with Netflix, we prototyped an AR version of the iconic Byers living room. Any Snapchat user could walk through the room, interact with Easter eggs, and unlock a payoff at the end. We compressed this complex build to load instantly in Snapchat’s Lens carousel. Unlike an in-person VR experience, which Netflix had also created, our portal was accessible to the whole global audience. The world took notice, and the work won awards.
Today, the “portal” AR format has become a standard offering for Snapchat marketing campaigns.
Watch the case study.
Close-up on the experience.
Press
The Hollywood Reporter: 'Stranger Things' Snapchat Lens Takes Users to the Upside Down
Fast Company: Snapchat’s “Stranger Things” Lens Is The First Of Its Kind
Business Insider: Netflix is running a Snapchat lens that serves as a portal into the 'Stranger Things' living room to promote the show's second season
Awards
Clio (Silver)
ThinkLA Innovator (Gold)
Addy (Silver)
Snapchat “Biggest Breakthrough”
Business Insider’s “Best Ad of 2017”