TL;DR
Snapchat and OUTFRONT Media unveiled Crowd Created, a live augmented reality experience in Times Square, allowing visitors to interact with House of the Dragon AR lenses and see themselves on billboards. The event runs from 3PM to 7PM today, marking a new era in IRL advertising.
Snapchat and OUTFRONT Media have launched Crowd Created, a live augmented reality spectacle in Times Square that allows visitors to interact with AR lenses and see their images projected onto billboards in real time. The event is part of the promotional campaign for HBO Max’s House of the Dragon Season 3, premiering June 21.
From 3PM to 7PM today, visitors in Times Square can step in front of a four-sided Snapchat AR Mirror and engage with custom House of the Dragon AR lenses, which digitally dress them as characters from the series, such as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen. After interaction, their images are live-streamed onto OUTFRONT’s Duo Duffy billboards, creating an immersive, participatory experience in one of the most visited public spaces in the U.S.
This is the first time Snapchat’s AR technology has been used to project visitors live onto Times Square billboards, integrating real-world interaction with digital storytelling. The campaign aims to turn a typical advertising moment into an engaging, shared spectacle, leveraging the high foot traffic of Times Square, which averages nearly 300,000 visitors daily and peaks at 400,000.
Mark Doumet, Vice President of Originals Marketing at HBO and HBO Max, emphasized that the campaign transforms fandom into participation, stating, “Through this partnership with Snapchat and OUTFRONT, we’re harnessing innovative technology to bring fans inside the world of House of the Dragon, transforming a simple interaction into a larger-than-life moment.” Stacy Minero, OUTFRONT’s Chief Marketing and Experience Officer, highlighted that the campaign “demonstrates how innovation can turn real-world environments into immersive experiences that people don’t just see — they step into.”
Revolutionizing Urban Advertising with Live AR
This event represents a significant shift in outdoor advertising, combining augmented reality with real-time projection and audience participation. It illustrates how brands can create memorable, immersive experiences that deepen engagement and foster social sharing. For HBO Max, it offers a novel way to promote a major series, potentially setting a new standard for experiential marketing in high-traffic urban spaces. The collaboration between Snapchat, OUTFRONT, and HBO Max highlights the growing importance of AR as a tool for innovative brand storytelling and audience interaction.
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Recent Advances in AR and Urban Campaigns
While AR has been used in various marketing campaigns, live projections involving real-time interaction and billboard displays are still emerging. Snapchat has previously demonstrated AR lenses and filters, but this is among the first instances of full-body, multi-sided AR mirrors integrated into a major city’s billboard infrastructure for a branded experience. Outfront Media has a history of innovative out-of-home advertising, and HBO Max continues to leverage digital and experiential marketing for its flagship series. The timing coincides with HBO Max’s upcoming release of House of the Dragon Season 3, aligning the campaign with the series’ promotional schedule.
“Through this partnership with Snapchat and OUTFRONT, we’re harnessing innovative technology to bring fans inside the world of House of the Dragon, transforming a simple interaction into a larger-than-life moment.”
— Mark Doumet
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Unclear Aspects of the AR Spectacle’s Future
It is not yet confirmed whether this AR projection event will be repeated regularly or if it is a one-time promotional stunt. Details about the technical setup, such as the scalability of the AR mirror or the potential for similar events in other locations, remain unconfirmed. Additionally, the long-term impact on viewer engagement and brand recall has not been assessed, and the full scope of the campaign’s reach beyond Times Square is still to be determined.
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Next Steps for AR-Driven Urban Campaigns
Following today’s event, HBO Max and their partners may evaluate viewer response and social media engagement to gauge effectiveness. There could be plans to expand similar AR experiences to other major cities or for other series promotions. Industry observers will likely monitor whether this approach influences future outdoor advertising strategies, with potential for more brands to adopt live AR projections in high-traffic urban environments. Additionally, the success of this campaign may lead to further technological innovations in experiential marketing.
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Key Questions
Will the AR spectacle in Times Square be available again?
It is currently unclear if the event will be repeated. The launch appears to be a limited-time promotional effort tied to the House of the Dragon Season 3 premiere.
Can visitors participate in the AR experience outside of Times Square?
At this time, the AR spectacle is exclusive to the Times Square location during the specified hours of 3PM to 7PM today.
How does the AR projection work technically?
Visitors interact with a four-sided Snapchat AR Mirror that captures their images and digitally dresses them. The images are then live-streamed onto OUTFRONT’s billboards, creating a real-time, immersive experience.
Is this a permanent advertising change or a temporary stunt?
It appears to be a temporary promotional event designed to boost the upcoming series premiere, with no indication of it becoming a permanent fixture.
What other brands or series might use similar AR experiences?
While specific plans are not confirmed, the success of this campaign could encourage other brands and entertainment properties to explore live AR projections in urban settings.
Source: Google Trends
