Sports & Fitness

Snap’s Big Play: Augmenting the Super Bowl

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Snapchat has been behind some pretty big plays but one of the biggest might be augmenting the Super Bowl. The camera company has a lot planned and it took a lot of big partners including Verizon, Uber, Nissan, and – of course – the NFL.

For the Fans at the Field

The biggest activation in terms of physical scale will be the collaboration between Snap, Arcadia, and Verizon to augment the stadium for live, in-person Super Bowl viewers. This experience will allow viewers to battle over control of a virtual airship hovering above the field.

This element of the experience will only be available to viewers in the stadium with compatible devices and networks. However, Verizon is counting in the rest of us by making a lens inspired by the experience that will be available to anyone in the country with a 4G connection.

For the Fans at Home

The airship experience isn’t the only way for Super Bowl fans to celebrate at home. In fact, most of Snap’s activations and integrations are for those of us who won’t be making the trip to SoFi Stadium.

Other tools within Snapchat will also have Super Bowl fever. Watch the game on television with an eye on special Snap codes shown on screen and scan them with your Snap camera for even more experiences. Also, the Discover menu, the Spotlight section, and Cameo stories and stickers will have special game-themed videos, activities, and more.

Bengals Cameo sticker

Snack, Snap, and Rap

Snap has also teamed up with Doritos and Cheetos to launch the world premiere of the “Flamin’ Hottie” dance video by recording artist Megan Thee Stallion. Fans launch the experience by scanning their Crunchy or Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, Flamin’ Hot Cool Ranch, or Nacho Cheese Doritos with the Snapchat camera.

 

On Superbowl Sunday, this turns the snack bag into an AR dance video but it isn’t the only way to watch the experience. Those who aren’t fans of junk food or don’t use Snapchat can find recordings of the experience on the Doritos and Cheetos YouTube pages the following day.

Uber and Uber Eats have also partnered with Snapchat with a lens and filter. This experience is a game of “Uber Eats and Uber Don’t Eats” that allows fans to sort edibles and non-edibles into “Eats” and “Don’t Eats” bags. The ridesharing and delivery platform will also use the big day to launch “our first commercial product.”

Driving and Drafting

The automotive company Nissan has also partnered with Snap on an AR lens inspired by their Super Bowl ad spot. With the Lens open, Snapchatters only need to aim the camera at any car to summon a virtual Nissan Z.

Nissan Snap AR lens

Sports betting giant DraftKings also has an ad-inspired AR lens and filter. This experience will be placed first in the Snapchat carousel, but only in select states and for Snapchatters of legal gambling age within those states.

For the Non-Snappers

What about football fans that don’t have Snapchat but might be interested in AR activations? Snap has them covered too.

For the first time ever, the NFL used Snap’s Camera Kit technology to create AR experiences for users of the NFL OnePass app. From within the app, with no Snapchat required, fans can see a virtual Lombardi Trophy, wear an AR team jersey, or create a personalized poster to commemorate the event.

AR Lombardi Trophy and Lombardi Trophy Snapcode

See You at Super Bowl LVI!

The Super Bowl has always been a social occasion. But, with all of these companies creating all of these experiences with one of the most social companies in the world, this will be a game to remember.

Jon Jaehnig

Jon Jaehnig is a freelance journalist with special interest in emerging technologies. Jon has a degree in Scientific and Technical Communication from Michigan Technological University and lives in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. If you have a story suggestion for Jon, you may contact him here.

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