Mumbai, November, 2023.
Today
Snap Inc. hosted its inaugural APAC AR Day in Mumbai, India, celebrating
Snapchat’s leadership in Augmented Reality (AR), its thriving AR creator and
developer community, and the company’s ongoing commitment to democratising AR
for users and brands.
The
event saw Evan Spiegel, Snap CEO and Co-Founder, engage in a candid fireside
chat with Snap APAC President Ajit Mohan as a part of Spiegel’s three-day trip
to India. The discussion centered around the adoption of AR globally by
consumers and brands, India's booming creative talent pool, the future of AR,
and Snap's innovative approach to this transformative technology.
“I love the energy of the young and
vibrant Indian developer community. With over 200 million Snapchatters in
India, we're seeing more and more creators, developers and brands tap into our
community’s passion for augmented reality experiences. We're excited to be
building the future with such incredible local talent.” said
Evan Spiegel, Snap Inc. CEO and Co-Founder.
Ajit
Mohan also delivered a keynote address that emphasized the strength of India's
thriving AR creator and developer community and their innovative collaborations
with brand partners.
Highlighting
the hyper growth of the AR creator community in India, Ajit Mohan, President, APAC, Snap Inc. said, “Thanks to the innovation and creativity of these incredibly talented
AR developers and creators, Snapchatters around the world are able to engage
with immersive AR experiences which bring everyday moments to life. Snapchat is
deeply committed to empowering these creators, offering monetization avenues
and providing innovative tools to support their creative aspirations. We are
honoured to have had creators from all over India and across APAC attend Snap’s
AR Day to celebrate this ongoing innovation.”
The
event saw AR developers, creators, advertisers, brands, and content creators
attend sessions led by expert speakers including Ty Ahmad-Taylor, Snap’s VP Product Growth, Resh Sidhu, Global Director
Arcadia, Snap’s AR Creative Studio, Haran Ramachandran, Snap’s APAC Head of
Creative Strategy, and Jeremy Voss,
Snap’s Director of Product. Through these engaging sessions, attendees were
able to learn about Snap’s latest AR innovations and engage with interactive AR
try-On stations.
With
over 250 million people1engaging
with AR on Snapchat daily on average, Indian AR developers are building strong
businesses on the platform. The Snap AR creator community in India grew by 60% in 20222,
and given the positive trends, will continue to grow with talented AR creators
from all walks of life in 2024 as well.
One
such creator is Vivek Thakur, who
began his academic journey in medicine but switched to microbiology due to
financial constraints. It was during his college years that he discovered the
immersive world of augmented reality, creating the immensely popular
"Smoke Flare" Lens which was a global viral Lens that generated over
10 billion impressions on Snapchat. Vivek is now a successful AR developer who
collaborates with renowned brands such as Coca-Cola as well as creating custom
Lenses found on Snapchat.
Emphasizing
the opportunities that are paving new revenue streams for AR creators, Vivek Thakur, Snap Lens Network member, said, "AR Lenses have gained immense
popularity in India as they encourage visual expression. Snap is empowering
creators and developers like myself by providing us with creative tools and
opportunities to generate revenue through Lens creation. Even for creators
without coding backgrounds, by using Snapchat’s Lens Studio, which is
incredibly intuitive, they can build careers and strong communities.”
In
August this year, Snap launched the Lens
Creator Rewards program, a new way for Snap AR creators, Lens developers,
and teams to get rewarded for building top-performing Lenses on Snapchat.
Snapchat
has a distinctive and unduplicated audience, as well as advanced advertising
solutions, and has emerged as a key partner for brands. This is especially true
given the growing adoption of AR among Indian users, providing businesses with
a unique opportunity to connect with this user base.
In
India, 95% of Gen Z individuals3
express a keen interest in using AR for shopping, with 73%believing3 that AR experiences provide a more
personal touch. Moreover, globally, AR demonstrates an impressive 94% higher conversion rate4when
consumers interact with products, resulting in a 25% decrease in return rates4.
Snap
featured its AR try-on booth at the AR Day event, offering attendees an
opportunity to experience this innovative technology firsthand. These stations
provided various try-on experiences, including fashion and beauty.
Further
igniting the festive fervor, Snapchat is gearing up to bring the festive spirit
alive for its 200 million Indian users5
with the launch of special Diwali-themed AR Lenses.
One
of them called the “Sweets Make My Diwali Complete” exclusive Lens, built by Snap Lens Network creator Karishma Katiyar,
helps decorate mithai shops with firecrackers, diyas, and floral decor, adding
to the festive vibe.
With
a Connected AR Lens developed by Snap Lens Network inventor Pal Kagrecha, one
can enjoy painting a virtual rangoli during Diwali even if away from home.
These
Lenses bring the warmth of Diwali come alive, allowing Snapchatters to
celebrate and share the festive spirit with loved ones.