Feb 21, 2019
On February 13, for London Fashion Week, Lego opened a “virtually” empty pop-up store for one day to sell a limited-edition apparel range that could only be bought through Snapchat.
The only thing in “The Missing Piece” pop-up in London’s Soho district was a Snapcode, a QR code for Snapchat, displayed on a plinth. Scanning the Snapcode transported the shopper via their smartphone screens into an augmented-reality (AR) fashion boutique.
Visitors were then able to explore the AR space that featured a DJ booth, arcade machines and bouncer, all made of Legos. Lego mannequins showcased the streetwear range that could be bought online through an integrated “Shop Now” feature on Snapchat.
The AR Lens is available to Snapchat users in the U.S. and Europe online, and the overall campaign is designed to drive traffic to the wider range available from the Lego Wear e-commerce site.
Will Scougal, director EMEA creative strategy at Snap, said in a statement, “Snapchatters engage with AR naturally, on average 70 percent of them play with an AR lens every day. So, with the addition of e-commerce — to an exciting experience like this one — we’re able to drive sales, too.”
The Lego campaign moves AR commerce a step ahead. Several AR tools enable consumers to try-on glasses, make-up and other items before purchase.
At the store level, AR has been largely used as a novelty tactic for branding purposes. This past weekend in Charlotte for the NBA All Star Game, for instance, Nike partnered with Snapchat to let NBA fans create their own AR filters.
Writing for Women’s Wear Daily, Adriana Lee noted that AR pop-ups pack some of the advantages of online selling, such as avoiding the need for inventory or displays, as well as similar downsides, e.g., not being able to feel the fabric.
“Still, it’s an intriguing exercise, even if it works better for branding than actual transactions,” Ms. Lee wrote. “Lego and Snapchat will have a clearer picture once the final traffic or sales numbers roll in. If either are good, then this probably won’t be the last time shoppers see a clothes-less clothing store.”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: What do you think of the potential to bring virtual shops via AR to physical spaces, whether through pop-ups or permanent stores? Do you see such shopper experiences working more as a branding or commerce tool?
” I see AR use cases as very real for things like store planogramming, dynamic product information and branding before commerce. “
