Warner Bros. Partners With Snapchat For Voice-Activated AR Lenses Promoting DC Comics Superhero Movie Shazam!

Shazam!, the latest release from Warner Bros. and the DC Comics Extended Universe (DCEU), opens April 5^th. As with most superhero movies, Shazam! arrives with much anticipation and promotion.

Warner Bros. And Snapchat Partner For A First-Ever AR Experience

Shazam! is the story of a disgruntled teenage boy who can summon superhero skills by saying “Shazam!” This initiates the usual superhero stuff like flying, fighting crime, wearing a tight suit and so on. In a clever alignment with Snapchat, fans can shout, “Okay Shazam!” at their Snapchat app to activate the Shazam! augmented reality (AR) experience. With a puff of smoke and a flash of lighting, the Snapchat lens overlays Shazam’s costume on the user’s body, complete with bubblegum snap.

In order to access the experience, Snapchat users must first scan the Snapcode, available across the web and on billboards, murals and posters in Times Square and LA.

The Shazam! AR lenses are the first promotion using Snapchat’s voice-activated AR, which the social media giant unveiled in August of 2018. Other films have used non-Snapchat AR for promotional purposes, and Snapchat offered non-voice-activated lenses for The Secret Life of Pets 2.

Connecting With Generation Z Snapchat Users May Lead To Ticket Sales

Snapchat has 186 million daily active users, 130 million of whom use lenses every day, and 50% of movie ticket sales are made by Snapchat users. Of Generation Z, the target market for Shazam!, 69% use Snapchat and 21% claim Snapchat influences their purchasing decisions. Creating a unique experience for users – like the voice-activated AR lenses – that’s quick and fun, can enamor users to a brand or social event. The addition of the Fandango button, which allows users who try out the lens to quickly buy tickets, can drive conversions and turn a moment into a purchase.

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With more than 20 years of writing, editing and reporting experience, Sarah Cavill brings to Digital Media Solutions (DMS) a fine-tuned and diverse set of skills. Her work has been featured in notable publications including The Daily Muse, CBS Local, Techlicious and Glamour magazine. Sarah has a passion for current events and the deep-dive research that goes into the content development and brand identity of DMS Insights. In her role as Senior Marketing Communications Writer, Sarah contributes to the pitching, researching and writing of multiple stories published each week surrounding digital and performance marketing innovations in pop culture, news, social media, branding and advertising.

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