Snap Inc’s augmented reality-based virtual mall has attracted 12 million shoppers during Ramadan 2023.
This points to a growing allure of immersive retail experiences across the region, which led to a 33 per cent increase in visitors.
Integrated marketing communications director at Alshaya Group, Anne Tulloch, said: “Ramadan is an incredibly important occasion for our customers and to reach them in the most relevant and innovative way we partnered with Snapchat to bring both Bath and Body Works & American Eagle stores to them via augmented reality.
“By creating a unique shopping experience, customers could easily engage with both the brands and products in an environment in which they already spent vast amounts of time, enabling a greater immersive, connected experience to both brands.”
Snapchatters had to the mall through the carousel and the organic lens explorer where a personalised tile alongside a collection of nine lenses was be displayed throughout the holy month.
The platform, which collaborated with brands including American Eagle, Ounass, Eyewa, Max Fashion and FACES, has reached an average playtime of more than 26.3 to deepen the connection between brands and consumers that resulted in 2.1 times the return on ad spend.
The Snap AR Ramadan Mall platform was created last year to improve customers’ engagement with brands through a virtual and true-to-life marketplace.
Snap’s recent retail white paper with PwC demonstrates that 80 per cent of Saudi consumers felt more confident in their purchases when using AR, whilst 66 per cent of people are less likely to return an item they bought via AR try-on.
Senior creative strategist for Snap Inc. Mena, Mohammed Bouarib, said: “The Snap Ramadan AR Mall resonates with consumers because it showcases a bold, live and fresh approach to shopping in the Middle East that puts them in a buying mindset.
“Due to the proven success of the Snap AR Ramadan Mall in its inaugural year, we were able to proudly scale participation in 2023 and provide an opportunity for brands to introduce innovation into product sales that drive real business results. This includes an eight-plus point lift in brand awareness, a 10-plus point lift in ad awareness and a tenfold increase in action intent, proving that AR is an essential tool in the marketing mix all the way through the funnel.”
