This holiday season, Snapchat is all set to bring a smile on the faces of tourists through its Augmented Reality experience. While the United Kingdom (UK) is not the most exciting place for a tourist right now, thanks to the freezing December weather and the Brexit hype, the ongoing refurbishment of the Big Ben also makes the UK not a great time for a visit. However, Snapchat has tried to remedy this problem and help tourists get a selfie with the Big Ben through Augmented Reality.
Snapchat has designed a Westminster-specific lens that allows tourists to watch the Large Benjamin in all its glory behind its peeled back scaffolding. This can be done by pointing the Snapchat lens at the Big Ben and clicking a selfie with its Elizabeth Tower using AR. Since it is Christmas, the Big Ben also shows a humongous sign that says “Happy Holidays” and a snow globe. Tourists can also save money at a souvenir store because if they take a selfie with the Big Ben, they also enjoy a Union Jack top hat.
The Vice President of the platform of Snap Camera, Eitan Pilipski shared, “We are thrilled to unwrap Big Ben for our Snapchat community in London. This holiday, we wanted to showcase the imaginative power of Snap’s Augmented Reality experiences by deconstructing the scaffolding around Big Ben – at least for a few special moments. We believe that every great AR experience reveals new possibilities. Our goal was to bring together the most cutting-edge mapping and imaging technologies to create the kind of unique, location-specific experience that only Snap – and perhaps Father Christmas – can deliver.”
Snapchat is always on top of its game when it comes to incorporating Augmented Reality with their platform. This new step of bringing tourists to the UK and helping them not feel deprived of the majestic Big Ben is just another feat in the success of this company. It is believed that the lens will be accessible to tourists for a few more months and it will also be updated to enhance its looks for the coming months.