BTS comes back…with AR 👀 | Best Branded AR Filters in May

As brands compete for attention in increasingly crowded feeds, Augmented Reality continues to stand out as one of the most engaging marketing tools available. Interactive experiences are at the core of what makes users stop scrolling: They invite them to participate, explore, and connect.

Why does AR Marketing work so well? 🤔 It drives deeper engagement, increases time spent with campaigns, and helps build stronger brand loyalty. The key is simple: interactivity.

➡️ Social platforms are built around participation. Connecting with creators, brands, and communities in ways that feel natural and entertaining. AR transforms advertising into an experience users actively choose to engage with, making the connection between brand and audience far more authentic.

From immersive art exhibitions and interactive music releases to playful branded games and virtual experiences, AR continues to redefine how brands tell stories online.

BTS big comeback: SWIM in AR

The long-awaited comeback of one of the world’s biggest K-pop groups – BTS – is finally here. and the marketing campaign for the new SWIM track is set to make waves – literally. The key to its success lies in understanding the audience.

More than anything, K-pop culture thrives on community. Fans love connecting with each other, sharing excitement, creating content, and celebrating the music together. That’s exactly why Augmented Reality fits this campaign so naturally.

By launching interactive AR Effects on TikTok and YouTube Shorts (platforms where fan engagement is at its strongest), the campaign transforms listeners into active participants. On TikTok, fans can enjoy the rhythm-based gameplay inspired by the track, a particularly smart approach since game mechanics encourage repeat interaction and help the song stay memorable through repeated exposure.

At the same time, users can experiment with SWIM-inspired aesthetics on YouTube, incorporate them into their own content, and connect with fellow fans online, turning the campaign into a shared digital experience rather than just a traditional release.

Want to try the Friends McDonald’s Set? First, prove you’re a real fan…

In February 2026, McDonald’s Poland joined the global collaboration celebrating the iconic 90s sitcom with a limited-edition Friends menu, where each set included a collectible figurine inspired by one of the beloved characters. But before fans could get their hands on the collection, McDonald’s challenged TikTok users with one simple question: how well do you really know the Friends crew?

Using an interactive AR quiz controlled by head movements, fans could match items to the correct characters, test their knowledge, and compete for the highest scores to earn the title of the ultimate fan. This mechanic encouraged repeat engagement while making the experience instantly shareable on TikTok.

What makes this campaign especially effective is fits into fandom culture. Aside from only promoting the limited-edition menu, it strengthens the sense of community around the show. By rewarding knowledge and participation, the experience gives fans a feeling of belonging and turns their love for the series into something interactive, social, and competitive.

The Louvre x Snapchat collaboration is expanding

What if museum visitors could see ancient artworks as they once appeared? That’s the idea behind The Incredible Unknowns of the Louvre, an AR experience created by Snapchat and Musée du Louvre, expanding on an earlier edition focused on Ancient Egypt.

By scanning QR codes next to selected masterpieces, visitors activate AR layers that reveal original colors, hidden details, and lost forms directly on their smartphones.

Six iconic pieces are reimagined, from the Code of Hammurabi to the Bust of Akhenaten and revealing hidden meanings in Portrait of Anne of Cleves. Even sculptures like Rustic Figulines come alive, making education feel more memorable with interactive storytelling.

Designed with Louvre curators and based on archival research, the initiative deepens engagement with art history while staying grounded in scholarship. It also extends beyond the museum, with Snapchat AR Lenses available globally, letting users explore the collection in a playful, digital-first format.

From posters to portals: Horror era on Snapchat

Film marketing is increasingly moving beyond static visuals, especially in genres like horror where atmosphere is everything. Instead of simply showing a film, AR allows audiences to step inside its world before they even reach the cinema.

To celebrate The Mummy, a Snapchat AR Lens was created to immerse users in a cursed, atmospheric experience inspired by the film’s universe. It transforms everyday surroundings into part of the story, acting as a first encounter with its tone and world rather than a traditional promotion.

For The Bride!, a Lens developed for Warner Bros. Discovery lets users switch between Frank and The Bride through an interactive split-screen experience that reacts to movement and taps. This shifts the focus from viewing characters to temporarily becoming them, deepening the emotional connection to the film’s dual identity.

Compared to traditional posters, these AR experiences immerse users in the atmosphere of the movie giving audiences a more direct and memorable entry point into the story.

AR as the New Standard for Digital Engagement

What used to feel like a “new format” is now quickly becoming an expectation. People don’t just want to watch another ad; they want to interact with personalized content.

That shift is already visible in how audiences behave across platforms. Instead of passively consuming campaigns, users tap, try, play, and share experiences as part of their everyday digital habits. AR fits into this behavior almost instinctively, turning brand messages into something people can actually do, not just see.

And that’s where its real value lies. It doesn’t force attention or interrupt the experience, AR blends into it.

Augmented Reality is proving that marketing doesn’t have to be one-sided. By turning audiences into active participants, these campaigns show how creativity and technology can come together to entertain, inspire, and build lasting connections.