Wednesday’s Comeback, McDonaldland & YouTube’s AI Takeover | Best Branded AR Filters in August

August slipped away into a moment in time 🎶 and slowly but surely, summer 2025 is coming to an end. But before we turn the page to a new season, let’s take a look at the standout AR campaigns that defined this month. ⛱️🌤️

While beauty, fashion, and FMCG brands kept experimenting with try-ons and playful randomizers, one industry stole the spotlight in August: entertainment. From highly anticipated movie and TV premieres to nostalgic comebacks, platforms like TikTok and Snapchat gave fans a chance to step inside fictional worlds, meet beloved characters, and even become part of the story.

But that’s not all—luxury product activations, interactive games, and YouTube’s fresh AI-powered effects made August a month full of creativity and innovation.

Here are the highlights. ⤵️

Enter the Spooky Universe of Wednesday Season 2

To promote the return of Wednesday, Netflix launched a series of AR effects across social platforms that perfectly matched the show’s eerie, gothic vibe. Fans could try a gesture-controlled game, spooky randomizers predicting their future, and themed makeup Filters, each enhanced with iconic aesthetics and elements from the show like Thing.

The campaign not only encouraged fans to share their experiences online but also deepened their sense of belonging to the Addams family’s creepy world.

McDonaldland: A Nostalgic Comeback in AR

Snapchat and McDonald’s teamed up to revive the beloved world of McDonaldland with a set of immersive Lenses created by Arcadia. Users could explore a 3D McDonaldland Map alongside their Bitmoji, play mini-games like Grimace Island Dash and Fry Frenzy, and unlock collectible postcards that revealed animated stories.

The magic didn’t stop there. Nearly 14,000 McDonald’s restaurants across the U.S. turned into interactive McDonaldland playgrounds through the Step Into McDonaldland Lens, blending nostalgia with cutting-edge AR.

A New Era for AR Creators with YouTube’s AI Effects

YouTube Effect Maker is quickly evolving from a brand-new tool into a powerful AR platform, and its latest update introduces AI-driven features that open new creative possibilities. Users can now play with AI to enhance their content, whether celebrating personal wins with animated flair or finding inspiration for a pirate costume.

While the platform is not yet open for all AR Creators, it’s already promising a wide range of features to experiment with, making YouTube content more engaging, personal, and entertaining.

King of the Hill: Become Part of the Gang

To celebrate the 14th season of King of the Hill, Hulu invited fans to step directly into Arlen, Texas, through a series of Snapchat Lenses. Users could interact with characters, pose for photos, or take on themed mini-games like becoming the king of the barbecue.

By letting audiences hang out with Hank, Peggy, and the rest of the gang, the campaign turned nostalgia into an interactive, shareable experience just in time for the show’s big comeback.

This month proved that AR thrives at the intersection of entertainment, nostalgia, and innovation. From spooky worlds and animated comebacks to AI-powered creativity and restaurant transformations, brands are finding ever more engaging ways to pull audiences into their stories. As summer closes, these campaigns remind us that AR is no longer just an add-on—it’s becoming the main stage for fan connection and brand storytelling.

Stay tuned for September, where new seasons, fresh launches, and maybe even some early Halloween magic will keep pushing AR marketing forward. 🎃🍂