Snap’s pioneering AR mall returns this Ramadan, offering an immersive retail experience that seamlessly bridges the physical and digital worlds

After the resounding success of Snap’s inaugural AR-powered mall in 2022, the immersive experience returns with more brands and bigger experiences on offer

Snap Inc.’s pioneering AR Ramadan Mall will return to the platform this holy month, seamlessly bridging the physical and digital worlds to create a unique and immersive retail experience powered by augmented reality. Following last year’s overwhelming response to the inaugural Snap AR Ramadan Mall, which reached over nine million people, this year’s experience is even bigger and better, inviting the region’s most popular brands to showcase their products using a range of interactive shopping experiences. With retail purchases expected to increase by 33% during the holy month*, the power of AR can offer brands a unique platform to set themselves apart and connect more deeply with consumers.

As a virtual, true-to-life marketplace, the Snap AR Ramadan Mall allows businesses and retailers to engage consumers with product demonstrations and AR experiences in an immersive retail space. What’s more, this year's edition promises to be even more exciting and innovative than its predecessor, incorporating a wide-range of fan-favorite brands spanning luxury, apparel, beauty, automotive and food & beverage. Through the AR mall, Snapchat aims to provide customers with an engaging shopping experience that is fun but true to how they would shop in real life. The virtual stores will enable brands to reach millions of shoppers and incremental visitors above and beyond their usual customers who typically step into their physical stores.

The full list of brands that will participate in the Snap AR Ramadan Mall this year include:

• Ounass
• Bath & Body Works
• American Eagle
• Eyewa
• NiceOneSA
• Faces
• Max Fashion
• Toyota
• Nestle

Mohammed Bouarib, Senior Creative Strategist for Snap Inc. MENA, added: “We are thrilled to be bringing back the ‘Snap AR Ramadan Mall’ this year and to be partnering with some of the most innovative brands in the market. With 85 percent of our MENA daily Snapchatters interacting with lenses every day, brands can now bring their shopping experiences to audiences while they are at the comfort of their own homes, allowing them to browse, explore and share products with family and friends. With this personalized experience, Snapchatters will enjoy a highly immersive shopping journey that can increase customer engagement, amplify advocacy and ultimately drive sales.”

“The retail shift is already happening on our platform and through our Camera, with an average of 80 percent of consumers in both Saudi Arabia and the UAE expecting and desiring to use AR as a practical "tool" in their everyday lives. We are excited to continue enabling retailers and consumers to build real relationships and exchange memorable and meaningful journeys that go beyond a swipe-up or product click. We are confident that this year's AR Ramadan Mall will surpass the previous edition and provide even more value to customers, paving the way for more creative and disruptive experiences in commerce, ” continued Bouarib.

Last year, the Snap AR Ramadan Mall was an instant hit, garnering more than 85 million impressions. The first-of-its-kind mall sought to redefine commerce through AR, giving consumers an immersive experience to shop popular brands during the holy month. The experience highlighted the evolution of AR and how technology can reshape the way consumers and businesses interact, providing consumers with the experiences they crave. The success of the mall was demonstrated through 378k swipe-ups, whilst 70% of people in KSA and 78% in UAE took action during or after the experience. 

Snapchatters will have access to the mall through the carousel as well as on the organic lens explorer where a personalized tile alongside a collection of nine lenses will be displayed throughout the month of Ramadan.