Case Study: Fashion Effects — Style This Look and Pose like Zara Models

Fashion brands are increasingly leveraging augmented reality (AR) to engage with their audiences. One innovative approach involves creating AR filters that enable users to style looks or pose in unique ways, transforming ordinary selfies into engaging promotional snippets. These interactive advertisements capture viewers’ interest and encourage sharing, thereby expanding the brand’s presence and exposure. This case study examines two AR filters created to enhance user interaction and brand engagement: “Style This Look” and “Pose like Zara Models.”

Style This Look

Objective: To allow users to virtually style outfits using clothing photos from H&M and other brands, creating a personalized fashion experience that promotes the brand’s products.

Development Process:

1. Inspiration: Gained inspiration from fashion influencers on Pinterest to understand the latest trends and user preferences.
2. Asset Creation: Utilized Photoshop to create 2D assets, including clothing items, bags, and shoes.
3. AR Integration: Developed the filter on Effect House for TikTok, integrating assets and interactions using blueprints to allow users to mix and match different items.

Challenges:

• Asset Quality: Ensuring high-quality, realistic 2D assets that seamlessly integrate into the AR environment was challenging. This required meticulous attention to detail and iterative testing.
• User Interaction: Designing an intuitive user interface that allows users to easily navigate and interact with the clothing items was complex. Ensuring the filter responded accurately to user inputs was crucial.
• Cross-Platform Consistency: Maintaining consistency across different devices and ensuring the filter performed well on various screen sizes and resolutions.

Learnings:

• User-Centric Design: Focusing on user experience is paramount. Iterative testing with real users helped refine the interface and interactions, making the filter more user-friendly.
• Attention to Detail: High-quality visuals significantly enhance user engagement. Investing time in perfecting the 2D assets paid off in terms of user satisfaction and filter performance.
• Technical Proficiency: Proficiency in tools like Photoshop and Effect House is essential for creating seamless AR experiences. Continuous learning and staying updated with new features and techniques is beneficial.

Pose like Zara Models

Objective: To tap into the social media trend of posing like Zara models by creating a filter that prompts users to strike poses and compile them into a photo collage, mimicking the style of Zara’s marketing images.

Development Process:

1. Trend Analysis: Identified the growing trend on social media where users imitated Zara models’ poses.
2. Asset Creation: Used Photoshop to create 2D assets and vintage textures that aligned with Zara’s aesthetic.
3. AR Integration: Developed the filter on Effect House for TikTok, integrating assets and interactions using blueprints. The filter gave users three seconds to strike a pose for each photo, culminating in a four-photo collage.

Challenges:

• Trend Relevance: Ensuring the filter remained relevant to the trend required quick development and deployment. Delays could result in the trend losing its appeal.
• Timing and User Guidance: Providing clear instructions and timing cues was critical. Users needed to understand when to pose and how the filter worked without extensive explanation.
• Aesthetic Consistency: Matching the aesthetic of Zara’s marketing images required careful attention to detail in asset creation and filter design.

Learnings:

• Agility: Being able to quickly respond to social media trends is crucial for maximizing engagement. Fast development cycles and flexible design processes are key.
• Clear Communication: Effective user guidance within the filter ensures a smooth user experience. Clear visual and audio cues can enhance usability.
• Brand Alignment: Ensuring the filter’s aesthetic aligns with the brand’s image strengthens brand recognition and user association.

Conclusion

The development of the “Style This Look” and “Pose like Zara Models” filters showcased the potential of AR in fashion marketing. These interactive advertisements not only captured user interest but also encouraged sharing, significantly boosting brand exposure. The challenges faced during development provided valuable learnings, emphasizing the importance of user-centric design, attention to detail, technical proficiency, agility in trend response, clear communication, and brand alignment. These insights are crucial for future projects aiming to leverage AR for enhanced user engagement and brand promotion.