Snapchat wants to change the way we consume art
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For the second year in a row, Snapchat has chosen to showcase its innovation at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity through an art exhibit, rather than a flashy stunt like the branded Ferris wheel it constructed at the festival in 2017.
Why it matters: Snapchat wants to elevate its brand by proving its technology can make the world a better place. It's doing that by investing in art collaborations around the world, showing ways that art can be redefined through augmented reality (AR).
Be smart: This is a long-game strategy. Snapchat is hoping that by partnering with artists to showcase their work in a new way, it can create a more impactful understanding of its brand.
Driving the news: At this years' Cannes Lions Festival, Snapchat partnered with Los Angeles-based artist Alex Israel to debut new advancements in the ways AR can better unlock an artists' vision.
- The exhibit allowed users to literally look into Israel's mind, by pointing their Snapchat cameras at pieces of his artwork and watching as the artwork transformed to tell stories from inside Israel's head.
The big picture: Snapchat has previously collaborated with other artists around the world to provide similar AR-enabled art viewing experiences.
- Last year at Cannes, Snapchat engineers collaborated with artist Christian Marclay to produce an exhibition based on the sounds in posts created by Snapchat users.
- In 2017, it debuted its first-ever "on-site" augmented reality lens in partnership with famed artist and sculptor Jeff Koons. Users were able to view exclusive Koons sculptures by pointing their phones within 1,000 feet of specific locations around the world.
What's next: Expect to see more Snapchat collaborations with artists at festivals around the world.
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