Augmented Reality (AR) Content Production

AR is a way of bringing digital content into the real world around the viewer. By tracking content to our environment we are able to add context and depth to storytelling.

AR isn’t about filters and gimmicks. Done well, it bridges digital and physical worlds to make information clearer, training sharper, and stories stick. We focus on where AR works best – and tell you when it doesn’t.

The image on the left is from one of our latest AR projects, for Selfridges, London. They had a giant virtual artwork by Jon Emmony suspended in their atrium. See the project here.

We produce WebAR, App based AR (iOS and Android) and social AR such as Snaplenses and TikTok Filters.

Types of AR

WebAR

Augmented reality delivered straight through the browser. No downloads, no delays, just instant access. That simplicity makes it the go-to choice for most of our clients.

We build WebAR on 8th Wall, the leading platform in this space. Browser-based AR is in a constant race with mobile security restrictions, but 8th Wall continues to stay ahead – offering features that rival many app-based builds. We’re an official 8th Wall partner.

WebAR isn’t perfect. It struggles with precise 3D object detection and some advanced effects like occlusion (placing content naturally behind real objects) or background removal in selfies. But progress is rapid – from sky replacement to Niantic’s visual positioning system, which anchors content precisely to real-world locations.

We’re seeing WebAR move fast from “good enough” to “seriously powerful.”

The above picture shows a WebAR experience we built for Harrods as a take over of some of the Brompton Road windows.

Social AR

Augmented reality through platforms people already use – Snapchat Lenses, TikTok effects, Instagram filters. The big advantages: powerful creative tools, built-in distribution, and no learning curve for users.

The catch is file size. At 4-8 MB per experience, Social AR tends to favour stylised, lightweight content over photorealism. Our team knows how to work within those limits – and, when possible, around them – to deliver striking results.

The above picture shows the custom Mercedes G-Wagon from our ‘Project Gelandewagen’ experience. Here you can place the car anywhere through Social AR.

Social AR is evolving quickly. TikTok is doubling down, while Snapchat is rolling out “Landmarks” that let you augment icons like the Eiffel Tower or Buckingham Palace.

App-Based AR

The heavyweight option. App-based AR unlocks the full feature set: lidar scanning, occlusion mapping, high-end world tracking, and everything else that makes AR feel truly immersive.

If you already have an app, we can integrate AR seamlessly. If you don’t, we can build one from scratch. We’ve done both – from a standalone Selfridges app to AR modules inside BT Sport and Louis Vuitton. Builds can be native or Unity-based.

For organisations that want to push AR to its fullest potential – or future-proof their digital strategy – app-based AR is where the ceiling disappears.

The above picture is from the BT Sport advert about the new AR features we put in to their native app.

Mixed Reality

Mixed reality overlays digital content directly into your field of view through head-mounted devices. The term is often used loosely, but today it mainly covers two approaches:

Optical overlay – content projected onto transparent lenses (e.g. Microsoft HoloLens, Snap Spectacles, Meta Orion).
Digital pass-through – the real world captured by cameras and re-displayed with AR layered in (e.g. Apple Vision Pro, Meta Quest 3).

MR is where AR meets wearables. Still early, but with enormous potential as hardware matures.

How we work

1. Creative Consultation

All of our projects start with a call or meeting to discuss what it is you want to create using Augmented Reality, and what you hope it will achieve. Because AR is still a fairly new technology, there are often misconceptions about what it can and can’t do, and so our role at this point is to be clear and honest about your idea, whilst offering suggestions on how the project might work.

2. Product Scoping & Prototyping

Then we’ll get to work on a product scope – a detailed description of what it is we’re creating, the exact functionality it will have, and the associated timelines & costs. Once this has been agreed, we start building the first iteration of your product.

3. Production Review & Amendments

At regular intervals throughout the prototyping process, we’ll send you builds of the product to review and feedback on. This way, any issues are picked up quickly and changes made. Obviously it depends on the size of the project, but most AR projects take between 4-6 weeks.

To view some of our recent Augmented Reality projects, head to our Work page.

Let’s talk about whether AR is the right fit for your project.

FAQs

WebAR or an app, how do we choose?

Reach versus capability. WebAR opens from a QR code in the phone’s browser with nothing to install, which is why it wins for anything public-facing or one-off. Our Louis Vuitton building takeover is an example of app AR at the other end of the scale. An app tracks more reliably, can use the LiDAR scanner on iPhone Pro models, performs better and opens up more advanced features, but you have to persuade someone to download it.

Budget follows the same split. WebAR activations run £15,000 to £85,000. A native app AR campaign at full scale is nearer £100,000.

What can AR actually track?

Four approaches, each with trade-offs:

Image-marker tracking. The most stable. Works from a printed marker, a poster, a coaster or packaging.
Surface tracking. Places content on floors and tables. Much better than it used to be, though a plain featureless floor can still struggle.
World tracking and SLAM. Maps the space around the user.
VPS. Anchors content to a specific real-world location, which is what you want for a building or a landmark. See our AR work for examples.

Highly reflective or mirror-finish objects are the hardest case in WebAR, because browser-based tracking works from photogrammetry rather than the LiDAR scanner. If your product is one of those, we’ll test it before quoting the build.

Is there an ongoing cost for AR?

Yes, and we’ll show it as a separate line. WebAR runs on a licensed third-party platform, and the licence plus hosting typically runs £450 to £1,150 a month depending on the platform and your expected traffic. The first 12 months is usually built into the project price.

Worth being clear about the boundary: a hosting fee covers hosting. Changes to the experience after launch are quoted separately.

How long does WebAR stay live?

Twelve months from launch as standard, then renewable. If you want it permanent, we’ll build and price it that way.

Can we add more AR experiences later?

Yes, and it’s cheaper the second time. The first experience carries the creative development and the build framework.

Additional experiences on the same foundation have come in from around £17,000, though a seasonal or themed variation with substantial new animation can cost considerably more. It depends entirely on how much new content is involved rather than on the reuse.

Do you make social AR filters?

Yes, though the platforms have changed considerably. Social AR is excellent for shareability and reach, but you’re building inside someone else’s product with their constraints.

For anything where you need control over the experience, WebAR is usually the better home.