Latest / Social Media Marketing with Fexingo: Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Platform Strategy / Why Brands Use Social Media for Augmented Reality Filters
Transcript
- Lucas: So you're scrolling through Instagram, and a friend's story pops up — they're wearing a pair of sunglasses that look amazing, but you know they don't actually own them. It's a branded AR filter. And that little piece of virtual eyewear might have just driven more purchase intent than a traditional ad ever could. Luna: Right, and it's not just sunglasses. Brands are going all in on AR filters — from makeup try-ons to virtual sneaker drops. I've seen everything. Lucas: Exactly. And that's what we're digging into today — why brands are using augmented reality filters on social media, and whether they actually move the needle on sales. I'm Lucas. Luna: And I'm Luna. And if these marketing conversations have sparked something you've actually used at work, or even just made you think differently about a campaign — Lucas: — then we'd love if you'd consider supporting the show. The way we keep this ad-free is listener support. You can head to buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. That's buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a small way to say this is useful, and it helps us keep going. Luna: Absolutely. No pressure — just if it's added value for you. Now, back to AR. Lucas, what's the big sell for brands? Lucas: The big sell is engagement that actually feels native. A study from earlier this year showed that branded AR filters have an average engagement time of over 20 seconds — compared to maybe two seconds for a static image. And it's not just time spent; it's interaction. People are tapping, swiping, sharing. Luna: I remember when IKEA launched their Place app years ago — you could plop a virtual sofa in your living room. But that was app-based. Now it's all happening right inside Instagram or TikTok, no download required. Lucas: That's the key friction point removed. Let's talk specifics. Nike launched an AR filter for the Air Max 270 React — you could point your phone at your feet and see the shoe on you. The campaign saw a 20% lift in click-through rate compared to standard video ads. Luna: Twenty percent — that's significant. And it makes sense, because you're essentially doing a virtual try-on, which is the closest thing to in-store experience online. Lucas: Right. And Sephora's Virtual Artist — that's been around a while, but they've kept iterating. It now allows you to try on thousands of lipstick shades, and they report over 200 million try-ons to date. The conversion rate for users who engage with the filter is measurably higher than for those who don't. Luna: It's almost like a product demo, but fun. And shareable. That's a third element — people love sharing their AR selfies, so the brand gets free distribution. Lucas: Absolutely. The shareability is a huge organic driver. Gucci did a filter that turned you into a virtual model wearing their collection — it became a trend. They didn't pay for influencers to post; users became the influencers. Luna: But let's be real — not every brand has Gucci's budget. What about smaller players? Can they get in on this? Lucas: They can, and they are. Meta's Spark AR platform and Snapchat's Lens Studio allow brands to create filters with minimal coding. Some agencies now offer basic AR filters for under a thousand dollars. The key is to keep the utility high — don't just slap your logo on a lens. Give people a reason to use it. Luna: Utility — like trying on a product, or maybe a filter that helps you choose a foundation shade. That's useful. But I've also seen filters that are just… there. A frame with a logo. Do those work? Lucas: They can, if the creative is genuinely entertaining. But the data suggests that utility-driven filters see higher retention. A beauty brand's lip try-on filter gets reused; a simple branded frame gets used once and forgotten. The ROI is better when the filter solves a problem. Luna: And on the measurement side — how do brands track that ROI? Because I know engagement time and shares are nice, but at the end of the day, you need to tie it to revenue. Lucas: Good point. Some platforms now offer ar specific analytics — number of captures, shares, and importantly, click-through to product pages. You can set up deep links so that tapping the filter leads directly to a checkout page. Sephora does that — you try on a shade, tap, and you're on the product page ready to buy. Luna: That funnel is so short. It's awareness to consideration to purchase in like three taps. Lucas: Exactly. And that's why AR filters are becoming a staple in product launch campaigns. When Samsung launched the Galaxy S24, they had an AR filter that let you 'unbox' the phone virtually. It generated millions of impressions before the phone even shipped. Luna: I think the key takeaway is that AR filters work best when they're part of a larger campaign, not a standalone gimmick. They need to be integrated with the product and the call to action. Lucas: Absolutely. And one danger I see is brand fatigue — if every brand is doing AR filters, users might start ignoring them. The novelty wears off. So brands need to keep innovating, maybe by adding gamification or personalization. Luna: Yeah, like a filter that changes based on your location or the time of day. That would feel fresh. Lucas: Or one that uses the phone's camera to detect your skin tone and adjust the product recommendation accordingly. That's where AR and AI meet. Some beauty brands are already testing that. Luna: Let's talk about TikTok specifically — because their AR effects are a bit different from Instagram. What's working there? Lucas: TikTok's AR is heavily tied to trends and challenges. A brand might launch a filter that lets users participate in a dance challenge or a transformation video. For example, Chipotle created a Burrito Bridge filter that turned your face into a giant burrito — sounds ridiculous, but it was hugely popular and drove app downloads. Luna: That's the shareability factor on steroids. TikTok users love jumping on trends, and if the filter is part of a hashtag challenge, the reach can explode. Lucas: Exactly. And the platform makes it easy to discover brand filters through the effects tray. The best part is that user-generated content using the filter continues to spread even after the campaign ends. Luna: So for a marketer listening, what's the number one piece of advice you'd give before they jump into AR? Lucas: Start with a clear objective. Do you want awareness? Engagement? Conversions? Then design the filter around that. Also, test it on multiple devices — AR performance varies wildly. And finally, have a plan for measurement. Don't just count impressions; track the full funnel. Luna: And maybe start small. A simple filter that solves one problem is better than an ambitious one that crashes. Lucas: Exactly. The beauty of AR is that it's still relatively new for social media marketing — early adopters can stand out. But the window is closing. As more brands jump in, the bar for creativity and usefulness will keep rising. Luna: So if you're thinking about it, now might be the time to experiment. Lucas: Agreed. And that's the conversation for today. Thanks for listening, and we'll be back with another episode soon.