TL;DR
Snapchat and OUTFRONT Media have launched a live augmented reality experience in Times Square, allowing visitors to interact with AR lenses and see their images projected on billboards. The event promotes HBO Max’s House of the Dragon Season 3 and is the first of its kind in Times Square.
Snapchat and OUTFRONT Media launched Crowd Created, a live augmented reality spectacle in Times Square today, featuring HBO Max’s House of the Dragon Season 3. Visitors could interact with AR lenses and see their images projected on iconic billboards, marking the first time Snapchat’s AR technology has been used in this way in Times Square. This event highlights a new approach to real-world advertising and fan engagement.
From 3 PM to 7 PM today, visitors in Times Square could step in front of a four-sided Snapchat AR Mirror, where they interacted with custom AR lenses related to House of the Dragon. These lenses allowed users to virtually wear Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen’s crown and immerse themselves in the series’ world. After engaging with the AR experience, their images and interactions appeared live on OUTFRONT’s Duo Duffy billboards, creating a dynamic, participatory spectacle.
The initiative, called Crowd Created, is a collaboration between Snapchat, OUTFRONT Media, and HBO Max, designed to turn Times Square into an immersive fan experience and a new advertising format. According to Stacy Minero, OUTFRONT’s Chief Marketing and Experience Officer, the campaign demonstrates how combining innovative technology with premium media can transform public spaces into engaging environments. Snapchat’s Head of Media and Entertainment, Laurel Duquette, emphasized that this experience invites fans to see themselves within their favorite stories, elevating fandom participation into a real-world event.
Innovative Use of AR in Major Public Space
This event represents a significant step in integrating augmented reality into mainstream advertising and entertainment promotion. By projecting live images of visitors onto Times Square billboards, the campaign creates a novel, participatory experience that could influence future marketing strategies. It also demonstrates how brands can leverage AR technology to deepen audience engagement and turn passive viewers into active participants, especially for high-profile series launches like House of the Dragon. The collaboration signals a shift toward immersive, real-time fan experiences in iconic urban environments.
AR mirror for interactive advertising
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First Live AR Billboard Projection in Times Square
Times Square is known as a premier advertising hub, with nearly 300,000 visitors daily and peak periods reaching 400,000. Traditionally, the area hosts static billboards and digital ads, but recent innovations have focused on interactive and immersive experiences. Snapchat has been expanding its AR offerings, and HBO Max’s recent series launches have increasingly used digital and experiential marketing. This event marks the first time Snapchat’s live AR projections have been used in Times Square, setting a precedent for future campaigns that combine real-time AR with high-visibility outdoor advertising.
“With Crowd Created, Snapchat and OUTFRONT have transformed the streets of New York into Westeros — dragons and all. By combining Snapchat’s industry-leading AR technology, HBO Max’s award-winning IP, and OUTFRONT’s premium IRL media canvases, this campaign demonstrates how innovation can turn real-world environments into immersive experiences that people don’t just see – they step into.”
— Stacy Minero, OUTFRONT Chief Marketing and Experience Officer
Future of AR Billboards in Urban Advertising
It is not yet clear whether this initiative will be expanded to other locations or series. Details about long-term plans, potential commercialization, or broader deployment of live AR billboard projections remain undisclosed. Additionally, the technical and logistical challenges of scaling such real-time AR experiences in high-traffic urban areas are still being evaluated.
Next Steps for AR Campaign Expansion
Further developments are expected as Snapchat, OUTFRONT, and HBO Max evaluate the success of this event. Future campaigns may include additional live AR spectacles in other high-profile locations or for other series, potentially establishing a new standard for outdoor fan engagement. Details about upcoming projects or expanded deployment are anticipated in the coming months.
Key Questions
Will this AR experience be available again in Times Square?
It is not yet confirmed whether the live AR projection will be repeated or made a regular feature. The current event was a limited-time campaign for the House of the Dragon Season 3 launch.
Can visitors participate in other AR experiences in Times Square?
While this specific event involved the Snapchat AR Mirror and billboard projection, other AR experiences in Times Square are generally limited and vary by campaign. This particular setup was unique to the House of the Dragon promotion.
Will this technology be used for other brands or series?
Potentially, yes. The success of this campaign could encourage other brands and entertainment properties to adopt similar real-time AR experiences in public spaces.
What technical challenges are involved in live AR billboard projections?
Implementing real-time AR projections at scale involves challenges such as ensuring synchronization, managing high visitor volume, and maintaining technical stability for seamless interactions.
Source: Google Trends
