Samsung's AR Tool Immerses Young People in World Cultures

As global travel has been restricted for the past 18 months, new cultural experiences have often seemed far off. But Samsung found a way to bring people to different parts of the world, all without leaving the couch. As a sponsor of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, the tech brand set out to create an experience that would engage younger audiences while also transcending cultural barriers. The result is Samsung’s World Lens, an AR tool that immerses users in multicultural moments ranging from Sweden’s Midsommar festival to Shaku, a popular form of Nigerian dance. Created by Bartle Bogle Hegarty, the virtual experience is part of the International Olympic Committee’s official Tokyo 2020 app and will continue to run throughout the Paralympics. World Lens, which has been in the works for two years from the strategy phase to development, came about because Samsung and IOC tasked BBH with using technology to reach Generation Z and Millennial audiences. The Olympics has had challenges engaging younger people; the median age for a TV viewer of the event is typically in the low to mid 50s, according to Nielsen data. Millennials see themselves as 'global citizens' The agency started with the premise that “the Olympics are way more than a celebration of sport,” BBH lead creative and art director Andrea Ferrara said, adding that younger people also show more of an interest in the cultural side of the Olympics. According to a 2017 survey commissioned by Western Union, 57% of Millennials see themselves as “global citizens” rather than citizens of any one country. Seventy-seven percent of Millennials also agree that the rise of social media has played a significant role in uniting the world, promoting transparency and encouraging debate on global issues. “Our core target audience increasingly see themselves as global citizens,” John Harrison, managing partner and effectiveness lead at BBH, explained. “Samsung wanted to bring together its sponsorship of the Olympics and its technology, which is in more people’s hands across the globe than any other brand, as a way of helping people understand more about cultures from around the world.” The team also wanted to create a technological experience that was more meaningful than what is often available on social and digital platforms, Ferrara said. World Lens comes with the tagline: “Explore cultures. Break down barriers. Be stronger together.” World Lens offers eight separate experiences on the platform, which was built in partnership with The Mill. The agency came up with the different moments by holding focus groups in about 20 countries and asking participants what parts of their culture they would like to share with the world. 'All the stories have the theme of togetherness' Each experience is split into three parts. It starts with a short story that teaches a lesson and provides context about that piece of culture. Then comes a challenge, in which the user can step into the moment and perform tasks. Finally they receive an award, where they can celebrate what they learned and take a selfie. For example, one experience is an underground techno club in Germany. First, users learn how techno started after the fall of the Berlin Wall and how it brought German youth together—“all the stories have the theme of togetherness,” Ferrara explained. The challenge entails the user transforming into a DJ where they can mix their own beats and unite the crowd through dancing, before taking a selfie in the club. Another lens gives people the chance to make a finger heart, a gesture that was popularized in South Korea with the rise of K-Pop (pictured below). World Lens users can also pick flowers for their own Midsommar crown in Sweden, learn Nigerian Shaku moves, skateboard in California and create Brazilian graffiti—all virtually, of course. World Lens offers eight separate experiences on the platform, which was built in partnership with Mill+. As the experience is still running until the end of the Paralympics, Samsung has not yet gathered statistics about usage. But the team is hoping it achieves a much bigger goal beyond a few minutes of play on an app. “We’re not trying to do another Snapchat; we’re trying to create something a lot more meaningful. Instead of reading about different cultures, you actually get to experience them,” BBH lead producer Märta Nelson said. “The more you learn about different cultures, the better you understand them and you’re more open and able to relate to them.” CREDITS: Samsung:IMC Strategy, Senior Professional, Brand Strategy Group: KJ Kang IMC Strategy, Senior Professional, Brand Strategy Group: Derek Lee Senior Professional, Brand Strategy Group: Jayoung Grace Ahn IOC:Head of Business Partner Integration, International Olympic Committee: Anji Fisher Business Development & Digital Planning, International Olympic Committee: Rodrigo Lacal OCS Senior Programme Manager, International Olympic Committee: Yianna Marinou Agency: Bartle Bogle Hegarty Lead Creative/Art Director: Andrea Ferrara Creative Director: Pablo Gonzalez De La Peña Lead Producer: Märta Nelson Business Lead: Natalie Barry Head of Digital Production: Richard Atkins Account Director: Thomas Patterson Account Manager: Jessica Walley Account Executive: Jessica Garlick and Brad Crosbie Strategist: Aarohi Dhir Group Strategy Director: John Harrison Copywriter: Charlie Pendarves Animator: Josh Bailey UX Designer: Jack Thomas Designers: Sophie Harper and Sean Hobman Production Company: The Mill+ Producer: Michelle Hagen Production Company Animation: Black Sheep Studios and Lazy Chief Editing House: Black Sheep Music Sound: String and Tins Music Supervisor: Charlie Howard Music Composition: Mike Bamford Sound Engineer: Joe Wilkinson Producers (Website and Social): Märta Nelson, Susan Liu and Rich Atkins Lead Creative: Andrea Ferrara Digital Designers: Josh Bailey and Sophie Harper Strategist: Mara Dettmann Production Company: Black Sheep Studios Media Agency: Starcom Talent Agency: PSE The Olympics Is Showing Its Age as Major Brands Question Whether It's Worth Advertising In

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How Samsung Made an AR Tool to Help Young People Travel Across Cultures

The brand's World Lens for the Olympics and Paralympics aims to break down cultural barriers

Brittaney Kiefer

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Brittaney Kiefer