Snap Inc. and The Weekend Australian Magazine have collaborated on an augmented reality (AR) cover for the final issue of 2023, “The Hot List”, on sale this Saturday December 16 in The Weekend Australian.
In an Australian exclusive, the immersive multimedia cover will bring one of Snapchat’s AR moments from the Louvre’s Egypt Augmented experiences to Australian shores.
In October, Snap's Paris-based AR Studio and the Musée du Louvre unveiled “Egypt Augmented”, a series of educational augmented reality experiences to be enjoyed on-site in the Department of Egyptian Antiquities and in the cour Carrée of the Musée du Louvre in Paris.
The AR experiences reveal the shapes, materials, colours and decorations of the selected works, all of which have disappeared over time. These experiences have been illuminated thanks to augmented reality and Snap’s custom landmaker technology.
By using their phone camera to scan the QR code on this Saturday’s print cover, The Weekend Australian Magazine’s readers will unlock a second digital cover, with a bespoke AR experience which interacts seamlessly with the physical edition and transports readers to the Louvre.
"To pay tribute to Champollion's original vision, the 222-ton granite obelisk de la Concorde can now be seen in the centre of the Louvre's cour Carrée through immersive augmented reality technology. With The Weekend Australian Magazine’s AR cover, readers will discover a moving, digital construction of the obelisk in the cour Carrée, brought to life via Snapchat.
Elizabeth Colman, editor at The Weekend Australian Magazine, said partnering with Snapchat, which has been pioneering the use of AR worldwide, felt like an incredible opportunity to deliver something truly spectacular for the final issue of the year.
:The bringing together of Egyptian antiquities with cutting-edge technology at the Louvre is a fascinating story, and being able to exclusively offer our readers a taste of this magic with the nation’s first Snapchat AR cover, is testament to our focus on creating innovative, compelling ways to delight and engage our growing national audience," she said.
Donatien Bozon, director of Snap Inc.’s AR Studio, Paris, said augmented reality is about technology overlaid on the real world.
"Our team works to demonstrate the creative, artistic and educational potential of this tech within the Arts and Culture fields, beyond the well known lenses for fun and self-expression that millions of Snapchatters experiment with every day," said Bozon.
"It was such an honour for us to partner with an esteemed institution like the Louvre on the “Egypt Augmented” exhibition, which unveils some of the mysteries of Ancient Egypt to the Museum's visitors.
"We were also excited to work with The Weekend Australian Magazine, which is such a highly-regarded national publication, to celebrate this exhibition and bring a piece of the experience to Australians.”
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