AC/DC Highway to Hell Lens & Filter
Social media AR empowers fans to experience the Highway to Hell like never before.
When AC/DC’s seminal LP ‘Highway to Hell’ debuted on July 27, 1979, it solidified the band’s place in rock ‘n roll history. This summer’s 40th anniversary celebration has created an opportunity for the band to reconnect with their die-hard followers and reach a new, younger audience that craves a good vintage throwback but mostly relies on digital fandom to find it.
AccessAR and Columbia Records have delivered a nostalgic reboot of the AC/DC experience with the creation of a Highway to Hell 40th anniversary Snapchat lens and Facebook filter. These interactive augmented reality experiences are designed to rev up lifelong AC/DC fans and entice a new fan base to find out what legendary rock really feels like.
Both the lens and filter open with the front facing camera, and glowing red devil horns—inspired by the horns featured on Angus Young in the original album art—are placed on the user’s forehead. An updated AC/DC anniversary logo appears in the frame, and the user is prompted to open their mouth to trigger pyrotechnic flames behind them. The anthem Highway to Hell blasts in the background, and dual face detection means fans can rock out with a friend. Videos can then be shared as a Snapchat story, streamed on Facebook Live, or shared as a story or timeline post.
The band’s social media team released the Snapchat lens last Friday, sharing the Snapcode on AC/DC’s Twitter feed and Facebook page, followed by a targeted Reach x Frequency Sponsored campaign that dropped the lens into Snapchatters’ carousels over the weekend—racking up views in the six figures and counting.
The glow of the devil’s horns was created using a 2D plane that provided an outline of the horns. A texture was then applied to the plane with a 'screen' blend mode to give a realistic glowing effect.
The pyrotechnic explosion effect—designed to make the user feel like they’re performing with the band on stage—was achieved by segmenting the user’s head and body, allowing them to be placed in front of the explosion animation that is triggered whenever they open their mouth.
The Snapchat lens is intended to engage a younger audience that may not have had an introduction to the rock ‘n roll canon and the impact AC/DC has had on it. The Facebook filter streamlines fan engagement with a more seasoned audience who prefer to use this platform as their go-to source for news and entertainment.
It’s no revelation that Facebook is most popular with a vintage audience, while Snapchat is the domain of younger digital natives. By creating an AR fan experience that allows for a generational overlap and creates a virtual footprint for AC/DC, the lens catapults the band back into the cultural fold.
Unlike standard advertorial social media posts, interactive AR experiences are immersive and encourage fans to engage rather than simply scroll past. Static and video imagery can get lost on oversaturated social platforms, but lenses and filters place the user in the centre of the fan experience which fosters authenticity, creativity—and are a lot more fun!
AccessAR’s collaboration with Columbia Records and AC/DC signals our mission to change the way audiences discover, consume and interact with music through social media. Our AR music model helps integrate artists across genres into the digital mainstream. You can expect our team at AccessAR to continue to innovate, educate and support market adoption of lenses and filters on Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram.
Reach out to learn more about how you can use AR lenses and filters to increase the reach of your next campaign!
Services
Lens & filter development
3D modeling & animation
Client
Sony Legacy for Columbia Records
Platforms
Snapchat and Facebook
