Photo source: Snapchat
Snapchat, the social platform used by more than 900 million people each month, has introduced a festive AR-powered retail experience that transforms holiday shopping into an immersive journey through interactive digital boutiques. With its new digital winter village, Snapchat is offering its own reinterpretation of the in-store shopping vibe. The concept also serves a strategic purpose: appealing to Gen Z, a generation that still gravitates toward physical retail.
According to PwC’s holiday study, 61% of Gen Z prefer to discover new products in person, drawn by the chance to see and touch items, enjoy seasonal store displays and take advantage of exclusive promotions.
The first-ever Snapchat Winter Village debuts in partnership with luxury fashion house Boss, Swiss watch and jewellery maker Chopard, and French beauty label Lancôme. Each brand has crafted its own unique virtual boutique, featuring exclusive AR experiences developed together with the creative studio Atomic.
The winter village aims to mirror the most enjoyable aspects of physical shopping, giving users the chance to wander through branded boutiques and examine products up close through AR. 79% of Snapchat’s users say augmented reality helps them make purchasing decisions.
Consumers can enter the experience through Snapchat’s Lens Carousel or via each brand’s public profile. Chopard’s virtual boutique, designed with soft, paper-like ivory textures, lets users explore signature watches and jewelry, with interactive AR cards revealing the story behind each piece. Lancôme offers a train-themed fragrance journey, where the pink-and-gold Lancôme Express glides above snowy mountains, showcasing different scents, each accompanied by AR product storytelling.
Snapchat’s initiative illustrates how luxury brands are reshaping their marketing strategies to connect with Gen Z, whose influence in the category continues to rise. Boston Consulting Group projects that this generation will represent 25% of global luxury spending by 2030, a sharp increase from just 4% before the pandemic.
