The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition is its own institution, but like much of print media in the modern world, it risks losing relevance in a digital age. Enter SnapChat, Trigger and the Mixed Reality Agency, who are turning the Swimsuit Edition into an augmented reality (AR) experience.
Sports Illustrated say that the latest Swimsuit Edition of Sports Illustrated is the most immersive experience ever produced by the company.
The issue will feature exclusive AR experiences, such as a 3D hologram of this year’s cover model, to portals that let readers walk on to the set of an SI Swimshoot photo shoot. Also featured will be an exclusive ‘behind the scenes’ virtual reality (VR) experience.
The immersive content can be viewed by using the LIFE VR mobile app available on iOS and Android, or through the LIFE VR Samsung Gear VR channel and LIFE VR Windows Mixed Reality app.
Sports Illustrated are also celebrating the launch of the 2018 Swimsuit Edition by working with SnapChat to produce a custom ‘World Lens’. This lens lets readers get a feel of what it’s like to be a cover model by letting them put themselves on the cover.
In order to unlock the special World Lens, users will need to focus the camera on the ‘Snapcode’ then press and hold on the screen. The snapcode will unlock the lens for a 24 hour period.
SnapChat and Sports Illustrated have been working together since 2016 to bring SnapChat users access to behind the scenes features for the Swimsuit Edition. In partnership with the Mixed Reality Agency, SI used Snap#s recently released Lens Studio in order to create the AR features for the 2018 issue, one of the first major publishers to use Lens Studio in this way.
Further news on new and upcoming VR and AR experiences will be right here on VRFocus.