WebAR for Pop-Ups: No App Needed, Just More Engagement

Pop-up shops are great for telling a brand's story in a fun, physical space. To make them even more memorable, many brands are turning to AR (Augmented Reality). AR puts digital elements into the real world through your phone, creating unique experiences.

A good example is SK-II. They let people scan the front of their pop-up store to launch an AR effect which shows the female protagonist breaking free from the shackles of fate. While customers were queuing up to experience the pop-up store's other services, it not only created a new touchpoint for the brand to convey its spirit to consumers but also alleviated the boredom of the waiting process.

We know AR can be powerful. On average, people spend over 90 seconds with a good AR experience. But for years, most brands avoided it for pop-ups. The reasons were simple:

1. Requires an App: The cost of driving consumers to download a dedicated app is very high.
2. Too Expensive: The number of specialized AR developers is smaller than that of common web developers, making custom projects relatively costly.
3. Takes Too Long: Building AR from scratch often takes months, which doesn't work for fast-paced pop-up schedules.

The Simple Solution: WebAR

The main problem—needing to download an app—is now solved with WebAR. This technology lets users access AR directly through their phone's web browser. No app needed. A customer arrives at your pop-up, scans a QR code on a sign, product, or display, and the AR experience starts immediately in their browser!

You can also add more interesting interactive elements on top of this.

• Treasure Hunts: You can have people scan different items to find hidden content.Like Loewe, AR treasure hunt strengthens consumers' awareness of the suna fujita collaboration series by having them constantly search for and scan the small animal images on the products.

• Virtual Try-Ons: Let people try accessories or makeup virtually via their camera, helping consumers shorten the decision-making process.

• Interactive Displays: By scanning the interior decoration or products of the pop-up store, an AR effect can be triggered, helping the brand guide consumers to understand the product highlights.

The goal is to use WebAR as a smooth, easy bridge between your physical pop-up and your digital brand story.

Once the issue of experience is resolved, then how can we reduce costs and increase efficiency?

This is where platforms like Kivicube come in. While other solutions exist, Kivicube is built specifically for marketers and creators, not just developers.

Why Kivicube Works for Pop-up Teams:

1.It's Truly No-Code. You don't need to be a programmer. If you can drag, drop, and upload files, you can build an AR experience. It feels like making a presentation.

2.Templates Save Time. Need a virtual product demo or a simple game? Kivicube has over 200 ready-made templates from many industries like packaging,beverage, and digital arts. Pick one, simply swap your assets in, and you can have a testable experience in an afternoon—not in three months.

3.It's Cost-Effective. Kivicube also offers a comprehensive set of APIs for developers to utilize. By combining the visual editor with these APIs, even a standard web developer can efficiently create professional AR projects.

4.Publish Anywhere. Once built, you can share your WebAR via a simple link OR publish it directly to social media platforms like Instagram. This increases the number of users entering the marketing funnel, helping the brand enhance conversion rates.

WebAR fixes the biggest issues with old-school AR for pop-ups: it's instant and frictionless. A platform like Kivicube then fixes the biggest issue for brands: it makes creation fast, affordable, and simple.

This combination means any brand can now add an unforgettable, interactive layer to their pop-up events, turning casual visitors into engaged participants and customers.

Ready to bring AR interaction to your next pop-up?

Start for free on Kivicube and build your first WebAR experience in minutes! no download, no code, just your idea.

👉 Get Started on Kivicube.com