AR-First Journalism from The New York Times

In September 2020, The New York Times and Facebook announced a collaboration to explore “AR-First journalism” — visual, immersive journalism for which AR is the best visual tool for reader understanding. To launch the program and create excitement around the newsroom’s innovative use of AR (powered by Facebook Spark AR technology), we created a series of poster-like, graphic print and digital ads with simple, snappy copy, highlighting service journalism and new ways to experience Wirecutter endorsed products, the classic crossword or even aircraft on Mars.

We worked closely with the NYT Marketing team, along with other internal stakeholders from the newsroom, Wirecutter, Games and more, to ensure the visuals and messaging accurately captured the spirit of the specific AR effect. Additionally, each print ad employed a custom QR code, enabling users to kickstart the AR experience on the spot.