Snapchat AR – a portent of doom?
Before I begin, a disclaimer: I’ve never really got Snapchat. Maybe it’s because I’m old and boring, but the obsession with putting rabbit ears and cartoon filters over your own face has always felt… mystifying. To add insult to injury, when I once tried to use Snapchat, the app didn’t even recognise me as having a face. So much for joining the party.
But personal snubs aside, there’s fresh hype around Snapchat—this time about the company’s rumoured move into augmented reality (AR) hardware. Reports suggest it’s developing its own AR glasses. Cue déjà vu: didn’t we all agree Google Glass was a bad idea?
The Promise (and Hype) of AR
Let’s be clear: AR isn’t a gimmick. Used in the right way, it has massive potential—particularly in industrial, engineering, and manufacturing settings. Enterprise-focused AR tools like Microsoft HoloLens are fascinating because they genuinely improve workflows and efficiency.
But when it comes to consumer-first AR devices, the story looks very different. Despite the hype, strapping screens to people’s faces has yet to prove it delivers meaningful value. Snapchat’s AR glasses risk following the same path as Google Glass—headline-grabbing launches, mocked by the public, and quietly shelved once the hype cycle ends.
The PR Perspective
For consumer brands, experiments like this are part of the innovation game. But for B2B technology companies, the Snapchat story is a cautionary tale. Chasing headlines is one thing; building lasting credibility is another.
From a PR and communications strategy angle, here are the risks:
Hype over substance: If the technology isn’t ready, early launches can damage reputation more than they help.
Consumer scepticism: If audiences see a product as frivolous, the brand risks being mocked rather than admired.
Distraction from real innovation: While flashy experiments grab attention, genuinely transformative projects—like Google’s modular Project Ara—often fall by the wayside.
Should We Really Want This Future?
The big question: do we really want a world where everyone walks around with AR glasses strapped to their face? Pop culture has warned us enough (hello, WALL-E). Just because a company can develop this kind of hardware doesn’t mean it should.
For B2B PR professionals, the lesson is clear: innovation stories must balance ambition with credibility. Not every futuristic product needs to be pushed into the spotlight. Sometimes restraint is the smarter comms move.
Attention… for the right reasons
Snapchat’s foray into AR hardware might spark another wave of tech hype, but it’s also a reminder of how easily consumer technology launches can spiral into dystopian clichés. For B2B brands, it underlines the importance of aligning product launches with genuine audience needs—not just chasing headlines.
At Wildfire, we help B2B tech brands cut through the hype, focus on meaningful innovation, and build PR campaigns that earn attention for the right reasons.
