A lens into the future of AR. If Snap AR sits at the cutting edge of augmented reality, Ghost is what’s next. As Snap AR’s accelerator program, Ghost was created to uncover innovative uses for AR and to help creators leverage the technology in their work and businesses. It represents the boldest and most forward-looking aspect of Snap’s business, with a focus on real-world interaction and impact. But the existing identity failed to capture that vision. So Ghost came to us for a new look — and there was a lot to achieve. The new brand would need to position Ghost at the forefront of AR innovation and signal its world-altering potential, create a platform to showcase creators and their work, and inspire top-level talent to come on board.
But there were also practical considerations that added complexity beyond the average project. Audiences would encounter the brand across multiple contexts: physical media, web, AR. Like AR itself, it would need to embrace movement and live in three dimensions. And it would have to strike a fine balance, fitting into the Snap ecosystem while standing apart on its own. Here’s how we did it.
The custom typeface, designed in collaboration with Displaay, further reinforces the idea of a brand that adapts to its context, adjusting in volume to enhance — not overshadow — its surroundings. At its loudest, it comes alive before your eyes, twisting and turning through interaction, bringing energy into unconventional spaces, and ensuring ownability in even the briefest of glances. At its softest it virtually vanishes, allowing the content to shine.
Ghost's color palette thoughtfully combines functional, neutral, and vibrant hues to reflect the diversity of Ghost projects, and to convey the depth and variety of the AR experience. It feels distinctive and forward-looking, while still harmonizing with the established Snapchat palette.
We continued to unpack the concept of a brand that stands back and gives space through a system of layered panels that appear throughout the Ghost identity. These layers make room for the multiplicity of AR and the variety of projects at Ghost. The system allows for the combination of project elements from different makers, and enables the brand to show the progression of project elements from draft through development to finished product.
Highlighting creator’s accomplishments in AR was a key priority for the website. We collaborated with program participants to tell engaging stories about their projects, combining bespoke illustrations of their blueprints, custom videos, and written narrative to shed light on the creative process. These elements work together with the site design to give each project a unique and compelling platform, promoting participant’s work and inspiring new developers to join.
Team: Alex Webber, Bobby Dazzler, Casey Martin, Chandler Reed, Claire Whitman, David Schermer, Daniela Paz, Displaay, Dylan Wells, Ellis Latham-Brown, Jaime Patino-Calvo, Jason Frohlichstein, Jeffrey Grustern, Kelly Scheurich, Kyle Beck, Lauren Konig, Lindsay McMenamin, Lukas Haider, Marcio Flausino, Owen Cramp, Rocío Delgado, Rosie Bloom, Sammy Al-Asmar, Simon Blanckensee
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