Brief:

• Levi Strauss partnered with Snapchat to sell Disney-branded merchandise at the clothing company's store at Walt Disney World's Disney Springs shopping complex in Orlando. Snapchat users can try on a virtual version of a limited-edition Mickey Mouse hat with an augmented reality (AR) lens before buying the item directly in the image-messaging app, Adweek reported.
• The Levi's store has a special Snapcode that people can scan to activate the AR lens, which overlays a digital image of the denim hat on a live selfie. Tapping on the "shop now" button adds the $25 item to a shopping cart for purchase without leaving the app.
• The companies partnered with Shopify and Darkstore for order-taking and delivery. Those who buy the hat before 4 p.m. can get free same-day delivery at Disney resorts and surrounding hotels, or two-day delivery after that time or outside the delivery zone.

Insight:

Levi's promotion for limited-edition Disney merchandise combines mobile, digital and social channels with brick-and-mortar retail to provide a true omnichannel experience. Shoppers who post selfies of themselves wearing the Mickey Mouse hat to Snapchat Stories or in messages to friends will extend the reach of the effort and may compel more people to visit the store while traveling to Orlando.

For Snapchat, the Levi's promotion shows the value the platform holds for brands looking to better connect with consumers, while also demonstrating its innovation in immersive camera technology. Parent company Snap is working to monetize its user base of core Snapchat fans —  which has shrunk by 5 million people in the past two quarters — with social commerce offerings like the Levi's Mickey Mouse hat. Snap's quarterly revenue grew 43% to $297.7 million from a year earlier, beating the average analyst estimate of $283 million, the company reported last week.

The Levi's campaign follows other popular social commerce efforts by apparel makers on Snapchat. Nike's Air Jordan III "Tinker" shoe in February sold out within minutes of the introduction of a Snapchat AR lens, followed by similar efforts from Adidas in August. Snapchat this month introduced features to support e-commerce efforts of marketers and brands, including self-serve Collection Ads that can drive transactions. Snap also introduced a visual search feature that lets Snapchatters use the app's camera to search for items on Amazon to purchase, further demonstrating how mobile technology can fill a gap in camera technology and drive shopping behaviors.