GAP x BARBIE
IMMERSIVE STORE

AUGMENTED REALITY
GOOGLE GEOSPATIAL CREATOR
ADOBE AERO
• THE BRIEF

This Barbie took over Times Square!

Gap and Mattel wanted to promote their hotly-anticipated Barbie product line with innovation and impact.

We collaborated with Google and Adobe to create an immersive augmented reality experience at Gap’s flagship store in Times Square using Google’s pioneering Geospatial technology powered by ARCore and Google Maps Platform. It was the first-ever Augmented Reality experience powered by Geospatial Creator in Adobe Aero to be unveiled to the public.

• THE CLIENTS

Google Maps
Adobe Aero
Gap
Mattel (Barbie)

• MY ROLE

Creative Director

• IN PRACTICE

As the Creative Director, I led the project from pitch win to launch: concept, moodboards, storyboards, user journeys, and every client presentation, across four global brands simultaneously (Gap, Mattel, Google, Adobe).

At UAL, I wrote my MA thesis on AR in advertising. It won best thesis of the year. This project was where I finally got to use all of it. AR often gets written off as a gimmick for tech bros - I wanted to prove it could work as a genuine retail tool that brought people closer to a brand in a way that felt light and fun, not gimmicky.

We had 10 weeks to pull it off. The Adobe software we were building in was still in beta. Nobody had done this before, which meant there was no playbook, just us figuring it out in real time. I defined the art direction, working closely with Gap and Mattel to ensure that the look & feel of the experience aligned with their vision. Internally, I managed a team of 2D and 3D designers, animators, and AR developers to create a cohesive collection of visual assets and animations that fit in the world of GAP & Barbie. The project was showcased as a "best-in-class" case study by both Adobe and Google, inspiring numerous subsequent geospatial brand activations.

• FROM MOODBOARDS
• TO STORYBOARDS
• TO MOCKUPS
• TO THE FINAL EXPERIENCE
• EXPERIENCE VIDEOS
• VISUAL CHALLENGE

The key visual challenge was how to marry the visual languages of Gap and Barbie in a way that not only felt organic, but also distinctly New York. To solve this puzzle, we took inspiration from an iconic fixture of Times Square: the neons.

We created a series of Barbie and Gap-inspired neons and used them to bring a touch of nostalgia to the otherwise futuristic AR experience.

• RESULTS

Increased footfall to the Gap flagship store in Times Square.
Positive press coverage from fashion and tech outlets, amplifying brand awareness.
The project was showcased as a "best-in-class" case study by both Adobe and Google, inspiring numerous subsequent geospatial brand activations.

• AWARDS

FWA of the Day

• TEAM CREDITS

Creative Director: Veronika Watson-Kuc
Animation Director: Alex Horton
Producers: Sula Greene, Romina Thaler
Project Managers: Paulina Pawlak, Kamila Szymkiewicz
UX designer: Sebastian Ervi
2D designer: Krzysztof Turek
3D designers: Darren Myners, Andrea Mancuso, Pavel Lasuta
3D animation: Sophie Langohr
Character rigging: Greg Martin
Adobe Aero implementation: Aleks Ivanovsky, Nuno Leal
Video capture & editing: Veronika Watson-Kuc
QA: James Stokes, Stephanie Thorpe
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