Case Study: Augmented Reality (AR) in Marketing

Case Studies Software Development Process Automation & AI Agents Marketing and PR

Intro

Essie, part of L’Oréal Group, is a globally recognized nail care brand known for its high-quality formulas and bold, trend-setting colors. As a strong brand in the beauty industry, Essie continuously seeks innovative ways to enhance the in-store shopping experience.

For the launch of its Disney “Schneewittchen” (Snow White) collection, Essie set out to create an engaging, tech-forward point-of-sale activation. One that would attract attention, encourage product trials, and make it easier for customers to choose the perfect shade.

CHALLENGES

Essie aimed to create an engaging and intuitive in-store experience for its Disney “Schneewittchen” nail polish collection. To deliver a memorable AR totem display that enhanced product discovery without disrupting shopper flow, they had the following goals:

1. Instant AR Interaction

The application had to maintain smooth and responsive AR filters at 30 fps on a vertical Android 13 display (681 × 1209 mm), ensuring users could interact without lag or delay.

2. Color Accuracy

Precise color rendering was essential for the eight Disney-themed shades, requiring calibration for consistent appearance under varying in-store lighting conditions.

3. Simple User Experience

The interface needed to be intuitive and efficient, limited to just two screens, so shoppers could try on shades quickly without blocking others at the display.

"The experience drew people in right away. They engaged, enjoyed themselves and everything was handled smoothly and on time."

Project Manager

SOLUTION

FROM IDEA TO STORE IN JUST 4 WEEKS

To meet Essie’s goals, OPTI designed and delivered a custom AR application tailored to high-traffic retail environments. The project was completed in just 4 weeks and included the following key components:

Custom AR App for Android
- A Kotlin-based app developed, designed for real-time AR rendering and accurate hand detection. The app ran smoothly at 30 fps on a vertical display (681 × 1209 mm) with Android 13.
User Interface & Real-Time Try-On
- The app featured a branded intro screen with a single call to action (“Try the Shades”) and a live video passthrough interface. Automatic nail detection applied a virtual mask, allowing users to tap on-screen bottles and instantly preview Essie’s Disney “Schneewittchen” shades.
Color Accuracy & Deployment
- Colors were ICC-calibrated to match in-store lighting conditions for high fidelity.

Developing this augmented reality (AR) app demonstrated how technology can transform the retail experience. The solution, built natively on Android using Kotlin, provided the fluid performance essential for capturing user attention in a busy environment, proving the value of interactive marketing directly at the point of sale

RESULTS (30 DAYS LATER)

120 hours of development, delivered in four weeks

Essie Totem Augmented Reality

Nail polish is rendered in real time, adjusting to hand movement and lighting, while maintaining brand fidelity through ICC-calibrated color mapping.

The AR app enables automatic nail detection and real-time shade application from Essie’s Disney “Schneewittchen” collection. Users can tap any of the 8 virtual polish bottles displayed on the screen, instantly previewing the selected color on their nails with high visual accuracy.