Art House
AR Storytelling Platform for Brands
Project Overview
Art House revolutionizes brand storytelling by combining augmented reality, instant applications, and art curation. As the first platform to leverage instant app technology with cloud content delivery, it eliminates traditional barriers to AR experiences, no app downloads required.
My Role
As the Founding Product Designer, I supported the Art House team all steps of the way by contributing to the research, design, technology stack, and business strategy throughout the product development process.
The team also included a founder CEO, 2 full-stack mobile engineers, back-end engineer, product manager, and QA.
Project Outcomes
50,000 sessions launched via iOS App Clips and Android Instant Apps.
3.2× average increase in dwell time compared to static visual content.
Reduced user drop-off rates from 74% to just 12% by eliminating app download barriers.
Successfully launched with major brands including Paramount Pictures, Viceroy Hotels, Burberry, Compass Realty, and more.
Introduction
What if a static advertisement could come to life, engaging customers with immersive stories right from their smartphones? Art House is a mobile Augmented Reality marketing platform designed to transform traditional campaigns into interactive, 3D experiences.
Initially conceived as a way to experience art through AR, Art House evolved to become a powerful tool for brands and marketers to captivate audiences with innovative campaigns.
This case study explores how Art House leverages AR to redefine marketing.
The Challenge
Traditional AR marketing faced significant friction points that limited adoption and engagement.
Art House's founding team, experienced in art curation and brand collaborations, recognized an opportunity to transform how brands connect with audiences through immersive technology.
Installation Barriers
Users abandoned experiences due to lengthy app download processes
Limited Immersion
Existing AR solutions lacked depth and meaningful brand storytelling
Technical complexity
Brands struggled with complicated content management systems
Inconsistent performance
AR experiences varied dramatically across devices and environments
Meeting the clients
Art House was founded as an art curation startup by Justin Fredericks and Mikey Gomez. Before its pivot to AR marketing, its team worked with renowned street artists and connected them with businesses/brands to build unique collaborations.
Following initial discovery session to align with the founders' objectives, we agreed to continue our collaboration. I then drafted a project proposal and estimate, outlining our initial plan based on prior discussions. This proposal detailed the developmental stages, including ideation, research, prototyping, development, testing, and launch.
Left to right: Mike Gomez, Joseph Lee, Justin Fredericks
Research insights: understanding the market and users
Before Art House evolved into a marketing platform, extensive research was conducted to validate the concept and identify opportunities in the AR and advertising space. Our efforts focused on the following areas.
User Behavior Analysis
We explored how consumers interact with art and advertisements in physical and digital spaces. Surveys and interviews revealed a growing demand for interactive experiences, with many users expressing frustration over passive ads that fail to engage. A key insight was that younger demographics, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, are more likely to engage with brands that offer novel, tech-driven interactions.
Market Trends
Research into AR adoption showed a significant upward trend, with reports indicating that AR marketing campaigns can increase engagement rates by up to 70% compared to traditional ads (based on industry studies like those from Statista or Deloitte). The rise of AR-capable smartphones also meant a wider potential audience, making this the right time to invest in AR solutions for marketing.
App Download Frustrations
A significant finding from our user research was the frustration users felt when required to download a new app to access branded content or experiences. Many participants noted that the extra step of installing an app often deterred them from engaging with campaigns, especially for one-time interactions. This barrier highlighted the need for a more accessible solution that didn’t require a full app commitment.
Competitive Analysis
We studied existing AR marketing tools and campaigns, such as those by Snapchat / Meta / Niantic (AR filters for brands) and IKEA (AR product placement). While these platforms offer AR experiences, they often lack customization for full-fledged campaigns or require significant technical expertise. This gap highlighted an opportunity for Art House to provide a user-friendly, scalable platform focused on immersive storytelling for brands of all sizes.
Initial exploration sketches
Information architecture
One of the user personas
User flow
UI user flow
Wireframes
CMS information architecture
Research results
These insights confirmed that AR could transform marketing by meeting consumer demand for interactivity, aligning with market growth, and filling a niche for accessible campaign tools. To address the app download barrier, we adopted innovative technologies like Apple App Clips and Android Instant Apps.
These solutions allow users to access Art House’s AR experiences instantly without downloading a full app—users can simply scan a QR code or tap a link to launch a lightweight version of the app for a specific campaign. This approach reduces friction, ensuring that brands can engage users immediately and seamlessly.
Design strategy and solution
Building on our comprehensive research findings and validated user needs, we synthesized insights into a cohesive product strategy that would address the core friction points while creating new opportunities for brand engagement.
Core innovation: instant AR access
The breakthrough insight centered on eliminating installation friction entirely. When Apple announced App Clips and Google introduced Instant Apps technology during our development cycle, it validated our hypothesis that instant access would dramatically improve user engagement. Our team recognized this as the key differentiator that would separate Art House from existing AR marketing solutions, transforming a technical barrier into a competitive advantage.
Powered by a custom backend CMS
Art House is powered by a custom-built backend CMS that ensures seamless delivery of diverse AR content across campaigns. Designed for scalability and reliability, this system manages complex rules, dependencies, and real-time updates, enabling brands to deploy dynamic experiences effortlessly.
Paired with an intuitive frontend interface, it allows clients to create, schedule, and analyze campaigns with ease, while user management tools support team collaboration through tailored roles and permissions. This robust infrastructure is the backbone of Art House, guaranteeing consistent performance and flexibility for marketers to innovate without limits.
Putting pieces together: layer navigation system
Rather than creating linear AR experiences, our team developed a flexible, multi-dimensional content architecture that gives users agency while maintaining narrative coherence. Each layer serves a specific purpose in the overall experience ecosystem:
2D images and videos
The foundation layer provides immediate visual context and brand recognition. These assets load fastest and serve as entry points into deeper experiences, ensuring users with varying technical capabilities can engage meaningfully with the content.
360° panoramic content
Immersive panoramic layers transport users into branded environments, creating spatial presence that traditional media cannot achieve. These experiences are particularly effective for hospitality brands like Viceroy Hotels, allowing potential guests to virtually explore spaces before booking.
3D models (USDZ, glTF, FBX, OBJ formats)
Interactive 3D objects enable product visualization and manipulation, crucial for retail and real estate applications. Support for multiple file formats ensures compatibility with existing brand asset libraries while maintaining optimization for mobile performance.
Virtual brand ambassadors powered by AI
Conversational AI integration creates personalized, dynamic interactions that extend beyond pre-scripted content. Avatars can answer questions, provide recommendations, and guide users through complex product information, essentially functioning as intelligent brand ambassadors.
Information layers with calls-to-action
Strategic overlay systems provide contextual information and conversion opportunities without disrupting immersion.
Developing Art House required balancing cutting-edge AR technology with an intuitive user experience. Informed by research on user preferences for simplicity, we designed a minimalistic interface to ensure the brand’s campaign remains the focal point.
Key decisions included streamlined navigation for effortless scanning and adaptable visual elements, allowing brands to customize colors and styles to match their identity. The integration of Apple App Clips and Android Instant Apps was a critical design choice, enabling instant access without app downloads. Through iterative wireframing and prototyping, we refined the experience to minimize friction for both users and marketers.
Getting real-world feedback
To validate our prototypes, we collaborated with artists to launch AR art-viewing events, gaining real-world insights while engaging the creative community. Early events included James Haunt’s showcase at Soho House West Hollywood, Sneakertopia in Los Angeles, and Art Basel in Miami, where dozens of attendees interacted with Art House.
Art House Showcase during Art Besel event in Miami
Feedback from these events was invaluable, guiding refinements to features, user interface, and performance. A key pain point emerged around QR code interactions and app downloads, reinforcing our adoption of instant access solutions like Apple App Clips. We plan to host more exhibitions and brand-focused pilots to further test and gather user data, ensuring a seamless experience.
Art House Showcase during James Haunt exhibition in LA
Feedback findings
Our presence at these events provided significant exposure and actionable data. At Art Basel Miami, which attracts around 75,000 visitors annually, approximately 3,750 have encountered and interacted with Art House during our activation.
Sneakertopia in Los Angeles, with an estimated attendance of 10,000 to 20,000, saw around 1000 interactions, while the more intimate Soho House West Hollywood event, with around 100-200 attendees, offered 100+ direct engagements.
These interactions, totaling an estimated 4,260 across the events, yielded critical feedback on usability and performance, directly informing optimizations like instant access and environmental adaptability, and validating strong user interest in AR experiences with over 80% of surveyed participants expressing enthusiasm for the technology.
Challenges & solutions: overcoming AR hurdles
Building an AR marketing platform like Art House presents unique challenges. Ensuring accurate image recognition for branded visuals across diverse environments: different lighting, angles, or surfaces, is critical for a seamless experience. We’re addressing this through rigorous testing of AR algorithms and leveraging frameworks like ARKit and ARCore.
Additionally, we discovered the impact of various phone states on AR performance: factors like lighting conditions, cellular service reach, Wi-Fi availability, and battery percentage significantly affected the showcase quality. This led us to optimize the app for diverse environments, ensuring consistent experiences regardless of user conditions. We also added a dynamic notification system to the app in order to make user aware if something is not working properly.
Dynamic notification system highlighting various states
Onboarding screens
Getting the app out: partnerships and impact
Throughout development, Art House’s CEO actively engaged with potential clients, shaping the app’s features based on brand needs.
Even in early stages, negotiations with various companies influenced our direction. By launch, we secured partnerships with notable names like Viceroy Hotels, Compass, Paramount Pictures, and Burberry. We also collaborated with global street artists to enhance murals and installations, blending digital and physical experiences.
These partnerships demonstrate Art House’s potential to transform marketing, driving deeper engagement, boosting brand recall, and fostering loyalty. Industry studies suggest AR campaigns can increase engagement by up to 70% compared to static ads, and we anticipate a 50% rise in social sharing of branded experiences. Success will be measured through user interactions, campaign reach, time spent in AR, and client feedback—ensuring tangible ROI for brands.
Wynwood Walls
Building an AR marketing platform like Art House presents unique challenges. Ensuring accurate image recognition for branded visuals across diverse environments: different lighting, angles, or surfaces, is critical for a seamless experience. We’re addressing this through rigorous testing of AR algorithms and leveraging frameworks like ARKit and ARCore.
Project Outcomes (first 8 months)
55,432 total sessions launched
37,284 unique guests
80,364 total interactions
65,780 unique interactions
3,490,906 total time spent (seconds)
63 seconds avg. time spent (seconds)
Monster
Building an AR marketing platform like Art House presents unique challenges. Ensuring accurate image recognition for branded visuals across diverse environments: different lighting, angles, or surfaces, is critical for a seamless experience. We’re addressing this through rigorous testing of AR algorithms and leveraging frameworks like ARKit and ARCore.
Additionally, we discovered the impact of various phone states on AR performance: factors like lighting conditions, cellular service reach, Wi-Fi availability, and battery percentage significantly affected the showcase quality. This led us to optimize the app for diverse environments, ensuring consistent experiences regardless of user conditions. We also added a dynamic notification system to the app in order to make user aware if something is not working properly.
Bored & Thirsty
Building an AR marketing platform like Art House presents unique challenges. Ensuring accurate image recognition for branded visuals across diverse environments: different lighting, angles, or surfaces, is critical for a seamless experience. We’re addressing this through rigorous testing of AR algorithms and leveraging frameworks like ARKit and ARCore.
Cannes
Building an AR marketing platform like Art House presents unique challenges. Ensuring accurate image recognition for branded visuals across diverse environments: different lighting, angles, or surfaces, is critical for a seamless experience. We’re addressing this through rigorous testing of AR algorithms and leveraging frameworks like ARKit and ARCore.
Smurfs
Building an AR marketing platform like Art House presents unique challenges. Ensuring accurate image recognition for branded visuals across diverse environments: different lighting, angles, or surfaces, is critical for a seamless experience. We’re addressing this through rigorous testing of AR algorithms and leveraging frameworks like ARKit and ARCore.
CMS solution: manage all that content
Behind the immersive AR experiences of Art House lies a robust content management system (CMS) designed to handle the complexity of delivering diverse content over the internet.
Challenges of management content
To support various campaign types, rules, and dependencies, we built a powerful backend solution to ensure seamless content delivery to users. Equally important was creating an intuitive frontend interface for clients: brands, artists, and marketers, to manage their AR campaigns effortlessly.
Through consultations with developers, artists, and brand stakeholders, we identified key needs and tailored the CMS to provide flexibility, control, and ease of use, empowering clients to update and customize content without technical barriers.
User management
A critical aspect of the CMS is its user management functionality, designed to enhance collaboration within teams. This feature allows brands to assign roles and permissions to team members, ensuring that designers, marketers, and managers can work together efficiently on campaign creation and deployment. Whether it’s uploading new AR assets, scheduling content, or reviewing analytics, the user management system streamlines workflows by providing secure access and clear accountability, making Art House an ideal platform for dynamic, team-driven marketing efforts.
Conclusion and next steps
Art House represents a groundbreaking leap in marketing, harnessing the power of augmented reality to transform static visuals into dynamic, interactive campaigns that captivate audiences. From our initial vision of bringing art to life, we evolved into a full-fledged AR marketing platform, driven by deep research, real-world testing at events like Soho House West Hollywood, and partnerships with iconic brands such as Burberry and Paramount Pictures.
Our innovative features: seamless AR scanning, instant access via Apple App Clips, and a robust CMS with team collaboration tools, empower brands to create unforgettable experiences while overcoming technical challenges like device variability and content management.
With industry studies showing up to 70% higher engagement for AR campaigns, Art House is poised to redefine how brands connect with consumers, delivering measurable impact and lasting brand recall.
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