HBO Max First Partner for New Innovative Ad Format that Marries IRL and AR – Starting by Putting Fans Into House of the Dragon Ahead of its Season 3 Premiere Using Snapchat’s First-Ever Four-Sided AR Mirror
NEW YORK, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — OUTFRONT Media, one of the largest and most-trusted IRL media companies in the U.S., and Snapchat have partnered to launch “Crowd Created.” It debuts today with HBO Max as the launch partner to bring Season 3 of HBO Original series House of the Dragon to life ahead of its June 21 debut.
Powered by the OUTFRONT XLabs innovation arm and Snap Inc.’s technology, Crowd Created is a live AR spectacle in Times Square that marries IRL (in-real-life) with AR (augmented reality). This new ad format is the first Snapchat AR experience to project visitors live onto Times Square billboards in New York City and features the first-of-its-kind four-sided AR Mirror.
From 3PM to 7PM today (June 18, 2026), visitors in Times Square can step in front of the full-body, four-sided Snapchat AR Mirror and interact with custom House of the Dragon AR Lenses to opt-in to see themselves virtually wearing Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen’s crown, placing themselves directly in the world of the series. They will then be able to see themselves and their AR experiences appear live on OUTFRONT Media’s Duffy Duo billboards – two of the most iconic digital signage in the world.
The activation combines Snapchat’s AR technology with OUTFRONT XLabs’ award-winning XTend offering that extends campaigns across screens using augmented reality. The result: an ad experience that transforms a passive walk-by into a shared cultural moment. With more than approximately 400,000 visitors passing through Times Square each day—creating one of the world’s largest concentrations of pedestrian traffic and social sharing – Crowd Created offers brands an innovative way to launch their biggest titles and invite audiences to become part of the campaign itself.
“With Crowd Created, Snapchat and OUTFRONT have transformed the streets of New York into Westeros – dragons and all,” said OUTFRONT Chief Marketing and Experience Officer Stacy Minero. “By combining Snapchat’s industry-leading AR technology, HBO Max’s award-winning IP, and OUTFRONT’s premium IRL media canvases, this campaign demonstrates how innovation can turn real-world environments into immersive experiences that people don’t just see – they step into.”
“AR is one of the most powerful ways Snapchatters engage with the world around them, and it’s amazing to be able to bring that technology to Times Square. We’re thrilled to work with HBO Max and OUTFRONT and bring Westeros to life in a way that lets fans see themselves at the center of the story and on one of the world’s most iconic canvases,” said Laurel Duquette, Head of Media and Entertainment, Snap Inc.
“At its best, fandom is participatory — and we’re always looking to create moments that let fans see themselves in the worlds they love. Through this partnership with Snapchat and Outfront, we’re harnessing innovative technology to bring fans inside the world of House of the Dragon, transforming a simple interaction into a larger-than-life moment,” said Mark Doumet, Vice President, Originals Marketing, HBO and HBO Max.
This activation is being supported by a two-week campaign throughout OUTFRONT’s NYC ad network to drive attention and awareness for the June 18 event. It is part of a larger, multi-faceted overall campaign for Season 3 of House of the Dragon, premiering June 21 on HBO Max, including a screening in Santa Monica that invites Snapchat creators to see it ahead of time. With 956 million monthly active users and nearly 2 trillion Snaps created in 2025 alone, Snapchat is a significant platform for entertainment marketing. In fact, Samba TV analyses found exposure to Snapchat campaigns delivered a reported 91% lift in theatrical ticket sales and 84% lift in tune-in for TV shows, movies, or sporting events, on average in the studied campaigns. Omnicom Media and Ipsos in-survey-based research found 73% of daily Snapchatters have been influenced to go to the theater after seeing it advertised on Snapchat. The IRL experience also taps into growing demand for personalized and shareable brand intersections, with third-party search indicating that 80% of Gen Z consumers enjoying personalized brand experiences, including AI-powered Lenses, and 60% enjoy sharing content from activations.
About OUTFRONT Media
OUTFRONT is one of the largest and most trusted out-of-home media companies in the U.S., helping brands connect with audiences in the moments and environments that matter most. As OUTFRONT evolves, it’s defining a new era of in-real-life (IRL) marketing, turning public spaces into platforms for creativity, connection, and cultural relevance. With a nationwide footprint across billboards, digital displays, transit systems, and other out-of-home formats, OUTFRONT turns creative into powerful real-world experiences. Its in-house agency, OUTFRONT STUDIOS, and award-winning innovation team, XLabs, deliver standout storytelling, supported by advanced technology and data tools that can drive measurable impact.
About HBO
HBO® is one of the most respected and innovative entertainment brands in the world, serving iconic, award-winning programming through the HBO linear channels and the direct-to-consumer streaming platform, HBO Max, which is available globally in 65 countries. A part of Warner Bros. Discovery, HBO offers an extensive array of programming that includes recent fan-favorite hits like “House of the Dragon,” “The Last of Us,” “The White Lotus,” “Succession,” and “Euphoria,” and iconic titles, including “Game of Thrones,” “The Sopranos,” “Sex and the City,” “Band of Brothers” and “The Wire.”
Media Contacts:
Matt Biscuiti
The Lippin Group
212-986-7080
outfront@lippingroup.com
Courtney Richards
OUTFRONT Media
646-876-9404
courtney.richards@OUTFRONT.com
Stephan Bisson
OUTFRONT Media
212-297-6573
stephan.bisson@outfront.com
Snap Inc.
press@snap.com
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SOURCE OUTFRONT Media Inc.
