Don’t you hate it when you have really epic plans to build a giant sandwich boat and sail it around Australia and New Zealand but COVID sinks those plans like some soggy bread?
Well, that’s what happened to Subway.
But whilst COVID-19 halted those plans before the 9-metre sandwich boat could get too far into its voyage, Subway still enlisted our help to create an awesome SnapChat filter to get people excited.
With the original activation off the table, our goal was to help Subway create a digital experience that could still capture the imagination of their audience. Enter Snapchat filters – an interactive, shareable way to engage customers in the absence of the physical boat. But we knew that just any filter wouldn’t do; it had to be something just as wild and whacky as a floating sandwich boat.
Our team bounced around multiple ideas, each one more outlandish than the last.
A filter that made it look like you were eating a Subway sandwich? Fun, but too boring.
A Subway sandwich lightsaber? Cool, but a bit off-brand. A background filled with floating sandwiches? Getting closer, but still not quite right.
Then, inspiration struck: what if the user became the sandwich? A filter that would superimpose a person’s face onto a giant floating Subway sandwich. It was just the right mix of whacky, engaging, and visually hilarious.
With the concept locked in, we moved into development, ensuring the filter was easy to use, fun to share, and unmistakably Subway. We carefully designed the sandwich to look just right, making sure it was instantly recognisable while also being playful and exaggerated. The motion tracking needed to be smooth so the user’s face felt naturally integrated into their new ‘sandwich body.’
Once the first version was built, it was time for testing. We wanted to make sure the filter worked seamlessly on different devices, tracked faces accurately, and, most importantly, made people laugh. We fine tuned the interaction, ensuring it was polished and engaging before rolling it out for Subway’s approval.
The result? A hilarious, instantly shareable Snapchat filter that had users becoming their very own Subway sandwich. The response was fantastic. Subway loved it, their audience loved it, and we loved seeing people’s reactions as they transformed into floating subs. While the sandwich boat may not have set sail, this digital activation helped keep the fun alive and Subway fans engaged in a uniquely memorable way.
