In an effort to engage with a younger audiences and demonstrate support for employees, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) is working with Snapchat to turn their iconic shield logo into an always-on augmented reality (AR) experience for Canadian Snapchatters.

The RBC logo can be scanned wherever people see it – whether on a physical billboard or a digital image – to unlock an AR experience designed for that time of year. This most recent activation allows Snapchatters to scan the RBC logo, triggering an AR-animated experience in honour of Pride month. It will be live for the entire month of June, and marks an expansion of the relationship between the brand and the social network.

Innovative audience engagement is the goal, says Michelle Smyth, director of retail social media at RBC. “When we demonstrate support for our employees, encouraging them to bring their whole selves to work, it absolutely contributes to the business,” Smyth says of the activation, ultimately boosting the brand’s visibility on the platform, and “helping us celebrate the diversity of our workplace, marketplace and the communities where we live and serve.”

The RBC logo scan activation is part of RBC’s ongoing work with Snap, but beginning in September, RBC and Snap will launch a new AR experience for the RBC logo every month. Smyth can’t speak to specific activation plans at this time, but notes that the next iteration of these lenses will likely be something related to the back-to-school and Fall seasons.

Previous activations include experiences for New Year’s Eve and International Women’s Day, and last year RBC and Snap promoted RBC’s Future Launch initiative through a short video series for young people looking to learn how to best prepare for the jobs of tomorrow.

The logo scan experience is powered by Snap’s AR Marker Technology, which recognizes real-world images through the Snapchat camera to trigger digital experiences in the Snapchat app. Snapchat reaches nearly 10 million people in Canada, most of whom are under 34 years old.