CREATOR PROFILE: Chrissy Gow, AccessAR

Say hello to Chrissy Gow, Founder of AccessAR. AccessAR helps event marketers, entertainment studios and brands across verticals easily integrate augmented reality experiences into all of their campaigns. 

Chrissy founded AccessAR in 2018 to make mobile AR content accessible to brands and businesses of all sizes, and joined the Blend Market platform early in its beta phase. 

1. How did you get started in the immersive space?

I have a background in fashion marketing, and started AccessAR to develop IP in the web Augmented Reality (AR) space for fashion try on applications. At the time, there were too many limitations with the technology; it was jittery and the quality of the 3D didn’t look great, so my team and I decided to pivot to creating AR advertising content on the platforms that best support it – which at the time was Snapchat, followed by Facebook & Instagram, and now web-based with platforms like 8th Wall. 

2. What's the most challenging part of the projects you work on?

At times, we are limited by the capabilities of the platform. It’s my job to ensure the client’s expectations are in line with an achievable end result – I write our statement of works – but that means, at times, I am at odds with our developers and creatives as they like to keep briefs as flexible as possible. 

3. What projects you are most proud of?

The AC/DC Highway to Hell 40th Anniversary campaign was our first big music campaign – it was awesome to create a lens and filter for such an iconic album. I also loved working with the Peach & Lily team – this cult Korean skincare brand came to us with a very cool concept inspired by a scene in a movie, and it was so much fun bringing their idea to life.  

4. What excites you most about the industry at the minute?

An increased understanding on the part of brand marketers on how AR can be integrated into their 360 campaigns. A good deployment strategy is not very different from any product launch on digital and social, but because it’s new technology there’s a common misconception that it’s somehow very different. 

5. What piece of content has inspired you recently?

To be honest, I spend a lot of time checking out story content created by influencers across verticals simply to see what tools they are using – AR and otherwise – to enhance it. This helps me make better recommendations to clients as anything social media related is highly susceptible to trends. It doesn’t matter if I like it or not, it’s what type of content a particular audience feels compelled to share that is important for me to be aware of. 

6. How do you see the future of immersive content and VR?

We all know immersive content and VR is going to change how we work, shop, and live. I think for those of us working with these technologies it’s just not happening fast enough – but it’s been amazing to watch more and more brands try out new tools to better engage their audience. As the technology matures, we’ll see more significant applications that consumers actually want to use. 

AccessAR is one of the many immersive solutions providers on the Blend Market platform. If you would like to discuss your immersive project, you can get in touch at Hello@blend.media and connect with a network of global creators.