We teamed up with National Geographic to (virtually) climb Mount Everest.

National Geographic is all about showcasing the most impressive adventures on earth. This time, we helped turn one of those adventures — a trip up Mount Everest — into an easily accessible augmented reality experience.

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THE CHALLENGE

When the National Geographic team climbs Everest, they don’t just do it for the human feat. They do it with an eye on documenting the experience for their readers. But the magazine’s most recent crew of Everest climbers brought back more than just a story: They collected an expedition’s worth of 360 video footage. 

National Geographic challenged Signal Theory to take that footage and create an interactive AR experience to share on Instagram.

THE HUMAN INSIGHT

To climb Mount Everest is no walk in the park, so most of us won’t be traversing the mountain’s southeast ridge any time soon. However, all of us wonder what it must be like to stand on Mount Everest 25,000 feet above sea level. And all of us have access to the selfie camera on our phones.

THE IDEA

We created an AR filter that put Instagram users right in the middle of Mount Everest’s most famous landscapes, with 360-degree views showing exactly what a real climber would see. 

Users saw themselves bundled up in gear appropriate for the expedition and were dropped onto key points on the mountain. By moving the camera, users could look around them to take in the sights, observe the conditions and learn about each stage of the climb. 

Even though the filter used the selfie camera, viewers found themselves almost entirely covered up by coats, hats and goggles, making it clear that Mount Everest is no place for vanity.

THE RESULTS

When the filter went live, we saw thousands of National Geographic’s fans bundle up. The experience obviously resonated with Instagram users who were stuck at home, craving an adventure. And we believe that much of the filter’s success was in its design.

4 Million

in less than 3 months

872,000

in less than 3 months

77.7 Million

in less than 3 months

With the help of AR technology and an understanding of behavioral science, we were able to give National Geographic readers a closer look at Mount Everest than ever before. 

Link to Mount Everest AR filter: https://www.instagram.com/ar/1797996367008713/