A Chicago agency is helping black-owned businesses in the city get more visibility—and hopefully more business—by creating virtual storefronts utilizing augmented reality and Snap Lenses. 

The AR and Snap lenses bring a “brick and mobile” experience to the businesses, enabling consumers to click, navigate and buy product from the stores virtually. 

The agency doing the work is Putney, the black-owned digital activation agency that is part of BarkleyOKRP. 

The technology can be accessed via QR codes that take consumers to the virtual store fronts where they can shop and make purchases digitally by clicking on banners and store logos.    

To help consumers discover these stores, Putney is placing scannable decals (QR codes and snap lenses) on the windows of vacant storefronts that serve as portals taking people to the store’s digital marketplace, including their websites.   

“We are calling this experience ‘Brick and Mobile,’” explained Rony Castor, group creative director at BarkleyOKRP and creative lead at Putney. “We decided to create an experience that mirrors how one might stumble onto a storefront, walk inside it, discover great products and buy them.”  

In part the effort was based on the finding that just 36% of Black-owned businesses in the city have physical stores. “This bridges the gap a little to give the 64% of Black-owned businesses that don’t have a physical space, an opportunity to showcase their offerings in a creative way,” added Castor.   

As part of the initiative Putney filmed empty storefronts in Chicago. Then they digitally inserted products from online Black stores on virtual shelves and racks to give it the feel of a real storefront. When consumers click on the QR codes, it will open an AR lens that will make the stores appear three dimensional and the products appear real.   

The new work is part of a program called “Black Shop Friday” that first launched in 2020 with a mission to get consumers to add Black shops to their annual holiday shopping lists.  

To start, Putney is working with 30 Black-owned businesses in Chicago, but the agency sees an opportunity to expand the program nationwide, said Putney CEO Elena Robinson. “We see technology as a great way to enhance creativity to have a real impact and help Black-owned businesses grow.”