Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi
To launch the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, the brand activated a first-of-its-kind Snapchat campaign across the GCC. Combining AR, creators and Sponsored Snaps, it reached 15.6M+ Snapchatters and drove double-digit lifts in awareness.
- George Kalliamvakos, Director: Planning, Strategy and Operations, Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi.
When Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi opened, the ambition was clear: it had to deliver more than a traditional awareness campaign. The goal was to establish the museum as a destination people across the GCC would actively want to explore — a cultural landmark designed to spark curiosity, drive conversation, and earn a place on must-visit lists.
To achieve that, the launch needed formats that could do more than deliver reach; they had to capture attention in an immediate, memorable way. That is where Snap came in — helping bring the museum to market through immersive, high-impact experiences built to stop audiences in their tracks and turn awareness into genuine interest.
The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with Snapchat and Spark Foundry MENA, brought together AR Lenses, Commercials, Snap Ads, Sponsored Snaps, and premium Takeovers across multiple markets while also integrating creator content. By doing this, the museum sparked authentic interactions that generated engagement that was natural and culturally resonant.
From start to finish, the campaign maintained a distinctly personal feel. Snaps were delivered directly to users through creators’ own accounts in Chat, creating a peer-to-peer path to discovery and driving strong open rates.
While digital reach provides scale, this campaign was rooted in on-ground activation. By leveraging AR experiences and amplifying them through creators, the museum converted Snapchat engagement into real-world visits, transforming digital curiosity into museum exploration.
The campaign reached 15.6M+ Snapchatters across GCC markets. Creator content outperformed expectations, delivering a +4pt lift in awareness in the UAE at 3x the benchmark, and a +3pt lift in KSA at 2x the benchmark. AR drove a +10pt lift in favorability in KSA, a +9pt lift in awareness in Qatar and an +8pt lift in Bahrain. Creators also achieved a 33% feed open rate in KSA, while the campaign averaged 13.47 seconds of playtime across the GCC 1. History made, results delivered.
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