Robert Downey Jr. plans to bring a little bit of Iron Man technology to pop culture, linking up with Specs to become its chief customer experience officer.
The position is mostly a marketing one, with the Marvel actor working with the Specs team on original content, lens experiences, hardware collaborations and other features.
Specs, of course, is the augmented reality glasses concept from Snap Inc. The company was early to the game with the original Snap Spectacles in 2016, which were available in limited quantities. The new version is much more advanced, using technology to overlay images on the real world through a glasses-like form factor, much smaller and lighter than VR headsets.
The Downey partnership will launch on TV with a video campaign set to debut during tonight’s New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers NBA Tip-Off game, with another spot set to launch during game one of the MLB World Series later this week.
The first pieces of content are available now on the Specs website and on YouTube.
Downey, in a statement, said that the technology reminds him of what Tony Stark himself used in the Marvel movies.
“Trying is believing. Having tested practically every wearable tech that’s come to market in the last 20 years, and been largely unimpressed, I was absolutely sold on Specs within 40 seconds,” said Downey Jr. “The applications are endless. Families can share experiences instead of hunching over devices, skills can be honed, big business can streamline development. In short, it delivers on the promise of AR glasses made by a certain techno optimist superhero I portrayed. Life imitates art-imitates life! I’ve never experienced the confident, warm and creatively inviting atmosphere that Evan has cultivated at Specs anywhere else in the tech sector. Wait’ll you see what we create for you to enjoy.”
“We’re incredibly excited to welcome Robert Downey Jr. to Specs to help shape the future of augmented reality,” added Evan Spiegel, co-founder and CEO of Snap Inc. “Robert has been imagining what this technology could become for nearly twenty years, and it’s an honor to work with him to bring that vision to life.”