In what's being dubbed a first-of-its-kind collaboration, Snap and The Weekend Australian Magazine have joined forces to create an augmented reality (AR) cover for the magazine's final issue of 2023, 'The Hot List', available from Saturday, 16 December.

The cover will feature an AR moment from Snapchat's 'Egypt Augmented' experiences at the Louvre, offering readers a unique, immersive experience.

The AR cover will reveal the shapes, materials, colours, and decorations of selected works from the Louvre, details that have faded over time. Readers can unlock a second digital cover with a bespoke AR experience by scanning the QR code on the print cover.

Elizabeth Colman, Editor at The Weekend Australian Magazine, expressed her excitement about the collaboration.

"Partnering with Snapchat, which has been pioneering the use of AR worldwide, felt like an incredible opportunity to deliver something truly spectacular for our final issue of the year," she said.

"The bringing together of Egyptian antiquities with cutting-edge technology at the Louvre is a fascinating story, and being able to exclusively offer our readers a taste of this magic with the nation's first Snapchat AR cover, is testament to our focus on creating innovative, compelling ways to delight and engage our growing national audience."

Snap Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand, Tony Keusgen, echoed Colman's sentiments.

"At Snap, we're continuing to push the boundaries of creativity and explore how augmented reality can enhance the world around us," he said. "The Weekend Australian Magazine occupies a legendary place in the Australian publishing landscape, with some of the finest journalism and in-depth reads to be found in this country. It's been inspiring to collaborate with the team on this deeply immersive AR cover moment, our first in Australia, which will transport Aussies to Paris through the magazine and Snapchat, this weekend."

Donatien Bozon, Director of Snap's AR Studio, Paris, also highlighted the educational potential of AR as well as its ability to provide a technology overlay on the real world.

"Our team works to demonstrate the creative, artistic and educational potential of this tech within the Arts and Culture fields, beyond the well-known lenses for fun and self-expression that millions of Snapchatters experiment with every day," he said. "It was such an honour for us to partner with an esteemed institution like the Louvre on the 'Egypt Augmented' exhibition, which unveils some of the mysteries of Ancient Egypt to the Museum's visitors. We were also excited to work with The Weekend Australian Magazine, which is such a highly-regarded national publication, to celebrate this exhibition and bring a piece of the experience to Australians."

Snapchat reaches over 8 million people in Australia every month, and a community of 750 million worldwide. The Weekend Australian Magazine, a staple of Australian publishing for 35 years.

"The Hot List" December edition of The Weekend Australian Magazine will be published inThe Weekend Australian, this Saturday.