Gorilla 100

We are trying to leverage inherently shareable debate topics that spark clear opposing viewpoints, e.g. "Who would win in the battle, one gorilla or 100 men?"

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Inspiration

Millions of AR lenses compete for attention on Snapchat, so we looked for a fresh angle: triggering viral sharing through debate. We were inspired by provocative, hypothetical questions like “Who would win: one gorilla or 100 men?” — topics that naturally ignite opposing viewpoints, engagement, and content sharing.

What it does

Gorilla 100 lets users embody either the Gorilla or one of the 100 Men in a fun, cinematic AR showdown. The lens stages a dramatic face-off, complete with stylized animations, slow-motion effects, and over-the-top sound design. It encourages users to pick a side, record their take, and share it — fueling debate and virality.

How we built it

We built the lens in Lens Studio using facial recognition, segmentation, and 3D character overlays. We designed two core character modes (Gorilla and Man) and added reactive animations tied to facial expressions and audio triggers. Custom scripts randomized fight sequences and responses to add variety. The final clips are loopable and ready to share.

Challenges we ran into

  • Creating compelling animations within Lens Studio’s technical limits.
  • Making both sides (Gorilla and Men) equally fun and expressive for users.
  • Designing a visual style that supports replayability and remix culture.
  • Ensuring users could quickly grasp the debate and feel compelled to share.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Being able to create an immersive and interactive environment for users to share their experiences together.

What we learn

  • Viral AR doesn’t always come from tech novelty — it comes from emotional triggers like humor, tribalism, and competition.
  • Hypothetical debates are a goldmine for engagement when visualized in AR.
  • Simple controls + bold concepts = powerful shareability.
  • Users want to feel clever or funny when they share — we optimized for that.

What's next for Gorilla 100

We’re turning Gorilla 100 into a series of debate-driven AR lenses — each framing a new viral question ("One horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses?"). We’ll expand character options, include voice filters and user polls, and launch a leaderboard-style microsite where communities can vote and see which side is winning.

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