From printed photos to living memories.

Context

GLIMP is a physical-meets-digital memory product that turns printed photos into videos through augmented reality. Customers purchase a physical product through the online store, upload a photo and video, receive the printed item, and scan it through the GLIMP app to watch the memory come alive.

Problem

The challenge was to turn a creative AR idea into a real product ecosystem — not just a demo. The product needed to connect physical printed products, an online store, customer media uploads, cloud-based image recognition, video storage, native iOS and Android apps, and a post-purchase flow that links every order to the right digital content — across Shopify, mobile, production, employee operations, and events. The customer experience had to feel simple — Purchase → Upload → Print → Scan → Relive — but behind that flow, each physical product needed to be connected to the correct image and video, each upload stored and prepared for production, each printed marker recognized and matched with the correct video in real time, and internal teams needed a way to manage employees and event activations inside the same system.

System built

A complete product system was built to support the full GLIMP flow. Native iOS and Android apps deliver AR scanning experiences using cloud-based image recognition, Firebase media storage, and custom video overlay logic — identifying the matching image from the cloud, retrieving the correct video, and overlaying it on the physical print. A unified upload system connects all of GLIMP's platforms — Shopify, mobile apps, production workflows, employee management, and events management — so media, orders, and fulfillment stay linked end to end. An online store at glimp.app powers the commerce layer for Mini Glimp, Wall Glimp, Wall Glimp X, Glimp Album, Glimp Album X, and Glimp Block. The system includes post-purchase and internal upload flows, image-to-video matching, employee and events management, a custom branded interface, recording and sharing, and controls for sound, flash, shop access, and info popups — designed for both e-commerce and on-site event activations with magnetic prints.

How it works

For e-commerce, customers purchase online at glimp.app, upload their photo and video after checkout, and receive a printed product linked to their media. For events, GLIMP creates magnetic prints on-site — guests are photographed and filmed during the event, receive their physical magnet, and later scan it to replay the original video memory. Employees manage event activations, uploads, and on-site production through the same connected system. When a customer scans any GLIMP product on iOS or Android, the app runs cloud image recognition, matches the print to the stored video, and plays it as a real-time overlay on the physical item. Every order, upload, print, scan, employee workflow, and event stays connected through one product operation spanning software, media workflows, fulfillment logic, and customer experience.

Outcome

• Connected all platforms through one upload and media workflow
• Created a scalable structure for matching physical products to digital videos
• Built infrastructure for both e-commerce and event activations
• Turned a creative AR concept into a working product ecosystem on iOS and Android
• Created a clear flow from customer order to physical product delivery
• Connected customer experience, backend logic, media storage, and AR scanning
• Unified employee and events management alongside commerce and fulfillment
• Built a product system that can support multiple SKUs and use cases

Key takeaway

A product is not only the app or the website. The real product is the system behind it — the purchase flow, upload process, storage structure, recognition layer, employee and events management, fulfillment workflow, and customer journey working together across every platform.