Los Angeles, February 8th, 2024

Pretty Big Monster is an immersive digital agency based in Los Angeles. It was founded by an award-winning team who’ve strategized, designed, built, and managed all forms of content for some of the world’s most iconic brands. The full-service digital agency works on AR, VR, Apps, Websites, Social, Display and Experiential Activations.

Jason Steinberg is the Managing Partner at Pretty Big Monster. In an interview with TIA, he described how his career led him to his current position and what the role entails. He also explained how the agency has evolved since its beginnings and gave recommendations to clients to help streamline the process between their vision and the agency’s process.

To kick things off, if someone wants to experience the authentic, non-touristy side of Los Angeles, where would you suggest they go?

Whatever you do, don’t go to Hollywood Blvd. and look at the stars, it’s a trap. Instead, I would recommend checking out the music and cafe scene in Silver Lake, or going for a hike and exploring Griffith Park for an afternoon and then grabbing dinner at some strip mall sushi in the valley (Katsuya!). If the beach is your thing, head north to Malibu and enjoy.

With over fifteen years of experience spanning various industries, can you share some key moments in your career that led you to become the Managing Partner at Pretty Big Monster?

After so many years in the business, one can see when change is in the air. My partners and I recognized the emerging trend of AR/VR/XR and were eager to be a part of this wave of innovation. It was a strategic risk, moving away from our comfort zone of established digital practices into a relatively new and unexplored domain. This shift required us to develop a unique set of skills, extending beyond the conventional web toolkit. By proactively adopting XR technology, Pretty Big Monster positioned itself as a leader in this field. Our strategy went beyond merely applying technology; we actively contributed to its development with our solutions and creative applications—some of our early projects involved designing working prototypes for AR technology companies, effectively helping to refine best practices around their user experiences. This forward-thinking approach enabled us to create a portfolio of groundbreaking projects, solidifying our reputation and attracting top-tier clients.

What are your main focuses at the moment?

We have three concentration areas, Social AR, Web AR, and Immersive Digital Experiences.

Social AR involves integrating augmented reality technology into social media platforms and communication applications. The focus is on creating interactive and engaging experiences on Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, such as lenses that bring the brand into the world of the audience, virtual try-ons, and now we’re excited about the potential of AR ads.

Web AR, which is augmented reality experiences viewed directly through web browsers, eliminates the need for users to download specific apps. This approach significantly broadens the accessibility of AR as no app is needed to be installed.

Immersive Digital Experiences are our third area of focus. This is about creating fully immersive environments, potentially combining traditional digital with AR, VR, 360 images/video and Mixed Reality and AI technologies. It’s about crafting experiences that are not only visually engaging but also interactive and multi-sensory.

Our aim is consistent across the offerings – we want to push the boundaries of digital storytelling, user agency, and interactive entertainment.

Where do you spend most of your time, and what does a typical day entail?

A significant part of my role involves communication and preparation for effective communication. This includes engaging with production teams and clients to ensure they have the necessary information for decision-making and advancing projects.. Additionally, I dedicate a good portion of my time to client relationships and attending industry conferences, where I learn from and network with peers. Increasingly, I am also focusing on giving back to the community by teaching and mentoring others.

How has Pretty Big Monster evolved since its inception, particularly in terms of the services offered and the types of clients the agency caters to?

In the early stages of our journey, we had a clear vision for Augmented Reality (AR), but its alignment with marketing approaches was uncertain, as AR was a novel concept and often confined to innovation budgets. We found ourselves doing a lot educating clients about its potential. Since those initial days, AR has evolved significantly and become a standard element in marketing strategies. Clients now actively seek AR solutions and come to us looking for solutions. This shift has allowed us to concentrate on areas that align with our passion, meet client demands, and match our expertise. As a result, we now specialize in Social AR, Web AR/VR/XR, and creating immersive digital experiences.

Discuss a project where your team pushed the boundaries of innovation and created an unforgettable experience, showcasing your agency’s focus on AR, XR, and immersive technologies.

One of Pretty Big Monster’s standout projects was for Paramount’s Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, which presented two major challenges. Firstly, we augmented a global tour featuring life-sized statues of the film’s robotic heroes in various cities, accompanied by a web AR microsite. This microsite allowed guests to place digital overlays on the statues and access exclusive content.

The second, and more complex challenge, was to bring the Transformers to life in augmented reality, ensuring they performed the intricate transformations that fans adore from the films. Achieving this on a mobile phone, as opposed to using high-powered processors for pre-rendered scenes, was no small task.

Our team engaged in a detailed process, blending automated and traditional 3D techniques, to create real-time animated robots based on the models used in the film. This allowed fans to witness characters like Optimus Prime, Optimus Primal, and Mirage—a robot that transforms into a classic Porsche—shift forms right before their eyes.

The project was a resounding success, captivating fans globally. Thousands shared videos of the Transformers interacting within their own environments, bringing a new dimension to fan engagement to the franchise.

How does Pretty Big Monster balance its commitment to being an award-winning agency with the need to constantly innovate and explore new avenues in the ever-evolving digital landscape?

Our clients look to us for innovation. Pretty Big Monster emphasizes the importance of staying ahead of technological trends, dedicating resources to research and development, and encouraging the team to explore and experiment with emerging technologies. We blend proven strategies with cutting-edge approaches, ensuring that their innovative pursuits do not compromise the quality and effectiveness that have defined our success. Collaborations with diverse design and development talent keep us in touch with the new and the next. By prioritizing client-centric innovation, we try to navigate the ever changing digital landscape, ensuring that our creative and technological advancements align with the market needs.

What recommendations would you give to clients to help streamline the process between their vision and your process?

We are always grateful to work with clients who trust our expertise. The Pretty Big Monster team excels when clients present us with strategic goals or challenges, allowing us to respond with a range of tailored solutions. This approach enables us to employ our full toolset most effectively, creating solutions that not only address the issue at hand but also capitalize on our specialized knowledge.

Our development team plays a crucial role in the proposal process. Each proposal is vetted before leaving our office, ensuring we have a clear plan for execution and have identified ways to circumvent potential limitations.

Challenges arise when fully formed client visions are requested. While these visions might appear well thought through on paper or in a boardroom, they often come with practical implementation issues or technological constraints. This situation necessitates that we pivot to proposing alternatives or addressing problems, which can sometimes divert focus from the best consumer experience. Our goal is always to align our creative process with client expectations, ensuring the final outcome is both feasible and fulfills their vision.

How is your development team structured for immersive technology projects?

AR and immersive projects require a multidisciplinary team. A typical project might need to be touched by a Producer, Creative Director, Designer, Technical Director, Developer, 3D Modeler, Animator, Sound Designer, QA and now sometimes a Machine Learning expert.

Regular team meetings, clear communication channels, and project management tools are used to keep everyone aligned.

What is your approach for hiring talented individuals who can contribute to your agency’s growth?

We need people with technical competencies in areas like AR/VR/XR development, 3D modeling, UI/UX design, and project management, and we assess these skills through a candidate’s previous work. Equally important to us are soft skills, such as creativity, problem-solving, adaptability, and a strong passion for their field of expertise. A good sense of humor is also a plus – being able to share a laugh can make working together, especially in challenging situations, much more enjoyable.

In our recruitment approach, we go beyond traditional methods. We actively engage with online communities, participate in industry conferences, collaborate with educational institutions, and utilize social media. Embracing diversity in our hiring process is crucial; it introduces a variety of perspectives and ideas, which are fundamental for driving innovation in our field.

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations or goals for Pretty Big Monster in terms of growth, innovation, or impact in the creative industry?

Our objective at Pretty Big Monster is not solely company growth, but to make our mark on the industry. We are dedicated to advancing the field of immersive storytelling in innovative and meaningful ways.

A central aspect of this goal involves expanding and diversifying our client base and project portfolio. We aim to extend our presence in current markets and venture into new sectors where immersive technologies can make a significant difference. Being a leader in AR/VR/XR innovation is crucial for us. This ambition entails investing in research and development, keeping pace with evolving technological trends, and constantly exploring creative applications of these technologies.

Forging robust partnerships with technology providers and other creative agencies is also a cornerstone of our strategy. These alliances foster shared knowledge, open up new opportunities, and strengthen our capabilities.

However, the most critical aspect of our approach is maintaining a strong alignment with our clients’ needs and feedback. We ensure that our work not only is “cool” but also directly addresses our clients’ business needs.

You’ve been involved in the development and launch of iconic online experiences, including Australia.com, Harry Potter Online, and Batman.com. Can you share some insights into these projects and the impact they had on digital marketing at the time?

I had no idea each of these would become the massive presences they became. At the time, they were simply projects that needed to be managed as part of my job and I was the guy tapped to do it.

Working on Harry Potter Online was a magical experience (pun intended). The challenge was to create an interactive destination that both honored the rich narrative of the Harry Potter franchise and engaged a highly motivated global fan base. Our focus was on building an online community through interactive features like virtual Hogwarts tours, interactive activities, and games. This was during a time when online communities were just starting to gain traction, but before social media became the place for fans to congregate. Harry Potter Online became a case study in how to build and maintain a passionate online community that also delivered distinct marketing messages for each of the films and consumer products. It highlighted the importance of content-driven marketing and the power of storytelling in digital campaigns and how the delivery can be just as engaging as the content.

Australia.com’s goal was to showcase the diverse national attractions in a compelling digital format, but it was also the home page for a country, which was a real honor to help bring to life. The key here was to create an immersive experience that not only informed potential tourists but also captivated them with the beauty and culture of Australia. We leveraged stunning visuals, interactive content, and user-friendly design to make Australia.com a digital gateway for the country. Its impact on digital marketing was significant, as it demonstrated how national tourism can be effectively promoted through a vibrant online presence, shifting from traditional advertising to a more engaging, content-rich approach.

The challenge with Batman.com was how to cater to both long-time fans of the Batman franchise and new audiences simultaneously and across a variety of different expressions of the property. We achieved this by creating a dynamic website that offered a mix of rich media content, including exclusive behind-the-scenes looks, interactive comics, and fan forums. This project was particularly impactful in demonstrating the potential of multimedia in digital marketing and the importance of engaging with communities in authentic ways that could be reinvigorated as new shows, movies and comics were released.

Each of these projects pushed the boundaries of digital marketing at the time. They highlighted the importance of high-impact design, storytelling, community building, and engaging experiences in creating successful online platforms. The lessons I learned from these projects continue to inform the projects I work on today.

What kind of new tech stuff has blown your mind?

Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs) like Neuralink are absolutely wild, like telepathy – allowing humans to control technology with their thoughts and offering new treatments for neurological disorders. I can’t wait to see how this develops.

In your view, what is the biggest challenge the interactive sector is facing right now?

I’m not sure if this is the biggest challenge facing the interactive sector right now, but something that has been an issue for a long time is that Apple has yet to add support for web-based AR to the iPhone’s Safari browser. This has severely hampered adoption of augmented reality outside of apps and social media platforms. There’s hope with the release of the Vision that this will change, but I suspect we’ll still be waiting for it to come to the most popular phone in the US.

Are there any personal mottos or philosophies that you live by, and can you share how they’ve influenced your journey?

“Progress, Not Perfection” This reminds me to focus on making consistent steps forward rather than striving for unattainable perfection and helps me maintain momentum and a mindset that stresses improvement and resilience over flawless execution.

Outside of your professional life, what are some of your greatest passions or interests that you enjoy pursuing?

At any given moment I am in the midst of reading 2 to 3 books. I love science fiction – Iain M. Banks, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Nick Harkaway and similar authors. I also really enjoy riding my bike around LA, which is admittedly a dangerous pastime.

Please share a fun-fact that not many people know about you.

I’ve been lucky enough to have a career that has taken me all over the world. I’ve lived in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Sydney, London, Mexico City and now Los Angeles, where I play to stay.

Thanks Jason!

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AIARimmersive experiencesMixed RealitySocial ARVRWeb ARXR