Spectre

What Spectre does

Spectre (trading as We Are Spectre Limited) is a UK-based AR/VR digital experience agency headquartered in Southampton, founded circa 2015 and operating with a team of 1–10 people. The company conceives, designs, builds, and deploys augmented reality, virtual reality, 3D CGI, and 360° video experiences for enterprise clients, with development coverage spanning iOS, Android, Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, Google Cardboard, and Windows VR. Its flagship proprietary asset is CommandPost, a mixed-reality browser app published on the Apple App Store and Google Play that enables businesses to trigger 3D CGI, 360° VR, and AR video content from 2D graphics, 3D objects, products, packaging, buildings, or geo-location markers without bespoke AR development, lowering the time and cost of AR publishing.

The firm runs a project-based professional services model with three revenue streams: custom AR/VR application development, 3D animation and CGI production, and 360° video production. Go-to-market is sales-led, executed via the company website ('Talk to us', 'Call me back', contact forms), phone outreach, and selective agency partnerships — notably a co-delivery engagement with WPP's Landor Associates on a Magrabi Optical VR store-tour. The customer base is enterprise-weighted and cross-sector, including Vodafone, IBM, Saudi Aramco, the UK's Department for International Trade, Weston Homes, S4C Television/Welsh Rugby Union, Magrabi Optical, Fire Angel, Liora Jewellery, and Choosey.com, with use cases spanning consumer marketing, property visualisation, internal HR/recruitment communications, training, and broadcast audience engagement.

The business is privately held with no disclosed investors, funding rounds, or revenue figures, and currently relies on RAR (Recommended Agency Register) recommended status and a public case-study portfolio as its primary trust signals. Operational evidence (active website, current app store listings, ongoing social media) indicates continued trading, but absence of headcount growth signals, funding events, or dated content beyond 2016 limits visibility into forward trajectory.

Name

Spectre

Legal name

We Are Spectre Limited

Website

https://wearespectre.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Spectre is a UK-based AR/VR agency developing custom augmented reality, virtual reality, 3D CGI, and 360° video experiences for enterprise clients across retail, property, telecommunications, broadcasting, energy, and government sectors, anchored by its CommandPost AR browser platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

AR/VR Development Services

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

XR/AR/VR/MR Development Frameworks & Toolchains (MPAFAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Immersive/Interactive Animation (AR/VR/Real-Time) (MPAHACAN), VR/AR Gaming Platforms (BPAMAKAG)

Keywords

• Augmented reality development
• Virtual reality development
• 3D animation services
• Mixed reality applications
• Immersive content production

Headquarters

HQ city

Southampton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. AR/VR Development Services: Custom augmented reality and virtual reality application development for enterprise clients, including concept, design, build, and deployment of technology properties. Project-based professional services engagements.
2. 3D Animation & CGI Production: Film production, 3D animation, compositing, and direction services for marketing and brand experiences.
3. 360° Video Production: 360-degree video production for immersive content experiences, including binaural sound, post-production, and live streaming capabilities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Spectre is a UK-based AR/VR agency that conceives, designs, builds and deploys custom augmented reality, virtual reality, 3D CGI, and 360° video experiences for enterprise clients. It combines strategy, creative, design, development and production to connect digital and physical worlds through immersive brand, marketing, training and visualisation experiences across mobile, desktop and wearable platforms. The company also offers CommandPost, a proprietary AR browser platform that enables rapid deployment and management of AR content without bespoke development.

Product overview

Spectre is a UK-based AR/VR agency offering a portfolio of services and products. Their core service offerings include Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and 3D Art/CGI. Key products include CommandPost (their AR browser platform enabling businesses to manage AR content), Virtual World AR (property visualisation), and various client-specific AR/VR experiences developed for brands including Weston Homes, S4C, Magrabi, Vodafone, IBM, and others. They also produce 360-degree video content, AR games like Zombie Lunch, and digital experiences. The company operates across multiple platforms including iOS, Android, Oculus, Google Cardboard, Gear VR, and Windows VR, serving clients in automotive, retail, property, entertainment, education, and corporate sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CommandPost: A mixed reality browser app that removes upfront time and cost associated with bespoke AR development, enabling businesses to publish and manage AR content quickly and easily.

Products and services

• Augmented Reality Services Custom augmented reality application development for businesses, enabling immersive experiences that connect digital content with the physical world through mobile devices to drive engagement, acquisition, commerce, loyalty, and customer intelligence.
• Virtual Reality Services VR software application development placing audiences in 360-degree immersive content environments, creating a sense of presence and connection with brands, products, or stores through CGI environments or 360° live action footage. Supports major VR hardware including Oculus Rift, Gear VR, and Google Cardboard.
• 3D Art and CGI Services Conception, storyboarding, direction, animation and production of unforgettable experiences using CGI, 3D animation, compositing, film production and direction for all kinds of platforms and media, ranging from character animation to photo-real technical engineering visualisation.
• CommandPost AR Browser Mixed reality browser application enabling businesses to publish and manage AR content including 3D CGI, 360° VR and AR video triggered from 2D graphics, 3D objects, products, packaging, buildings, or geo-location markers. Removes the time and cost of bespoke AR development by providing a reusable publishing platform.
• 360° Video Production 360-degree video production for immersive content experiences, including binaural sound, post-production, and live streaming capabilities for brands and marketers seeking new era immersive storytelling.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tesco AR magazine achieved average click-through rate of almost 15% with some pages as high as 60% (compared to 0.3% average banner ad CTR)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered notable, core and supporting.

• Landor Associates (WPP)notableStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpectre worked in partnership with WPP's global brand agency Landor Associates to develop an innovative VR experience for Magrabi Optical's global launch event in Dubai. Landor provided strategic brand direction while Spectre delivered the VR development.
• S4C Television / Welsh Rugby UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpectre conceived, designed, and developed an AR rugby mini game for S4C television and Welsh Rugby Union. The objective was to raise interest and drive user acquisition for Welsh rugby fans through a fun and innovative AR game experience.
• S4C TelevisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped an AR video platform and app for S4C television to raise audience awareness and increase uptake, supporting broadcast schedule and key marketing activity through AR cloud infrastructure.
• VodafonecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple projects with Vodafone including HR Campus AR app for employee awareness, Technology Academy hero character 'Mobi' development. Vodafone employs over 86,400 people with revenues over £41bn.
• Choosey.comnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward-winning internet startup changing the face of custom greeting cards. Spectre conceived, designed, and developed custom AR greeting card app and e-commerce platform in close partnership with Choosey management team.
• DragonfishsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWorking with employee communication specialist Dragonfish, Spectre developed IBM 'Meet a CBDer' AR experience for graduate recruitment campus tour.
• BlipparsupportingTechnology or IntegrationReferenced as leading UK AR provider pivoting to m-commerce. Co-Founder Jessica Butcher noted AR's power for spontaneous purchase decisions. Works with Walmart, Budweiser, Maybelline, L'Oreal on AR strategies.
• AurasmasupportingTechnology or IntegrationHead of Marketing Tamara Roukaerts noted AR's role in putting mobile at heart of marketing mix. Partners include Tesco, Universal Music, Condé Nast building devoted AR teams.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Blippar: UK-based AR platform and creation tool referenced alongside Spectre as a leading UK AR provider. Both target enterprise marketing with AR campaigns and SDK-based content delivery; Blippar represents a better-funded, platform-led variant of Spectre's AR service offering.
• Zappar: UK AR platform offering a mixed reality creation tool (Zapworks) plus enterprise AR campaign services. Directly comparable business model to Spectre — agency-led AR/3D content with a proprietary browser/SDK on top.
• Nexus Studios: London-based creative studio producing interactive AR, VR, and immersive narrative work for global brands. Comparable to Spectre in creative-led AR/VR production with an overlapping target client base in advertising and entertainment.
• Happy Finish: UK-based AR/VR/3D content production agency serving fashion, retail, and automotive brands. Closely comparable services, geography, and customer mix to Spectre — both operate as full-service AR/3D production shops.
• Rewind: UK immersive technology agency building VR, AR, and real-time 3D experiences for enterprise and entertainment clients. Overlapping service portfolio and UK-base positioning make it a head-to-head peer for enterprise AR/VR briefs.
• UNIT9: Global creative production company with a strong AR/VR/interactive installation practice serving major brands. Comparable in production capabilities and enterprise client base, though materially larger scale.
• 8th Wall: WebAR development platform enabling in-browser AR experiences. Comparable technology positioning to Spectre's CommandPost browser, though platform-first rather than agency-first in business model.

Broad incumbents

• Framestore: UK VFX and immersive content giant with a dedicated VR/AR/interactive division serving global brands. Comparable creative output and customer base, but at significantly larger scale and broader portfolio than Spectre.
• AKQA: Global creative agency with established AR/VR/capability serving enterprise clients (including Vodafone campaigns). Comparable customer overlap and AR/VR service line, but as part of a much broader full-service agency offering.

Emerging players

• Marxent: US-based AR/VR visualisation platform focused on product visualisation for retail and property — directly comparable to Spectre's Virtual World AR property app and Liora jewellery try-on work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wearespectre
• Xx.com/wearespectre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wearespectre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Spectre