Twitter has officially entered the augmented reality market. The social media company partnered with NBC and The Voice judges Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera and Pharrell Williams to introduce 3D animated hashtags and stickers to both Vine and Twitter.

This experience came in the form of a custom augmented reality booth backstage, where coaches and talent tweeted six-second videos from @TheVoice handle. This activation introduced new technology to The Voice, which has over four million Twitter followers and is one of the most tweeted broadcast shows according to Nielsen. It also debuted a creative experience that weaves the Twitter and TV experience more closely together.

The AR booth included animated Twitter emojis for each coach. The four emojis can be unlocked with the following hashtags (#TeamBlake, #TeamXtina, #TeamPharrell, #TeamAdam). In addition to animated 3D versions of the coach emojis, the booth had several animated stickers for the coaches and contestants to play with.

This AR activation is the latest in a string of new technology, including the “Voice Save” which started in 2013 and gives Twitter fans the opportunity to save contestants through tweets. The show was also an early adopter to Periscope when it launched in 2015, offering fans interactive Q&As and backstage tours. The four coaches bring their signature banter to their combined 48 million followers, adding another layer of engagement and interaction with their fans on Twitter.

Matthew Moroz, who leads Twitter’s creative, strategy & innovations for the TV partnerships team, explains what augmented reality technology opens up in this exclusive interview.

Why did you decide to explore augmented reality? 

We are always looking for new ways to bring a unique TV experience to Twitter fans and AR felt like a natural next step.

How does this technology work across Twitter and Vine? 

The AR Booth is like an amped-up Twitter Mirror. It involves simply walking up to the monitor, picking up an object, holding it up to the screen and watching the object animate while a short video starts to record the action. The videos can then be shared with fans across Twitter and Vine.

What do you feel AR opens up to the Twitter audience? 

Twitter fans and partners have embraced innovations like the Twitter Mirror and the Vine 360 booth. This AR integration takes another step in bringing the experience from behind the scenes to fans in a new way.

How popular are emojis and stickers with Twitter and Vine and what do you see AR adding to this popularity? 

Emojis, which are so concise and expressive, go hand in hand with Twitter, especially for TV conversation. We now create custom Twitter emojis for various occasions and TV events, from the Oscars to the Olympics, to The Voice. AR is another way that programs can include fans in the show and bring excitement to live experiences on Twitter.

What did you learn from The Voice activation with NBC? 

We have worked with NBC as a partner on many innovative projects, like Voice Save, which allows Twitter fans to rescue a contestant on the brink of elimination through tweets. We are constantly in a dialogue with them to push the envelope and bring new elements to Twitter, especially since The Voice fans are already so savvy on Twitter.

How does AR further connect the television watching experience with the social media engagement? 

Augmented reality is a novel and fun experience that rewards fans with interesting content.

How did you work with NBC on this initial activation?  

This activation is the result of collaboration on both sides. We consider it a creative partnership because we are constantly exchanging ideas and brainstorming new ways to include our fans into the live show experience.

Now that you’ve proven it works, what role do you see this AR technology playing for TV networks and even brands moving forward? 

There are so many creative ways AR can be employed on Twitter. This is only the first step.