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Library/App & software/MSQRD
Grade B25 sourcesHIS-00305

MSQRD

App & software · 2015 · Notable

53Editable slideCertificate

Facebook bought MSQRD, the face-mask app that led free iOS charts in 16 countries.

Clip · MSQRD on YouTube
Frame from MSQRD’s official demo showing a live animal mask and the camera controls.
MSQRD
The Winner Of Garage48 Minsk 2015 Took Video Technology To A Whole New Level!
Garage48
Что купил Facebook? Приложение MSQRD в десяти видео со звездами — Meduza
Meduza
App Viral Marketing Tips that Helped MSQRD Increase Conversion by 13%
SplitMetrics (MSQRD’s optimization vendor)
Work: MSQRD
Krukov (launch participant)
MSQRD: Witzige Video-Effekte in kostenloser Fun-App
appgefahren

Spread Score

How it works
Reach54Contagion50Breadth80Velocity22Longevity5353

Numbers

Monthly active users reported at acquisition (owner claim)
14M
As of Mar 9, 2016 · App stores · Self-reported · Lenta.ru
Peak date
Week of Mar 9, 2016
Dec 17 ’15 to Week of Mar 9, 2016
Platforms
6
Started on App stores
Origin
Seeded
Technology

Mechanics

  • Shareable outputPrimary
  • Low-effort copy
  • Platform jump
  • Press loop
  • Newsjacking

How it spread

Trace the origin

MSQRD released live selfie masks in December. Celebrity Instagram videos and TV demonstrations carried them to new audiences. Facebook bought Masquerade in March, when the app led free iOS charts in 16 countries; the standalone app was later closed.

Dates use the stated precision; chart positions are date anchors.

Google searchesSep ’15NovJan ’16MarAprJulOctOct ’17Oct ’18Oct ’19May ’20PeakOpen webApp storesPressInstagramYouTubeFacebook
Open webApp storesPressInstagramYouTubeFacebook

15 more events on this chart

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Timeline (18)

  1. November 2015

    MSQRD / Garage48 precursor · Nov 2015

    The team presented a prototype at a Minsk hackathon and won Garage48’s overall prize.[1][2]

    The Winner Of Garage48 Minsk 2015 Took Video Technology To A Whole New Level!
    Open the first post ↗

  2. December 2015

    Masquerade Technologies seed · Dec 17 ’15

    MSQRD’s iOS app was released with live masks for selfie photos and videos.[3][4]

  3. German App Store users commercial · Dec 20 ’15

    MSQRD became available in Germany’s App Store, according to appgefahren.[5]

    MSQRD: Witzige Video-Effekte in kostenloser Fun-App
Changelogupdated Oct 12 ’26
  1. 2026-10-12Added: 16 events, 20 sources · Score 43
Origin
Seeded
Sector
Technology
Region
BY
Monthly active users reported at acquisition (owner claim)
14M
As of Mar 9, 2016 · App stores · Self-reported · Lenta.ru
Evidence
Grade B

Spread the same way

EPIK AI Yearbook

App stores · 2023

53
How I wish this was my college yearbook creative photos 😅 #photodumps #yearbookAIphotos #AI #epikapp #yearbooktrend #fyp #viral

Peaked at #1

Reface

App stores · 2020

45
The Viral Reface App Could Make Our Deepfake Problem Worse

20M users

MapQuest's Lake Ontario stance

X · 2026

40
We’re not changing it.

Peaked at #1

PedidosYa: World Cup Delivery

Open web · 2022

37
Campaign vendor’s screenshot of the World Cup delivery tracker, with Lionel as courier.

26M impressions

New cases, every week

How the next thing spread, the week it does.

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Google searchesSep ’15NovJan ’16MarAprJulOctOct ’17Oct ’18Oct ’19May ’20PeakOpen webApp storesPressInstagramYouTubeFacebook
Open webApp storesPressInstagramYouTubeFacebook

15 more events on this chart

Join free to see them

  1. November 2015

    MSQRD / Garage48 precursor · Nov 2015

    The team presented a prototype at a Minsk hackathon and won Garage48’s overall prize.[1][2]

    The Winner Of Garage48 Minsk 2015 Took Video Technology To A Whole New Level!
    Open the first post ↗

  2. December 2015

    Masquerade Technologies seed · Dec 17 ’15

    MSQRD’s iOS app was released with live masks for selfie photos and videos.[3][4]

  3. German App Store users commercial · Dec 20 ’15

    MSQRD became available in Germany’s App Store, according to appgefahren.[5]

    MSQRD: Witzige Video-Effekte in kostenloser Fun-App

  1. press · Feb 11 ’16

  2. platform jump · Week of Feb 14, 2016

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Why it worked

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