Snapchat debuts first brand-facing campaign as it looks to reclaim lost ad spend
Snapchat has debuted its first brand-facing campaign, ’Meet the Snapchat Generation’, as it looks to reclaim ad spend lost to the pandemic. With Facebook and TikTok both in the middle of very public scandals, this tactical campaign by Snapchat could help it scoop up precious ad spend from its competitors.
Snapchat’s first brand facing campaign, Meet the Snapchat Generation
Showcasing how ingrained Snapchat is in Gen Z culture, the campaign talks to a number of brand partners (including the NFL and Depop) that detail what they love about working with the app.
Developed in-house by Snap’s global business marketing team, ’Meet the Snapchat Generation’ is built around five main themes: ’taking social responsibility’, ’building community’, ’celebrating individuality’, ’nurturing friendships’ and ’communicating in new ways’. Running in the US, Canada and Australia across print, broadcast and digital media channels from today (3 August), it will then expand to the UK on 17 August followed by the rest of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa on 24 August.
“The Snapchat Generation is the most informed, tolerant, active and diverse group in history,“ claims Snap’s chief marketing officer, Kenny Mitchell. “Our first marketer-focused campaign showcases what is so special about our community, from their strongly held values to their unique behaviours.”
What does this mean for Snapchat?
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As marketers reconsider traditional marketing, platforms like TikTok and Snapchat can be an enigma for anyone over the age of 25.
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’Meet the Snapchat Generation’ will help marketers navigate Snapchat’s platform by highlighting the impact of its community for businesses, as well as to shedding light on its values and behaviours. Making it easier for marketers to succeed will undoubtedly make the app more attractive for new business.
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In its Q2 earnings call on 21 July, Snapchat’s parent company said the app experienced a tough quarter in which brands cut spend because of Covid-19 restrictions. While it says its ad sales rebounded in July, there is still a great deal of uncertainty concerning the pandemic. Attracting new business by drawing attention to its advertising products is a crucial tactic as it looks to reclaim some lost ad spend.
Why does this mean for its competition?
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After it failed to take stronger action on hate speech and misinformation, Facebook has found itself at the receiving end of a major brand boycott, opening up the space for its competitors to scoop up some wayward ad spend.
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On its Q2 earnings call, Snapchat confirmed the boycott had “opened the door” to advertisers that wouldn’t usually spend the platform. Chief business officer Jeremi Gorman said that while difficult to determine the exact impact of the ‘Stop Hate For Profit’ campaign, it had led to conversations with high-level execs at brands.
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Like Snapchat, last month TikTok finally took a concrete step in making its platform more accessible to brands by introducing TikTok For Business. Under the banner ’Don’t Make Ads, Make TikToks’, the brand launch is the app’s attempt to reach advertisers, inviting them to reconsider traditional marketing and come on board its storytelling platform.
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Despite its popularity with Gen Z, in its short history TikTok has found itself in a number of high-profile scandals. Last month, the Indian government took the decision to ban 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, due to security concerns. Most recently, the US president Donald Trump has threatened to do the same with Microsoft pledging to acquire the app from parent company ByteDance.
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Considering this, and amid Facebook’s grilling from congress, it might be a pertinent move by Snapchat to entice marketers away from competition and on to its platform.