Can Snapchat Show Advertisers It's More Than a Place to Experiment?
- Brands want company to demonstrate a return on investment
- Snap is working hard to simplify the ad-buying process
Why Snap Needs to Simplify Its Ad-Buying Process
Gatorade’s Kenny Mitchell wasn’t totally sold on Snapchat advertising until he met Imran Khan, Snap Inc.’s chief strategy officer, in December of 2015. That night, over drinks at Chicago’s Soho House, they came up with an ad concept that would use Snap’s video filter to let people virtually dunk themselves in Gatorade after a big game -- taking to the masses a tradition typically reserved for players.
The project was classic Snap. Khan persuaded a brand to do something it had never done before, fully customized for Snapchat, and quickly. The sponsored lens, which let users superimpose the digital dunking effect over a selfie, was ready for the Super Bowl just a few months later; Khan attended the game as Mitchell’s guest. The ad was widely praised by trade publications and reprised for this year’s game. Apple’s Beats brand, L’Oreal and Taco Bell have all green-lighted similar gimmicks.