Snap Inc. (SNAP Quick QuoteSNAP – Free Report), the company behind Snapchat, has introduced a groundbreaking augmented reality (AR) advertising feature named Sponsored AR Filters on Snapchat to extend brands’ outreach beyond the pre-capture Lens Carousel. Snapchat, created by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown, was launched in September 2011.
This innovative ad placement, unveiled after Snapchatters capture their content with the Snapchat Camera, enhances brand participation in shareable moments, given the platform’s massive daily creation of five billion Snaps. Sponsored AR Filters offer brands seamless integration into cultural events and everyday moments, facilitated by convenient templates for filter production, covering AR face filters, location-based overlays, countdown timers, and more.
Leveraging Sponsored AR Filters alongside pre-capture Sponsored Lenses amplifies brand visibility and engagement across the Snapchat Camera experience. Calls to action incorporated into these filters enable advertisers to guide users towards specific conversion actions, driving measurable campaign results. With the Lens Web Builder, a free DIY tool for Filter and Lens creation, advertisers can effortlessly create Sponsored AR Filters in under 10 minutes, eliminating the need for outside production costs. Advertisers can initiate Sponsored AR Filter campaigns either through Lens Web Builder or Ads Manager, streamlining the process from creative upload to campaign launch on Snapchat’s platform.
Snap’s unveiling of Sponsored AR Filters coincides with its efforts to counter declining ad revenues, attributed to various factors including industry-wide budget cuts and economic headwinds. Despite challenges, Snap reported steady growth, surpassing 800 million monthly active users in the fourth quarter of 2023, with fourth-quarter revenues reaching $1.36 billion. Partnerships with Microsoft Advertising and advancements like filters created with ChatGPT underscore Snap’s commitment to innovation amidst competition from platforms like TikTok and Meta Platforms’ Instagram.