6 Innovative Snapchat Marketing Campaigns and What We Can Learn from Them
In the whirlwind world of Snapchat Marketing Campaigns, where filters are king and seconds matter, businesses are finding inventive ways to capture attention.
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Imagine turning your head into a taco or joining a mission with Tom Cruise, all from your phone! This article dives into the playful and sometimes bizarre universe of Snapchat marketing, uncovering how brands are leveraging this snappy platform to create memorable campaigns.
Curious about turning fleeting moments into lasting impressions?
Read on to uncover the secrets behind Snapchat's most successful marketing stunts.
Netflix’s Gilmore Girls Revival Campaign
Overview of the Campaign's Strategy
Netflix's campaign for the revival of the beloved series "Gilmore Girls" in 2016 stands as a testament to the effective use of Snapchat's marketing tools. Central to this campaign was the innovative use of Snapchat Sponsored Filters, which aimed to create a buzz around the show's much-anticipated return.
Netflix cleverly integrated the physical and digital worlds by distributing 10,000 paper coffee cups with scannable Snapcodes in cafes across the United States.
These Snapcodes unlocked an exclusive Gilmore Girls Snapchat Filter, drawing a direct connection between the show’s iconic coffee culture and its digital marketing strategy.
The campaign turned Snapchat users into active participants, inviting them to be part of the Gilmore Girls' universe. Fans who received the promotional cups at select locations not only enjoyed the tangible aspect of the campaign but also became digital advocates by sharing their experiences online. This approach not only garnered attention for the mini-series but also fostered a sense of community among the show's fans.
Lessons Learned: Interactive Content and Providing Value
The success of Netflix’s Gilmore Girls revival campaign on Snapchat offers valuable lessons in digital marketing:
- Interactivity is Key:
By merging the physical with the digital, Netflix created an interactive experience that resonated with both fans of the show and Snapchat users. The campaign demonstrated that interactivity can significantly amplify user engagement and create a memorable brand experience.
- Value Drives Engagement:
Netflix's strategy was built around offering value to its audience. Instead of directly asking for engagement, the campaign provided fans with a free, exclusive filter and collectible merchandise. This approach showcases the power of value-driven content in fostering willing brand advocacy and expanding reach through shared experiences.
- Harness the Power of Community:
The campaign tapped into the existing fanbase of "Gilmore Girls", turning them into active participants in the promotional activity. By leveraging the show's community, Netflix was able to create a ripple effect of enthusiasm and engagement across various platforms.
- Blend the Physical and Digital Worlds:
The campaign’s success highlights the effectiveness of campaigns that blur the lines between the physical and digital realms. This strategy can be particularly powerful in engaging audiences who value both tangible experiences and digital interaction.
Grubhub’s Innovative Recruiting Campaign
Description of Grubhub's Use of Snapchat
Grubhub, a pioneer in online food delivery, leveraged Snapchat in a unique way in 2014, not for promoting its services, but for recruiting marketing interns. This innovative campaign was an early example of a brand utilizing Snapchat for a purpose beyond traditional marketing. Grubhub sent out a series of Snapchat images announcing their search for a social media savvy intern.
Applicants were invited to apply by sending their best Snapchat doodle to the company, along with completing a Google application form. This approach stood out as a fresh and engaging way to connect with potential candidates.
Lessons Learned: Targeting the Right Audience and Unique Approaches
- Targeting the Right Audience:
Grubhub understood that Snapchat's user base was filled with the exact demographic they were looking to hire: young, social media savvy individuals. By using Snapchat for their recruiting process, they ensured their message reached the most relevant audience. This strategic targeting is a critical lesson for any brand looking to maximize the impact of their campaigns.
- The Power of Unique, Fun Approaches:
Grubhub’s campaign was not just innovative, but also fun. It diverged from traditional recruiting methods, offering a playful and creative way for candidates to express themselves. This approach not only made the process enjoyable for applicants but also helped Grubhub stand out in the competitive job market.
- Leveraging Platform Strengths:
Grubhub’s campaign capitalized on the strengths of Snapchat – its visual nature and the creativity it fosters. By aligning their campaign with these features, they were able to engage with users in a meaningful way.
- Generating Interest and Publicity:
The campaign’s uniqueness garnered free publicity for Grubhub. It highlighted how out-of-the-box ideas can attract attention not just from potential applicants but also from the media and the public, enhancing the company’s visibility.
Sour Patch Kids’ Sour Then Sweet Hijinks
Analysis of the Campaign
In 2014, Sour Patch Kids launched a Snapchat campaign that perfectly aligned with its brand personality and targeted its core demographic: teenage candy enthusiasts. The campaign utilized the popular Sour Patch Kids characters in a series of Snapchat stories that resonated with holidays and events relatable to teens, such as Halloween and movie releases. These stories were crafted to be fun, mischievous, and engaging, mirroring the "Sour Then Sweet" theme of the candy brand.
Lessons Learned: Short, Fun Content and Cross-Platform Engagement
- Effectiveness of Short, Fun Content:
Sour Patch Kids’ Snapchat campaign highlighted the power of short and engaging content. The playful and quick-paced nature of the stories was well-suited for the Snapchat platform and its young audience. This approach proved that concise, entertaining content could capture and sustain the attention of even the most challenging demographics.
- Leveraging Platform Strengths:
The campaign capitalized on Snapchat's strengths as a platform for spontaneous and visually engaging content. By tailoring the content to fit the platform's unique characteristics, Sour Patch Kids maximized user engagement.
- Cross-Platform Reach:
The campaign not only achieved success on Snapchat but also generated significant buzz on other social media platforms like Twitter. This cross-platform impact underscored the importance of integrating social media strategies to amplify reach and engagement.
- Building a Brand Personality:
The campaign was a perfect embodiment of the Sour Patch Kids brand, blending humor with a hint of mischief. This consistency in brand messaging across platforms helped in strengthening the brand’s identity and appeal among its target audience.
Cisco’s “Day in the Life of an Account Manager” Series
Insight into Cisco's Approach
Cisco, a company known for its networking hardware, took an unconventional route in humanizing its brand through the "Day in the Life of an Account Manager" series on Snapchat. This campaign was designed to showcase the daily activities and responsibilities of a Cisco account manager.
By focusing on the human aspect behind the corporate façade, Cisco provided a unique and engaging look into its business world, a move not typically expected from a B2B brand in a hardware-oriented industry.
Lessons Learned: Turning Mundane Content into Engaging Storytelling
- Humanizing the Brand:
Cisco's approach to sharing real, relatable stories of its employees helped in humanizing the brand. This strategy allows followers to connect on a personal level, breaking the stereotype of a 'boring' corporate image.
- Engaging Storytelling from Everyday Content:
Cisco demonstrated that even seemingly mundane, everyday business activities could be transformed into engaging content. By focusing on storytelling and the people behind the brand, they created interest and engagement where none might have been expected.
- Connecting with a Tech-Savvy Audience:
The series was strategically tailored for Snapchat’s tech-savvy audience. This alignment with the platform's user base was key in making the campaign resonate with the followers.
- Innovative Content Strategy for B2B:
Cisco's campaign serves as a benchmark for B2B companies on how to leverage social media platforms traditionally dominated by B2C content. It shows that with creativity, even B2B brands can effectively engage audiences on platforms like Snapchat.
Gatorade’s #GatoradeDunk Lens During Super Bowl 50
Examination of Gatorade’s Interactive Snapchat Lens
For Super Bowl 50, Gatorade introduced the #GatoradeDunk lens on Snapchat, a highly interactive and engaging feature. This lens allowed users to simulate the iconic moment of a winning coach being doused with a Gatorade cooler. By using an image of themselves, users could experience and share this celebratory moment, connecting them directly with the excitement of the Super Bowl.
Lessons Learned: Creating Fun, Participatory Experiences for Brand Engagement
- Enhancing User Experience with Interactivity:
Gatorade’s lens was not just a visual effect; it was an interactive experience that users could actively participate in. This level of interactivity significantly increases user engagement and brand connection.
- Leveraging Major Events for Brand Visibility:
By tying the lens to the Super Bowl, Gatorade tapped into the event’s massive audience. Aligning a marketing campaign with significant cultural events can magnify a brand’s visibility and relevance.
- Encouraging Social Sharing:
The fun and shareable nature of the lens encouraged users to post their #GatoradeDunk moments on various social platforms, expanding the campaign’s reach beyond Snapchat.
- Creating Emotional Connections:
The lens allowed users to feel a part of the Super Bowl celebration, creating an emotional connection with the event and, by extension, the Gatorade brand. Emotional engagement is a powerful tool in building lasting brand relationships.
Additional Successful Campaigns
Taco Bell’s Cinco de Mayo Snapchat Lens
Taco Bell's Cinco de Mayo Snapchat Lens, featuring a taco-shaped head filter, was a major hit, viewed 224 million times in a single day. This campaign was successful due to its fun, playful nature and subtle branding, offering a humorous and engaging user experience.
Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation
For the movie release, a 'mission month' on Snapchat featured challenges with 24-hour time limits, introduced by Tom Cruise. This campaign effectively utilized Snapchat's defining feature of disappearing messages, aligning perfectly with the movie's theme.
Call of Duty: Black Ops III
Activision incorporated Snapchat Snapcodes into online game maps for "Call of Duty: Black Ops III," leading to a campaign that generated widespread interest and speculation about the new game, showing the power of integrating social media into gaming.
BBC Panorama – Refugee Crisis: A Snapchat Documentary
BBC Panorama’s Snapchat documentary on the refugee crisis was groundbreaking in using real-time storytelling on Snapchat to reach younger audiences, demonstrating the platform's versatility beyond entertainment and into serious news reporting.
Cedar Point Amusement Park – Catch-a-Ghost
Cedar Point’s Snapchat campaign involved an interactive ghost-catching competition, leveraging Snapchat’s screenshot feature. This campaign not only engaged users but also showcased how interactive elements can significantly boost user involvement and brand engagement.
Each of these campaigns illustrates diverse and innovative ways of leveraging Snapchat’s unique features, highlighting the platform’s versatility and potential for creative, engaging marketing strategies.
FAQs
What makes Snapchat an effective platform for innovative marketing campaigns?
Snapchat's unique features like ephemeral content, filters, and interactive lenses cater to a younger demographic, encouraging creative and engaging storytelling which can lead to higher user engagement and brand visibility.
How did Netflix's Gilmore Girls campaign on Snapchat succeed?
By combining physical elements (branded coffee cups) with digital engagement (exclusive Snapchat filters), Netflix created an interactive, community-driven experience, leveraging both value and interactivity to drive campaign success.
What was unique about Grubhub’s recruiting campaign on Snapchat?
Grubhub used Snapchat for recruitment by asking users to submit doodles via the platform, targeting the right audience directly and showcasing the power of unique, fun approaches in engaging potential candidates.
How did Gatorade's #GatoradeDunk lens during Super Bowl 50 enhance user experience?
Gatorade's lens allowed users to simulate the famous Gatorade Dunk, fostering a fun, participatory experience that connected users emotionally to the Super Bowl, significantly boosting brand engagement.
Can Snapchat marketing campaigns influence other social platforms?
Yes, successful Snapchat campaigns like Sour Patch Kids’ and BBC Panorama’s have shown the potential to generate cross-platform engagement, amplifying reach and impact beyond Snapchat itself.
Conclusion
The exploration of these innovative Snapchat marketing campaigns reveals key insights into the evolving landscape of digital marketing. Central to their success is the ability to create interactive, fun, and engaging content that resonates with a platform's audience. These campaigns demonstrate the power of blending storytelling, technology, and real-time engagement to create memorable experiences for users.
Snapchat's unique features, including ephemeral content, filters, and lenses, offer vast possibilities for creative marketing. As Snapchat continues to evolve, its potential impact on brand engagement and audience connection is significant. Brands willing to embrace Snapchat's playful and dynamic nature can unlock new opportunities for reaching and engaging their target demographics in increasingly imaginative and effective ways.
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