Snapchat's Discover Shows Provide Insight into the Effectiveness of Snap Ads

Snapchat's original Discover shows are extremely popular among its users, with the short episodic format fitting with modern video consumption patterns and garnering substantial momentum among younger audiences. Furthermore, Snapchat reported earlier this year that over 90% of the US Gen Z population watched Shows and publisher content in Q4 2020, and that many Snap Originals now have tens of millions of viewers on average, including shows like 'Ryan Doesn't Know,' starring Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds, which had over 20 million users watching.

Snap's Originals might herald a huge change into the next phase of video consumption, with people rapidly spending more time online and less time viewing traditional television.

Snap's Discover ad alternatives could become more valuable as a result of this.

To demonstrate the possibilities, Snapchat and Nielsen recently performed a survey to determine the branding benefits of advertising within Discover shows, as well as how this connects to brand favorability and recall.

According to Snapchat:

"Online video ads on Snapchat Discover come in the form of Commercials, 6-second, non-skippable ad formats that are delivered in our Shows. Our content, which is curated and brand-safe by design, features partners such as E! The Rundown and ESPN Sportscenter, as well as exclusive shows like the upcoming star-driven series Charli vs. Dixie and Off Thee Leash With Megan Thee Stallion."

Snapchat teamed with a variety of advertisers across six verticals to undertake a series of "16 multi-cell hypothesis tests" to assess the value of Commercials and provide insight into their potential for brands. Snapchat discovered that incorporating commercials within the app can greatly increase promotional outcomes.

"Not only did the addition of Commercials boost metrics, it actually drove double the lifts across the funnel.

In addition, Snapchat discovered that their Discover content advertisements enhanced ad awareness efficiency by 65 percent.

According to Snap:

"Even though these non-skippable, premium ads command a higher CPM, the incremental lift they create far outweighs the higher price points."

In essence, Snap is promoting its Discover commercials as a potential alternative to traditional TV advertising, at least in some aspects. While not all companies will be able to achieve the same level of success with their Snap Commercial campaigns, the rising consumption of Snap's shows puts the app in a unique position to enhance reach and tap into evolving video consumption trends in this regard.

Because it's more expensive, it won't be suitable for many brands, but the data shows that Snap's Discover ad possibilities could be a useful approach to raise brand awareness among younger viewers, and it's worth considering in your planning.