The first official ad within messaging app Snapchat is creepy, but thankfully in an intended way. It ran this weekend: a 20-second trailer for horror movie Ouija, booked by Universal Pictures. It appeared in Snapchat’s ‘Recent Updates’ tab with a “sponsored” label, with the studio saying it carefully edited the trailer to look like a traditional Snapchat story. “It’s the first time we’ve been paid to put content in that space. It’s going to feel a little weird at first, but we’re taking the plunge,” Snapchat told its users in a blog post on Friday, explaining that ads will appear “from time to time” and then go away after users view them, or within 24 hours. “We won’t put advertisements in your personal communication – things like Snaps or Chats. That would be totally rude,” claimed the blog post. Universal’s Doug Neil provided more info from the brand’s perspective: “I think Snapchat has been talking to all the studios and entertainment companies and brands for a long time. They just haven’t had opportunities previously,” he said. “We look at it as a lean-in engagement. They’re only seeing the ad if they’re actually touching the screen to watch and absorb the video that’s being played. It’s not a passive experience.”
Tools: platforms to help you reach new audiences
Tools: Kaiber
In the year or so since its launch, AI startup Kaiber has been making waves,…