Latest news with #Snapchatters'
Campaign ME
28-02-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
Podcast: Snap Inc's Alistair Burton on ‘brands that win' during Ramadan
On the latest episode of Campaign Middle East's On The Record podcast, Alistair Burton, Head of Digital First and Omnichannel Retail at Snap Inc, discusses the need for brands to develop a deeper understanding of their audiences, create immersive and interactive experiences, and to use data to optimise and achieve their business goals – especially during Ramadan. Through this conversation with Campaign Middle East, Burton shares how Ramadan is the perfect point of time when communities come together, relive memories, and share meaningful moments on platforms such as Snapchat to engage and connect with one another. To help businesses connect more meaningfully with their audiences, the app has launched Sponsored Snaps, an ad placement tool that offers businesses the opportunity to deliver full-screen vertical video messages directly into Snapchatters' Chat inboxes. Snap is also bringing back the hugely popular Snap AR Ramadan Mall and has launched Hazar Fazar, an AR experience made available through branded lenses that brings GCC cultural stories to life. Snap success: Connecting with hard-to-reach audience and achieving higher average order value At the outset, Burton explains how the platform has leveraged extremely high smartphone penetration in the Middle East, specifically the UAE and Saudi Arabia, to cater to correspondingly high reach and – more importantly – extremely hard to reach audiences. 'What does Snapchat bring to the table? It brings 25 million active users in Saudi Arabia and 4.5 million active users in the UAE with huge reach across both Gen Z and hard-to-reach GCC audiences, who have a much higher purchasing power. Why does this matter? One of the partners we're working with is getting 39 per cent higher average order value. This is really accelerated during a time such as Ramadan, where people are planning, shopping and connecting more on the platform,' he says. Burton also alludes to the number of stories being viewed on the platform: 10 billion stories being viewed in Saudi Arabia every day, with GCC audiences opening the app more than 45 times a day. But to truly stand out from their competition and have a meaningful effect on their audiences, Burton calls for brands to connect with audiences. 'Brands that win don't just advertise, they truly connect with their audiences,' Burton says. Improving top-of-mind awareness, and balancing brand and performance He also calls on brands to better utilise the platform's technology and data capabilities, especially given that the platform is developing on a daily basis with new products and new features that can benefit brands. 'When you see the top brands in the world, they monitor even a 1 per cent drop in their top-of-mind awareness, for example. This is very significant because they want to be that brand that people think about when they are thirsty, or hungry or have a specific need. The platform helps you maintain that top-of-mind awareness and use data, signals and optimise campaigns to achieve business goals,' Burton adds. During the podcast, Burton also calls for organisations to find the balance between brand and performance, instead of the current silos within the market that cause these two aspects to be at loggerheads with each other. 'Everyone should be aligned with one 'north star' goal, and that begins with understanding how brand and performance work with each other. In short, having a strong brand that people resonate with will drive better performance, and lower acquisition and conversion costs.' Leveraging a digital-first strategy on Snap Burton calls for brands to embrace a truly 'digital-first' approach that goes beyond merely running ads on the platform. 'In terms of how to leverage your digital strategy, brands need to understand four things: first, understand your audience. Second, make sure you're building native experiences on Snapchat. Third, create personalised and immersive experiences based on deep audience insights that the platform provides. And finally, make sure you're measuring and adapting your strategies based on the data.' For more insights – including insights into authenticity, privacy, Snapchat Chat tabs for businesses as well as Lenses and filters – watch the full video above. CREDITS: Guest: Alistair Burton, Head of Digital First and Omnichannel Retail, Snap Inc. Host: Anup Oommen, Editor, Campaign Middle East Videography: Mark Mathew, Creative Content Producer, Motivate Create Edits: John Melencion, Content Producer, Motivate Media Group Studio and post-production: Ahmed Abdelwahab, Studio Manager, Motivate Media Group
Arabian Business
15-02-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Ramadan 2025: Snapchat announces new features for GCC users
Snapchat is introducing new features for brands to engage with users during Ramadan in the GCC. The platform has launched Sponsored Snaps, an ad placement tool that allows businesses to deliver full-screen vertical video messages directly into Snapchatters' Chat inboxes. The initiative is being introduced first in Saudi Arabia and the UAE during Ramadan. Snapchat announces ramadan offerings with sponsored snaps in Saudi Arabia, UAE 'Innovation, while staying true to the essence of the platform, has always been at the heart of Snapchat. We empower businesses to connect with our community's inner circle, both online and offline, fostering authentic relationships and driving success across the region. This Ramadan marks an exciting chapter for Snap, as we enable brands to engage more meaningfully with their audience through Snaps, deepen resonance, and celebrate culture with initiatives like the Snap AR Ramadan Mall and HAZAR FAZAR, while also making it easier to collaborate with our creators,' Hala Zgeib, Head of Luxury MENA at Snap Inc. said. Snapchat sees high engagement in the region during Ramadan. In Saudi Arabia, GCC audiences open the app over 45 times a day, with 10 billion stories viewed daily. Augmented reality (AR) lenses are used over 220 million times each day. Shopping becomes a communal activity during the month, and Snapchat's features support brands in raising awareness, gaining consideration, and driving conversions. Snapchat is also bringing back the Snap AR Ramadan Mall after 16 million shoppers visited in 2024. The updated version reflects the design of old towns and modern shopping districts in the GCC. A new AR experience, HAZAR FAZAR, is also launching. It presents stories rooted in GCC culture through branded AR lenses. These lenses are activated by riddles and feature unique characters. Brands can also engage audiences through Snapchat Creators. Creator Midrolls, the Creator Collab Studio, and sponsored or promoted Creator content allow businesses to collaborate with popular Snap Stars.
Broadcast Pro
14-02-2025
- Business
- Broadcast Pro
Snap Inc. empowers brands to connect like Snapchatters this Ramadan
Snapping has evolved for brands—by engaging through chat, camera and creators, they can build an authentic presence and drive accelerated ROI. This Ramadan, Snap has announced that it is enabling brands to engage with audiences in a more immersive way by leveraging the platform's most beloved features, from the camera and chat to its community of creators. Snapchat sees a surge in engagement during Ramadan, with GCC users opening the app more than 45 times a day in Saudi Arabia. The platform has become a hub for communal shopping, with users actively searching for Ramadan essentials across various categories. Shopping transforms into a social event, and brands have the opportunity to increase awareness, drive consideration and boost conversions. In markets like KSA, Snapchatters view an average of 10bn stories daily during Ramadan and interact with AR lenses over 220m times per day. To help businesses integrate seamlessly into this dynamic ecosystem, Snapchat has launched Sponsored Snaps , a new ad placement tool that allows brands to engage with users in a way that mirrors natural Snapchat interactions. Introduced first in KSA and the UAE during Ramadan—when connection and reflection take centre stage— Sponsored Snaps enable brands to deliver full-screen vertical video messages directly into Snapchatters' Chat inboxes. These messages maintain Snapchat's user-first design, ensuring a clear distinction from personal chats, and are opt-in, allowing users to view, respond, or engage with embedded calls-to-action at their discretion. Snapchat is also bringing back the Snap AR Ramadan Mall , which attracted 16m shoppers in 2024. The reimagined virtual shopping experience now blends the charm of traditional GCC marketplaces with modern shopping districts, offering users an interactive and engaging retail journey. Additionally, Snapchat is introducing HAZAR FAZAR , an AR experience that brings GCC cultural stories to life through branded lenses that are unlocked via riddles and showcase distinctive characters. Recognising the bond between Snapchatters and their favourite creators, the platform is offering brands multiple ways to collaborate with Snap Stars and influencers during Ramadan. Businesses can leverage creator partnerships through Creator Midrolls , the Creator Collab Studio , or by sponsoring and promoting creator content, ensuring they connect authentically with audiences during this special time. Hala Zgeib, Head of Luxury MENA at Snap Inc. said: 'Innovation, while staying true to the essence of the platform, has always been at the heart of Snapchat. We empower businesses to connect with our community's inner circle, both online and offline, fostering authentic relationships and driving success across the region. This Ramadan marks an exciting chapter for Snap, as we enable brands to engage more meaningfully with their audience through Snaps, deepen resonance, and celebrate culture with initiatives like the Snap AR Ramadan Mall and HAZAR FAZAR, while also making it easier to collaborate with our creators.'
