Snapchat launches First Commercial for advertisers

First Commercial, now available to advertisers in Snapchat Ads Manager is the first ad that a user sees while watching any premium Show in the Discover tab on the app.

The ad format was first being tested in the first half of 2020; First Commercial is the first video takeover product by Snapchat and is on the lines of the pre-roll YouTube ads. It is presently available in the US & UK.

As the product has moved into general availability in Ads Manager, advertisers can enable conversion tracking, transact via self-service, and run Extended Play Commercials up to 3 minutes in duration.

It is based on a meta-analysis of Snapchat brand-lift studies, and the platform claims brand metrics grow at a higher rate, and a Commercial as a first impression drives 2x higher brand awareness compared to a Snap Ad.

Also Read: Snapchat launches Brand Profiles in closed beta

As the first ad that a user sees in their Snapchat show session in the day, First Commercial holds plenty of potential for advertisers.

The ad product will be available across Snap Originals, shows, and more video products such as docuseries. The ad slot also runs parallel with the peak in the content consumption on the platform, and also how users are most attentive when they begin watching a piece of video content.

Apart from the element that the viewer's attention is highest on the screen before a show starts, the daily average number of Snapchatters watching Shows increased by over 45% year-over-year in Q2 2020.

Daily active users have now increased 17% year-over-year, and on average users opened Snapchat over 30 times every day in Q2 2020. It also continues to be primarily hosting younger demographics.

Snapchat has also significantly invested in shows in the Discover tab. Along with previously partnering with several high-end publishers and media partners, the platform is also launching new Snap Originals, and docuseries featuring artists such as Swae Lee, Trippie Redd, and Loren Gray.