Snapchat is the ?it? platform of 2016. It seems to go from one hit to the next, whether Gatorade at the Super Bowl or Snapchat itself making headlines at South By Southwest.
There?s no denying that the company has tapped into something consumers love and, as a result, brands have also fallen in love with Snapchat.
As appealing as the results may be; however, Snapchat carries a number of risks for chief marketing officers interested in tapping into the power of its platform. For brands, these risks range from violating the Children?s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) to copyright violations to the dreaded naked Snap. Before brands jump in with both feet, they need to fully consider the risks involved.
Snapchat has succeeded in building incredible interest in user-generated marketing. The company has given marketers a seamless way to allow consumers?and, in particular, the highly prized millennial audience at that?to create branded content that the audience then shares with their peers. Since 2014, we have seen many brands experimenting with Snapchat: The partnership McDonald?s reached with Snapchat in June 2015 was an early indicator that brands would seek to harness the power of user-generated marketing on Snapchat?s platform?despite the ephemeral nature of the messages.
Gatorade?s partnership with Snapchat is the most recent example of the platform?s advertising potential. Gatorade?s use of a custom Snapchat filter during this year?s Super Bowl allowed Snapchat user...