Snapchat India launches sponsored snaps – a disruptive new ad format for Gen Z; Ajio becomes the first brand to leverage the innovation.

With the first ever Sponsored Snap, AJIO is maximizing a unique opportunity to reach Snapchat’s valuable audience at scale via the Chat inbox

Snapchat has launched Sponsored Snaps in India, a high visibility exciting new advertising format that enables businesses to engage their customers through visual messaging. With this format, brands can deliver a full-screen vertical video Snap directly to Snapchatters in their Chat inbox. Leading fashion e-commerce platform AJIO is the first brand in India to utilize this innovation, delivering an immersive and engaging experience to Snapchat’s highly engaged audience.

Sponsored Snaps will allow advertisers to engage prospective customers across the funnel all within a single ad placement. This achieves multiple objectives, from raising awareness with broad reach in the chat inbox, to improving consideration with people who choose to view the Snap, to driving conversion with an in-message call-to-action. AJIO’s campaign leverages Sponsored Snaps to drive awareness and engagement for its latest fashion collections, targeting India’s digitally savvy audience. The activation is part of AJIO’s broader strategy to tap into Snapchat’s young audience and unique storytelling capabilities. 

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Arpan Biswas, Chief Marketing Officer, AJIO said, “At AJIO, we are continually exploring innovative avenues to engage with our audience. Sponsored Snaps present a unique opportunity to connect with digital-first consumers in an organic and interactive manner. As one of the first brands in India to adopt this format, we are excited to leverage its potential to elevate our storytelling and foster deeper, more meaningful connections with Snapchat’s dynamic and highly engaged community.”

Neha Jolly Sawhney, Head of Ad Monetization, India, Snap Inc added, “Sponsored Snap is truly a first-of-its-kind ad format tapping into Gen Z’s preference for visually rich, engaging content. This format provides brands like AJIO an opportunity to connect with our community in an authentic way. Our Chat inbox is a powerful way to reach Snapchatters, and Sponsored Snaps are a natural extension of how people already engage with brands and businesses on our platform. It expands their reach through one of the most widely used features, delivering an immersive, interactive experience that resonates with a mobile-first, visual audience.”

The launch of Sponsored Snaps in India follows Snapchat’s continued efforts to enhance its advertising solutions and provide brands with high-impact, interactive, and measurable ways to connect with their audience. Over time, the feature may evolve to include two-way interactions powered by AI, enabling functionalities such as personalized recommendations, customer support, and even direct transactions.

​​With brands increasingly exploring new-age digital marketing strategies, Sponsored Snaps mark a significant step in redefining how businesses engage with users in the mobile-first era. Snapchat continues to lead the way in creating innovative ad solutions that prioritize both user experience and brand impact.

With over 850 million monthly active users globally and over 200MN in India, Snapchat has positioned itself as a key platform for brands looking to engage with Gen Z and Millennials. Sponsored Snaps were first launched in the U.S., where they were successfully leveraged by Universal Pictures to promote Wicked Part 1, and in Canada, where Disney debuted the format for Moana 2.

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