Jeep, Chevrolet showcase different approaches to Snapchat filters
Jeep and Chevrolet went head to head yesterday with contrasting approaches on Snapchat as the latter shared an interactive lens to promote the new 2016 Cruze design while the former?s still-filter celebrated 4x4 Day.
Chevrolet is starting to roll out its 2016 Cruze vehicle and is promoting the new design through a Snapchat lens filter, which places virtual sunglasses in the shape of hearts on users? faces and in their reflection, an image of new automobile. While Chevrolet?s strategy is native to Snapchat, Jeep is sharing its campaign across multiple platforms to celebrate its 4x4 Day and show off user-generated content on numerous channels.
"There are merits to both types of programs," said Michael Becker, managing partner at mCordis. "The primary best practice is to keep the filter and lens imagery inline with your company?s branding.
"You do not want to stray too far from your key message," he said. "You should also want to be prepared for people getting creative, often in ways you do not expect or may not be comfortable with.
"You will also want to consider the location and timing the filters or lens are live, for example, perhaps you might want to associate them with a specific location, like Time Square, a holiday like 4x4 Day or related time-based event."
Driving engagement
Yesterday, Jeep?s 4x4 Day tapped into consumer-generated content on social media to celebrate four-wheel drive vehicles and its fans. The day lined up with April 4, as the date also boasts the double number, and it leveraged Snapchat as its driver for the campaign.
Four wheel-drive fans on Snapchat were able to share posts with their friends and the brand itself that included Jeep?s still filter, which featured the text ?4x4 Day, today was meant for adventure? across the top of the image. Tire tracks in mud was also posted on the top and bottom of the vertical screen, along with a small circular icon reading ?Jeep 4x4 Day.?
On Twitter and Facebook, Jeep announced the day to followers and encouraged them to send in their own photographs of their celebration of four-wheel vehicles on these platforms, as well as Snapchat. Yesterday, Jeep?s Snapchat account shared a variety of user-generated images' four-wheel drive fun.
The brand also had fans vote on their favorite vintage Jeep model leading up to the holiday on last week?s Throwback Thursday. Jeep shared the call-to-action on multiple channels, prompting users to add it on Snapchat and send in Snaps to vote.
The voting campaign was only a small portion of the brand?s Snapchat promotion leading up to the launch of its filter. Numerous posts were shared on Twitter and Facebook to keep fans thinking about Jeep while on Snapchat before 4x4 Day and add its account.
For instance, another call-to-action requested that users share their favorite vehicle concept from this year by snapping Jeep, while other posts reminded users to simply add it on Snapchat and a video shared a preview of the upcoming filter.
While Jeep?s campaign was highly comprehensive, Chevrolet?s Cruze lens seemed to be a standalone initiative. The dynamic filter appears only to users who are looking for the lenses on Snapchat, and requires them to tap and hold their face, which then adjusts the facial recognition.
The filter is interactive and coincides with the user?s movements in real time. Chevrolet?s filter features the participant wearing a pair of sunglasses in the shape of hearts, with its logo at the top of the screen.
Text then appears reading ?the all-new 2016 Cruze, love at first sight.?
Snapchat success
Snapchat filters are growing in popularity with marketers, as they are cognizant of the reach it has with its users.
Walmart similarly added the latest social media components to its annual Fight Hunger. Spark Change campaign, and rolled out its first Snapchat filters to select bricks-and-mortar locations and prompting consumers to show support on Twitter by introducing a custom emoji (see more).
Warner Bros. also transformed Snapchat users into a version of the Joker from the upcoming film Suicide Squad with a limited-time sponsored lens, a move to reflect fan feedback for a recent trailer (see more).
"Both programs have their merits," Mr. Becker said. "Jeep's program is standard and has a broad reach with all users; it can also be combined with the lens to create some really fun images, like me with a dog?s ear?s and nose.
"Chevrolet?s program is unique, interactive and fun, but requires the user to understand how to use the lens feature," he said. "It is not something the average user will stumble across; this is a program targeting the 'in-the' know Snapchat user."
