For the second time in a week, Evan Spiegel is proving to be quite the budding YouTube star. The Snapchat CEO released another homemade-like video, this time pitching the app’s new advertising approach in conjunction with his presentation at Cannes Lions this morning.
Looking fresh in an outfit perfect for picture day and speaking over generic track of music reminiscent of pre-roll ad in movie theaters, Spiegel lays out his idea behind “3V: vertical video views” in a manner that only an advertiser could love. There’s no fancy geofilters or trippy animation here.
“Fifty years ago, it would’ve been hard to believe that everyone would have a little TV in their pocket,” Spiegel says, young-splaining that pesky millennials are more inclined to watch videos on smartphones than the boob tube.
So, if advertisers want to target them, then Snapchat is the solution. Naturally. He suggests that videos should be shot vertically because they fill up the entire phone screen and capture users’ attention. And, unlike pre-roll ads that get in the way, Spiegel says ads in the app slyly appear in the “context of premium and curated content.”
Spiegel once again shades targeted ads, prominently used on Facebook and Twitter, saying Snapchat builds ads that “respect our community and privacy.”
Hopefully that works because Spiegel doesn’t have a future as a spokesperson fit for the televisio –, er, smartphone.
More in Media
Media Briefing: Inside publishers’ real Cannes agenda – AI money vs agentic hype
For publishers, Cannes this year isn’t just about showing up for clients and sponsors. It’s a mid‑year checkpoint on two hard questions: who is going to pay for the open web in an AI world, and whether agentic media buying is a real fix or just a freshly branded ad‑tech tax.
Forbes tests a creator-led audience play to grow off-platform reach
Forbes is yet another publisher tapping creators and their audiences to drive off-platform growth – with a slightly different structure.
How Lipton Ice Tea is using local creators instead of building in-house social teams
Lipton worked with Billion Dollar Boy to activate local creators across six different markets; a new approach to global marketing