Snapchat brings Sponsored Snaps to India to expand its advertising efforts

Snapchat has signed up Reliance Retail's fashion e-commerce platform AJIO as its first partner for Sponsored Snaps

Snapchat announced on March 12 that it is launching Sponsored Snaps in India to boost its advertising efforts in one of its largest user markets.

Sponsored Snaps, which first debuted in the United States in October 2024, enable businesses to deliver full-screen vertical video Snaps as sponsored messages in users' chat inboxes, one of the most used features on the ephemeral messaging app. These messages will appear as unread in the app's main Chat tab, above the user's personal chat threads.

The company noted these sponsored Snaps will be visually distinct from other Snaps in the inbox and users won't be notified of these messages through a push notification. If the messages are left unviewed, they will be removed from the inbox.

Sponsored Snaps enable businesses to deliver full-screen vertical video Snaps as sponsored messages in users' chat inboxes

If the user decides to open a Sponsored Snap, they can reply by sending a message directly to the advertiser or open a predetermined link to learn more about it.

Over time, the feature may offer artificial intelligence-powered two-way interactions, enabling functionalities such as personalised recommendations, customer support, and even direct transactions, the company stated.

Snapchat has signed up Reliance Retail's fashion e-commerce platform AJIO as its first partner for this initiative.

"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" said Arpan Biswas, Chief Marketing Officer, AJIO in a statement.

"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" he added.

This launch comes as Snapchat looks to ramp up its advertising business in India and compete with rivals such as Google and Meta, which currently dominate the country's digital advertising market.

India, which has one of the world's youngest populations, is a key market for the future growth of the ephemeral messaging app. This is also reflected in the growth Snapchat has witnessed in recent years, clocking over 200 million monthly active users in the country.

Neha Jolly Sawhney, Head of Ad Monetization, India, Snap Inc said "Sponsored Snap is truly a first-of-its-kind ad format tapping into Gen Z’s preference for visually rich, engaging content"

"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" Sawhney said.

Brands like Universal Pictures and Disney have previously used Sponsored Snaps in the United States and Canada to promote their respective movies such as Wicked and Moana 2. Snapchat currently has over 850 million monthly active users across the world.