All brands out there now get two more advertising options as Hulu and Snapchat unveil new programs in beta. One is designed specifically for businesses without big budgets, while the other has already attracted major brands.
$500 is all it takes to be on TV
On July 15th, Hulu announced the beta launch of its Ad Manager, “a self-service solution for small and medium sized businesses to activate, manage and track their ad campaigns.”
Hulu promises that the minimum campaign spend is just $500, which puts advertising on this Disney-owned platform within reach of businesses that usually can’t afford representation on TV. Hulu claims that is also a plus for its audience:
“By opening up Hulu inventory to small and medium sized businesses, we’re giving viewers more creative diversity and relevancy in their ad experience.”
Profile View
Also on July 15, Snapchat announced a closed beta launch of Brand Profiles, which it describes as “A Permanent Home for Brands on Snapchat.” There are four key features to brand profiles:
- AR Lenses: Brands can save and showcase Lenses on their profile, allowing any Snapchatter to discover and/or revisit a brand’s unique AR experiences. These Lenses will be discoverable through both Snapchat Search and Lens Explorer.
- Native Store: Profiles may include a Native Store experience that enables Snapchatters to seamlessly browse and purchase items directly within the Snapchat app powered by Shopify. (Checkout the Spectacles Brand Profile to see the native store experience.)
- Highlights: With Highlights, brands can showcase collections of their best Public Snaps, Stories, photos, and videos right on their profile — permanently! This is the best way for Snapchatters who aren’t familiar with a brand to get to know who they are.
- Story posts: With their Public Story, brands can share what’s happening in their world with Snapchatters everywhere — from behind the scenes to daily activities — your Story is your daily point of view. (By the way, these last two features already exist on Instagram)
Aside from those features, brands set up in such profiles gain the advantage of insight into the demographic of those who view their Stories, including which interest they identify with on the platform.
Snapchat has already attracted a core group of major brands that have established their profiles including Ben & Jerry’s, Candy Crush, Dior, Gucci, Headspace, Jordan Brand, Kylie Cosmetics, L’Oreal Paris, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Target, Tim Hortons, Too Faced, Universal Pictures, and VSCO. Pretty impressive company to be in.
So, now there are two new venues for brands to try, depending on their aspirations, target audience, and budget. Good luck!
