Snapchat introduces Sponsored World Lenses, Warner Bros onboard as first advertiser

SnapchatSnapchat’s World Lenses, the 3D live filters which it introduced last month, have become part of three new ad products rolling out on the platform – as it looks to differentiate itself from Facebook. The company says it is largest update to non-vertical video ad products since launching its first branded Lens in October 2015.

The Sponsored World Lenses enable advertisers to create 2D and 3D overlays for the area surrounding the user. There are four types of this lens on offer: floating 2D or 3D objects, objects activated by tapping the screen, interactive games and environmental lenses. They operate as an extension to standard Sponsored Lenses, and are available in all markets where these are sold.

The first advertiser to sign up for these World Lenses is Warner Bros. The film studio has introduced overlays to promote its, and MGM Studios’, upcoming teen romance movie Everything, Everything. This campaign will be followed with Lenses from Dunkin’ Donuts, Netflix and Glidden Paint.

In addition to the World Lenses, Snapchat has rolled out Audience Lenses – which enable US advertisers to target a specific audience based on age, gender, and content-informed audience segments. So far, Red Bull and MTV’s Super Sweet Sixteen have tested the Lenses, with Lancôme’s L’Oréal Paris due to run a targeted campaign ‘soon’.

Furthermore, Snap has also introduced Smart Geofilters – which automatically add location and other real-time information to a Sponsored Geofilter Lens. These are also only available in the US for the time being.

Snapchat claims that one in three daily Snapchatters use Lenses every day on average, with Geofiltered Snaps being viewed over 1bn times a day on average.

Array