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I would like a marketing-focused analysis of Spectacle (by Snap Inc.) In the last 12-18 months, what have been their 1) marketing campaigns, 2) their use of "influencers", 3) their use of professionally produced (not user-generated) video content, and 4) events they sponsor.
Hello, and thank you for your request for an analysis of the marketing efforts for Spectacles. The most useful sources were Adweek, The Verge, Recode, and the Spectacle YouTube page. In short, other than a series of billboard ads scattered around the country, Snap is using viral marketing and scarcity of supply to generate buzz for Spectacles. The have employed very little professional video but have had a large number of influencers creating videos to promote or review the glasses. You'll find a deep dive of my research below.
MARKETING CAMPAIGNS
Snap has focused their marketing efforts for Spectacles around a viral campaign. An article in Inc. says, "Snap has created massive interest in the product and convinced people that recording videos from your face makes sense." According to the Verge, Snap is marketing Spectacles as a product that will "let you capture the world around you without removing you from that world."
Early marketing for the product consisted primarily of 60 billboard ads scattered around the country. Adweek says, "the ads sometimes include Snapchat's ghost mascot, but they never include branding for the app. The visual-narrative-style campaign is supposed to make Snapchat users feel like insiders, and the Snapbot vending machines with their impromptu appearances are designed to tie into that style of thinking." Samples of the billboards can be seen here.
According to Recode, "what the company has done is create the kind of buzz and excitement around a product." Snap is marketing Spectacles as a cool new toy. The Verge reports that "the words 'fun' and 'toy' were used a lot by Snap CEO Evan Spiegel when he first described Spectacles" in late September of 2016.
Snap, as a part of their marketing plan, is only selling a limited quantity of Spectacles. Recode notes that "Snap has done a great job creating perceived demand. After Snap drops a vending machine somewhere, it’s followed shortly by photos and videos of long lines, and eventually a bunch of sad customers once the machine sells out." The Verge states that the company is using a slow rollout to generate hype and feed the viral campaign. Recode says, "everywhere Snap drops a Snapbot...crowds line up, dozens of people deep, and spend their hours waiting in line posting and tweeting about how excited they are to get their hands on some Spectacles." This free publicity is part of the Snap strategy.
The interactive Snapbot itself is key to Snap's marketing strategy. Snapbot vending machines are in a location for just 24 hours before moving to their next spot. Adweek says, "their appearances are fashioned to be mysterious, and they will supposedly be in fun, touristy places." They also point out that "the concept of passersby randomly discovering the devices is intended to generate excitement you might not feel opening up an Amazon box at home." Potential customers can use the company's website to locate the Snapbot which, other than the website, is the only way to purchase Spectacles. Adweek said, in late 2016, that "every day, thousands of people visit Snapchat’s site to see where the next Snapbot vending machine might appear, filled with hundreds of the most user-friendly and stylish pieces of hardware for taking first-person videos."
Recode suggests that Snap isn't looking to make money from the sale of Spectacles, in part because they're selling limited quantities out of vending machines. Instead, the article suggests the company has been using their new toy to generate buzz for the company in advance of its 2017 IPO.
INFLUENCERS
Adweek says that Specacles will "fundamentally change how influencers of all sizes–from celebrities with millions of followers to customers with small but active networks–create content and engage audiences." The article predicts that influencers will use Spectacles for unboxing or demo videos. iJustine did an unboxing video of Spectacles, as seen here. She also released this video about getting to the Snapbot to purchase more Spectacles (it has more than 325K views). Other examples of influencers using, reviewing or promoting Spectacles can be seen here, here, here, and here.
Adweek predicts that Spectacles will be used by celebrities as well as those they call micro-influencers, people with "small but highly engaged networks of friends and family."
PROFESSIONAL VIDEO
Snap appears to have used very little professionally produced video in it's marketing efforts to date. The Verge says that "the original ad for Spectacles tries to sell the glasses as a way to capture important moments in your life without juggling a camera." Featuring fun-loving millennials, this company published YouTube video is an example of this sentiment. It also has more than 2.2 million views. This additional introductory video has nearly 100K views. This video, the only other example on the company's YouTube page, features the Snapbot.
SPONSORED EVENTS
While we could find no evidence of the company using sponsored events in the marketing of Spectacles (other than the event-like atmosphere that follows the Snapbot wherever it goes), Snap has indicated that it will increase marketing efforts in 2017. In its 2017 IPO filing, the company says, "we expect to continue to make substantial investments in inventory, marketing, distribution, and product innovation as we assess product demand. Additionally, we plan to significantly broaden the distribution of Spectacles.”
CONCLUSION
Snap is promoting Spectacles though viral marketing and with influencers big and small. The slow rollout and limited supply around the glasses are helping to drive their popularity.
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