Snapchat has launched its first Sponsored Snap advertisement in partnership with Universal Pictures to promote “Wicked” in users’ chat inboxes ahead of the film’s November 22 theatrical release.

According to Variety, the 10-second video advertisement features actor Jonathan Bailey, who plays Fiyero in the Broadway musical adaptation. The ad includes a direct link to the movie’s website and will appear in the chat inboxes of all U.S. Snapchat users aged 18 and older.

The platform’s reach extends to 101 million daily active users in North America as of September 2023, with more than 50% of U.S. Snapchatters now aged 25 or older. NRG research shows that Snapchat users are 1.7 times more likely to attend movie premieres on opening weekends than non-users.

A Kantar study reveals that 92% of weekly Snapchat users attend movie theaters, with nearly 75% watching films accompanied by others. The company positions Sponsored Snaps as an extension of existing business engagement patterns on the platform.

Users maintain control over their ad experience, with the option to view or ignore the Sponsored Snap, which appears visually distinct from regular messages. The ads do not trigger push notifications and automatically disappear if left unwatched.

A recent National Opinion Research Center study at the University of Chicago, commissioned by Snap, indicates that Snapchat users report higher satisfaction with friendship quality and family relationships than non-users. 

The research, focusing on teens (13-17) and young adults (18-40), found that direct messaging with close contacts generates positive emotional responses, with approximately two-thirds of young users reporting feeling “extremely” or “very” happy when using the feature.

In September, Snapchat, Meta, and TikTok united under the Thrive initiative to combat the spread of suicide and self-harm content across their platforms.