In the digital world we live in, consumers are surrounded by content every minute, in fact every second. Feeds refresh endlessly, platforms compete for attention, and advertisers are under increasing pressure to prove that every rupee spent delivers meaningful results. For brands, the challenge is no longer just being seen; it's being noticed, remembered and acted upon.
Against this backdrop, Snapchat is carving out a distinct position for itself. Once primarily associated with disappearing messages, AR filters and close-friend interactions, the platform is increasingly emerging as a serious advertising destination for brands looking to engage Gen Z audiences in more immersive ways. In a conversation with IMPACT, Neha Jolly Sawhney, Head of Ad Revenue, and Yagnesh Ravi, Lead Ad Solutions, spoke about Snapchat's growing momentum in India, the evolution of its advertising business and why they believe participation—not interruption—will define the future of marketing.
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Read the edited excerpts below:
Q: India has become one of Snapchat's largest user bases, but scale doesn't always translate into advertiser growth. What are the biggest challenges in converting that user growth into advertiser growth, and how is Snapchat approaching it?
Sawhney: You're absolutely right. India is one of the largest user bases for Snap globally, and we're very proud of that. But we're also seeing a distinct shift in how advertisers are thinking about Gen Z. Snapchat commands a significant portion of this audience, and the way brands reach them—as well as the formats they use—is increasingly driven by user behaviour and the experience on the platform. Over the last few years, we've seen strong, consistent advertiser spends, which is a strong indicator of two things: advertisers are paying attention to this generation and meeting them where they are, while Snap is increasingly becoming part of mainstream media planning. Whether it's AR, ads in Chat or other formats, our multi-format approach has resonated with brands across e-commerce, quick commerce, media and entertainment, fashion, and retail. Overall, it points to a very positive trend in how advertisers are showing up for users today.
Q: Over the last few years, advertisers have become more conscious about where they spend. During budget discussions, what are some of the biggest concerns you've heard from marketers, and what is Snapchat doing to address them?
Sawhney: It's absolutely fair for advertisers to be very particular about where their money is spent and to expect it to work harder for them. As a result, metrics are getting tighter, reflecting the evolution in how advertisers are showing up today. That said, Snapchat continues to be a mainstream media spend for a couple of reasons. First, advertisers want to meet audiences where they are, and Snapchat offers access to a highly engaged Gen Z audience. We're also the only platform that can boast 250 million Gen Z users globally with a clear focus on this demographic.
Secondly, we consistently offer differentiated ad formats, creating a compelling opportunity for advertisers to think about how they can show up better for this audience. While advertisers are becoming more stringent about spends, the responsibility is on us to deliver formats that are meaningful for both users and advertisers, and strike that balance.
Q: Snapchat has become one of the biggest platforms in India, but much of the country's digital ad spending is still concentrated among a handful of large platforms. What does Snapchat need to do to command a larger share of advertising budgets over the next few years?
Sawhney: Honestly, we think about that consistently. It's a factor of us doing the right thing for our user base as well as for our advertisers. At this point, it's really about doubling down on what's already working. We've seen almost a 10x growth in advertisers spending consistently on the platform over the last couple of years. To meet that demand, we've doubled our team and expanded our presence across the country so that we can show up more meaningfully for advertisers. Now it's about continuing to build on that momentum, doubling down on what's working and nurturing those green shoots until they become more meaningful and mainstream.
Q: Can you walk us through the innovative ad formats Snapchat offers advertisers?
Sawhney: Absolutely. My favourite part of Snapchat is that it opens into the camera rather than a vertical video feed. That puts the user in the director's position—the user becomes the creator. We have AR, Chat and vertical video offerings, with each part of the app creating different opportunities for advertisers.
Ravi: To simplify it, Snapchat has three key surfaces: Chat, where we have Sponsored Snaps; the Camera, where we have AR; and our content surfaces, where we offer Snap and video ads. Across all of them, our ad formats look different. Even video isn't passive—it includes interactive elements that encourage engagement and make the experience two-way. AR puts users at the centre of the experience, while Chat is opt-in, allowing users to choose whether to engage. The fundamental difference is that our formats aren't intrusive; they encourage participation rather than becoming just another piece of content in a crowded feed.
Q: Among AR Lenses, Sponsored Snaps, Chat ads and other formats, which ones are seeing the strongest adoption and impact for brands?
Ravi: Chat and AR continue to be our standout ad formats because they're inherently distinct to Snapchat and align closely with how people naturally use the app. They remain a big part of what showing up properly on Snap looks like for most brands. Video is also a huge part of the mix, but the fastest growth has been in Chat, largely because it's a newer offering and our biggest surface. That said, we're in a high-growth stage in India, so we're seeing strong momentum across all ad formats.
Q: Snapchat's ad business has long been associated with upper-funnel engagement. Are advertisers now using Snapchat as a performance channel as well? If so, what metrics are convincing them?
Ravi: A significant part of our business has moved towards the lower funnel, which reflects the increased scrutiny around marketing spends and the growing focus on how quickly those investments translate into business outcomes. A few quarters ago, we announced that 75% of our global revenue is now direct-response led. That's a very significant share and a shift we've achieved in a relatively short period of time. Just a few years ago, we were primarily upper-funnel focused. A lot of this has been driven by the work we've done on the backend ad engine, where we've not just made incremental changes, but completely rebuilt the ad stack from the ground up. So today, a very significant part of our business is lower-funnel focused, while still maintaining a balanced approach across the funnel.
Q: ‘Cricket in a Snap’ was launched just before the IPL. Now that the tournament has concluded, what kind of engagement did the initiative generate?
Ravi: ‘Cricket in a Snap’ was a huge success for us. We had a very interesting mix of advertisers, from brands deeply invested in the tournament, such as OpenAI and Swiggy, to brands like OnePlus and Mondelez that leaned heavily on Snap to drive awareness. What was particularly exciting was how each brand leveraged Snap-first products in different ways—from live score-based AR experiences and trigger-based Chat ads to campaigns involving 40-50 creators creating content on the platform. We saw participation from both new-age categories, including AI platforms, and more traditional advertisers. It's a format we're now looking to replicate across future moments, including the festive season.
Q: Did the initiative attract new categories of brands, or was it largely existing advertisers on the platform?
Ravi: We saw both. A lot of our existing brands doubled down, but we also had many new brands try Snap for the first time through Cricket in a Snap. While the initial packages were designed for larger advertisers, we gradually expanded them to a broader set of brands. That brought in advertisers from smaller categories, including edtech, who were testing the platform for the first time. Going forward, we're focused on ensuring that these brands have access to the same set of tools and opportunities as larger advertisers, especially as we head into the festive season.
Sawhney: Moments are incredibly important on Snap. Because the platform is built around close friends and family, we see a noticeable uptick in user activity around key occasions such as IPL, Mother's Day and festive celebrations. These moments create unique opportunities for advertisers as well. We've built packages that allow existing advertisers to double down while giving new advertisers a chance to experiment with innovative formats, and we've often seen that translate into steady growth.
Q: With the FIFA World Cup coming up, are you already seeing interest from brands?
Ravi: Yes, we're already seeing early interest, particularly from global brands that have FIFA partnerships. We're working with several of them to bring those campaigns to life in India. Beyond the FIFA World Cup, there's also the Women's World Cup, so there's a lot of excitement around sports in the coming months.
Q: Cricket remains one of the most cluttered advertising environments in India. What metrics demonstrate Snapchat's impact compared to traditional advertising platforms?
Ravi: Research by Lumen and WPP Media found that Gen Z audiences pay 34% lower attention to conventional ad formats. Our immersive formats, from AR to Chat and commercials, help address that challenge. In fact, combining multiple formats can increase active attention by 5x. This becomes even more important during high-clutter moments like cricket tournaments. Because Snap is an active, lean-in platform rather than a passive scrolling experience, we've seen stronger attention and brand lift for advertisers. More than 72% of users consider the time they spend on Snap meaningful, and our multi-format campaigns deliver an average brand awareness lift of 10 percentage points.
Q: Looking ahead, what can advertisers expect from Snapchat over the next 12 months?
Ravi: There are two areas we're heavily focused on. The first is performance—we continue to strengthen our performance stack and expand capabilities across the funnel, including app re-engagement through Chat. The second is brand-building and moments. Advertisers can expect more opportunities around cultural and festive occasions, from Mother's Day and Raksha Bandhan to Independence Day and Diwali. We're also testing AI Sponsored Snaps globally and experimenting with AI Lens campaigns, creating more immersive experiences for users. Overall, advertisers can expect fresh ideas that deliver business value across the funnel.
Sawhney: We will continue to show up with differentiated ad formats over the next 12 months, while also deepening the way we engage with advertisers. These innovations give brands an opportunity to try something new for the first time and benefit from that first-mover advantage. From a Snapchat perspective, it's an incredibly exciting time, and we're looking forward to bringing more of these opportunities to advertisers.
