The Brand Reset: How Snapchat Video Formats Drive Long-Term Sales

In today’s era of fragmented digital attention, relying on ad exposure alone may no longer be enough. Consumers are endlessly scrolling, swiping past posts, and watching videos at 2x speed. At the same time, people are retreating towards more personal, high-intent spaces to spend time with the people who matter most. ¹

To help marketers understand what video formats actually break through and drive impact, we partnered with dentsu on their latest research report “The Brand Reset.” By combining Lumen Research’s eye-tracking technology and Kantar’s brand equity framework, this study evaluated video ads and measured consumer attention, memory, and the sales growth that follows. Here’s what we found out:

Snapchat Commercials Drive Both Short- and Long-Term Sales Lift

Our previous research with dentsu already showed that in 2022 Snap Commercials and Lenses outperform all other media formats at driving attention. And with this attention came higher brand recall and brand choice lift. ²

“The Brand Reset” went a step further by examining how ad exposure influenced consumer spending on brands. The research shows that Snap Commercials do more than capture attention in the moment — they can keep delivering value well after the ad is seen. In the study, a single exposure to a brand’s Commercial on Snapchat led consumers to spend 4.4% more over the following three months and 2.3% more over the following three years, compared with those who weren’t exposed, a 24% increase in long term sales lift over other non-skippable ad formats. ³

This is a powerful proof point for marketers that placing ads in the right environment can compound results far beyond the initial campaign.

Commercials are Remembered, Not Just Seen

The power of Snapchat Commercials in driving spend lies in their ability to drive mental availability and recall. This metric underscores what actually gets remembered, not just seen. When compared to skippable, non-skippable, and even linear TV ad formats, Commercials outperformed them all in driving a lift in mental availability and recall. ³

Not only do Commercials drive outsized attention, they also do it way more efficiently than many other formats across different platforms. The research revealed that average CPMs of Commercials on Snapchat was 76% lower than non-skippable formats and 12% lower than skippable formats across all other platforms tested. ³ That means brands are buying more attention and more sales impact for every dollar.

Snapchat’s Attention Advantage

Taken together, these findings point to a larger industry reset. Reach without attention — and attention without impact — just doesn’t cut it anymore. Marketers need to look beyond simple exposure metrics and ask which platforms consistently earn attention and can translate that to sales.

That’s where Snapchat stands apart. Snapchat is where nearly 1 billion monthly active users find meaningful, authentic connections, and 3 out of 4 Snapchatters find the time they spend on the platform to be meaningful. ⁴ And of those who find meaning on social platforms, they are 79% more open to seeing ads, 70% more engaged with relevant ads, and 69% more likely to take action on relevant ads. ⁴ That’s why attention on Snapchat is chosen, not fought for, and why ads are more effective in driving attention and longer-lasting brand impact.