Going Broad with Snapchat: How First Ad Impression Takeovers Drive Impact in MENA

In today’s saturated digital landscape, breaking through the noise is every brand’s challenge. Consumers are bombarded with ads daily, but only a few truly capture their attention. That’s where First Ad Impression Takeovers on Snapchat come in. In partnership with Publicis Media, Snapchat conducted a multi-brand measurement analysis across Q4 2024 to evaluate the real impact of these takeover formats. The findings reveal how advertisers across industries, from luxury to government to travel are leveraging this high-reach, short-burst strategy to maximize awareness, drive conversions, and cut through the clutter.

Key Insights from the Study

1. Exceptional Reach at Scale

Snapchat’s First Ad Impression Takeovers consistently outperformed auction buys in terms of reach.

• First Story Takeovers reached 7–8x more users than regular Story Ads bought via auction ¹.

• First Commercials reached 5x more users compared to auction-based Commercials ¹.
  This not only guarantees scale but also drives cost efficiency: CPMs for First Story averaged 22% below planned ¹, while First Commercials delivered 47% savings ¹.
  
  

2. Breaking Through the Clutter

Owning the very first ad impression of the day gives brands a unique advantage which is an undivided attention. Campaigns using this format saw 2.5x higher ad awareness ² lifts compared to Snapchat’s benchmark. By ensuring brands dominate the first moment of user interaction, takeovers act as powerful visibility drivers.

3. The Halo Effect on Conversions

Beyond awareness, takeovers also boost performance campaigns:

• Yango saw an 11x increase in conversions on First Story Takeover days ³.

• Dubai Safari Park registered a 2.6x increase in online sales ³.

• Bulgari achieved 3.5x growth in conversions ³.
  This “halo effect” of First Story and First Commercials shows that high-reach takeovers can strengthen the entire funnel, amplifying both brand and performance outcomes.
  
  
  

How Advertisers Can Win with Snapchat:

• Maximize results with Snapchat’s combined offerings: First products along with auction-based buys to maximize efficiency.

• Maximize impact through simultaneous takeovers (e.g., First Story + First Commercial) to boost impact.

• Leverage Snapchat’s measurement framework (Execution, Experimentation, Evaluation) to optimize campaigns at every stage.

Snapchat continues to prove its strength as a platform built for attention and engagement. With users devoting 2.6x more attention to ads on Snapchat than the social mobile average ⁴, it’s clear that the platform provides a fertile environment for both awareness and conversions. For advertisers across MENA, First Ad Impression Takeovers are not just about reach, they’re about owning the moment that matters most.