Save 50% on a 3-month Digiday+ membership. Ends Dec 5.
For the second time in a week, Evan Spiegel is proving to be quite the budding YouTube star. The Snapchat CEO released another homemade-like video, this time pitching the app’s new advertising approach in conjunction with his presentation at Cannes Lions this morning.
Looking fresh in an outfit perfect for picture day and speaking over generic track of music reminiscent of pre-roll ad in movie theaters, Spiegel lays out his idea behind “3V: vertical video views” in a manner that only an advertiser could love. There’s no fancy geofilters or trippy animation here.
“Fifty years ago, it would’ve been hard to believe that everyone would have a little TV in their pocket,” Spiegel says, young-splaining that pesky millennials are more inclined to watch videos on smartphones than the boob tube.
So, if advertisers want to target them, then Snapchat is the solution. Naturally. He suggests that videos should be shot vertically because they fill up the entire phone screen and capture users’ attention. And, unlike pre-roll ads that get in the way, Spiegel says ads in the app slyly appear in the “context of premium and curated content.”
Spiegel once again shades targeted ads, prominently used on Facebook and Twitter, saying Snapchat builds ads that “respect our community and privacy.”
Hopefully that works because Spiegel doesn’t have a future as a spokesperson fit for the televisio –, er, smartphone.
Ad position: web_incontent_pos1
More in Media
Digiday+ Research Subscription Index 2025: Subscription strategies from Bloomberg, The New York Times, Vox and others
Digiday’s third annual Subscription Index examines and measures publishers’ subscription strategies to identify common approaches and key tactics among Bloomberg, The New York Times, Vox and others.
From lawsuits to lobbying: How publishers are fighting AI
We may be closing out 2025, but publishers aren’t retreating from the battle of AI search — some are escalating it, and they expect the fight to stretch deep into 2026.
Media Briefing: Publishers turn to vertical video to compete with creators and grow ad revenue in 2026
Publishers add vertical video feeds to their sites to boost engagement, attract video ad spend and compete with news creators.
Ad position: web_bfu