Snapchat Strengthens Position as a Leading Platform for Brand Growth in India

Snapchat today announced strong advertiser momentum in India, with the number of advertisers on the platform growing 10x over the past two years while the number of advertisers spending across all four quarters has tripled. ¹

This growth has been driven by rising adoption of immersive ad formats, the expansion of Chat as a high-attention advertising surface, and continued investments in AI-powered targeting and platform capabilities.

With over 250 million users in India, ² Snapchat sits at the centre of how Gen Z discovers, communicates, and engages with brands. This cohort already contributes 43% of India's total consumption, with spending power projected to reach $2 trillion by 2035. ³ Increasingly, brands are turning to Snapchat for its deep understanding of Gen Z behaviour and its ability to deliver high-attention, immersive experiences that resonate with younger audiences.

"We have been deliberate about building an ecosystem of advertising solutions rooted in how Gen Z communicates and engages today. Snapchat is the only platform that offers a multi-format ads stack suite comprising AR, video and high attention ads on chat which focuses on driving meaningful outcomes for brands and businesses. The momentum we are seeing in India reflects a broader shift toward immersive, engagement-led marketing. We believe we are leading this opportunity as brands transition towards more meaningful ways to engage consumers." said Pulkit Trivedi, Managing Director, India, Snap Inc.

Mr. Rohit Kapoor, CEO, Swiggy Food Marketplace said, "In the on-demand and quick-commerce ecosystem, driving high-intent consumer attention is paramount. Our strategic approach to digital engagement is rooted in the first-principles of 'Contextual Commerce,' reaching the consumer when they are in an active, communicative mindset. Snapchat has proven to be a highly innovative and impactful channel for Swiggy, allowing us to natively insert our brand into the visual conversations of India's Gen Z through high-attention Chat surfaces and immersive AR. This scaled partnership helps us seamlessly translate deep user engagement into instant business outcomes and has consistently contributed to our broader brand-building momentum."

Sahibjeet Singh Sawhney, Marketing Head, Zomato said, "Snapchat's multi-format strategy across Video, AR, and Sponsored Snaps creates a brand experience that feels truly interactive and engaging, one that builds a deeper, more meaningful connection with audiences. That's a worthwhile difference and we've seen it reflect in our results."

Ashwin Padmanabham, COO, WPP Media South Asia said, "Across our client portfolio, we are noticing a distinct, market-led shift, brands are increasingly recognizing that Snapchat has crossed a critical threshold of scale and infrastructure in India where it can no longer be bypassed. Gen Z's economic influence is no longer a future projection, they are actively shaping the majority of household consumption decisions today. However, standard digital media models are hitting a wall because this cohort has an acute, defensive attention deficit toward passive advertising." He further added, "Our collaboration with Snapchat on Attention Advantage research highlights why their specific ad infrastructure is gaining so much traction. Brands are realizing that when users shift away from public, algorithmic video feeds into meaningful, close-friend communication spaces, their cognitive openness to advertising fundamentally changes. By utilizing interactive AR and high-attention Chat formats, brands aren't fighting the attention deficit, they are working with it, translating active consumer participation into clear, full-funnel business outcomes."

While Gen Z pays up to 34% less attention to ads on conventional social platforms compared to Millennials, ⁴ Snapchat continues to drive strong engagement and measurable business outcomes for brands. Its campaigns outperform other platforms in sticking in the minds of consumers:delivers a +10 percentage point lift in aided brand awareness and a +12 percentage point lift in aided ad recall versus top competitors. ⁵

This engagement is also translating into stronger intent and advocacy. Snapchatters are +18 percentage points more likely to include a brand in their consideration set. +16 percentage points more likely to share brand content, and +13 percentage points more likely to talk about the brands with friends and family. ⁵

This reflects a broader shift in how users engage on social platforms. While many platforms are converging in features, Snapchat continues to stand out because engagement on the platform is rooted in close relationships, visual communication, and real-world interaction.

Breadth of Engagement Research 2026 by Eye Square further shows that users who find their time on a platform meaningful are significantly more receptive to advertising, 97% more open to seeing ads and 61% more likely to take action on relevant brand messages. ⁵

As audiences experience increasing ad fatigue, Snapchat has continued to expand its immersive and participation-led advertising ecosystem, introducing formats designed to feel native to how users communicate and engage on the platform.

AR has evolved from a brand-awareness tool into a full-funnel solution, enabling brands to drive discovery, interaction, and conversion within a single experience. In India, AR Lenses are now the #1 driver of attention, delivering 2X higher effectiveness and 3X greater efficiency in capturing attention compared to other formats. ⁵ Additionally, AR Lenses delivered 1.6x higher brand ad awareness compared to those without. ¹

Snapchat has also expanded Chat as an advertising surface, one of the platform's most-used and high-attention environments. Formats like Sponsored Snaps that enables brands to appear within active conversations delivers 2.5X higher brand awareness compared to traditional in-feed formats. ⁷

Increasingly, brands are adopting multi-format strategies across Video, AR, and Sponsored Snaps to build deeper and more sustained engagement with audiences. When brands lean into the full breadth of Snapchat's formats, the impact compounds. New global research across 7 markets shows that combining video, AR Lenses, and Sponsored Snaps versus video alone at the same frequency, leads to 1.9x unaided ad recall and increases shopping behavior by 1.9x too.

Snapchat has also continued investing in its advertising infrastructure, strengthening ranking systems, signal quality, and AI-driven optimisation through initiatives including App Power Pack, Ads Manager enhancements and newly launched solutions such as Unified Attribution, advanced optimisation tools, and enhanced app measurement capabilities. These investments are improving delivery, measurement, and performance outcomes for advertisers at scale.

Brands across categories including fashion, beauty, entertainment, food, quick commerce, sports, and retail are increasingly leveraging Snapchat's immersive advertising ecosystem to connect with Gen Z audiences in more meaningful ways.

Snapchat's continued investment in immersive technology, performance capabilities, and high-attention environments positions the platform as a strategic partner for brands looking to drive relevance and growth with young consumers in India.

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