See it, snap it / Contagious has written extensively on how machine vision technology can be a powerful tool when it comes to product discovery (see our trend for more). As we’ve noted, visual search enables a more human and personalised way of helping customers find the products they’re looking for. We’ve seen several examples over the years of beauty and fashion brands take that moment of inspiration when they see something they like out in real world and convert into purchase, but this campaign shows how a Snapchat lens could be to bring some fun to the car buying experience.
According to a recent Autotrader report, the process of buying a car is not a linear journey: buyers often change their minds right up to the last moment. Furthermore, the report argues that stumbling across a car on the street is a potential point at which the car buyer might reconsider their purchase. Making that moment more interactive is a great opportunity to grab the customer’s attention.
Staying on Snapchat / But this campaign is not just about making the car buying experience more interactive, but more convenient too. Making it as easy as possible to convert that moment of inspiration into an opportunity to provide more information about the vehicle, driving people to dealerships, and ultimately influencing purchase. As the brand said in its press release, the campaign is about ‘streamlining the buyer’s journey, particularly for younger consumers’. And that’s why it’s crucial that the brand is meeting these target younger consumers where they already are. This campaign crucially doesn’t require users to download a bespoke app, but taps into existing behaviour: using the Snapchat Lens.
Snapchat, previously thought to have been eclipsed by Instagram and TikTok, has shown itself to be a steady favourite among Gen Z and millenials. A 2021 survey carried out by Pew Research Center found that 65% Americans aged 18-29 use Snapchat.
Reducing friction is key to influencing behaviour, in this case, engaging with Jeep’s products. Behavioural economist and best-selling author Richard Thaler revealed his mantra to the Financial Times in 2019: ‘If you want people to do something, make it easy.’
