Snapchat and Gelato Messina team up for Mates Day brand campaign

Snapchat has partnered with Gelato Messina to mark National Mates Day, launching a brand campaign to drive awareness of the platform’s focus on real relationships and friendship.

The social platform will take over the Gelato Messina Surry Hills store in Sydney, transforming it into a Snap-yellow brand experience that aims to bring friends together to enjoy a free scoop and capture Snapchat content for sharing.

A limited edition Snapchat gelato flavour - Oh Snap! - will be available for free across all Gelato Messina stores nationwide on 8 May, inspired by the classic vanilla slice, and featuring vanilla custard gelato layered with passionfruit puree and crunchy caramelised puff pastry pieces. 

The integrated campaign will run across publicity, physical store activations nationally, paid content and influencer, social and email marketing, and Snapchat in-app advertising to encourage the platform’s community of 8 million Australians to grab a free scoop.

Snapchat users can also sending Snaps using a Mates Day augmented reality (AR) lens.

Tony Keusgen, managing director of Snap Inc. Australia and New Zealand, said: "Snapchat has always been different to social media, giving our community fun and creative ways to stay connected with their real friends, free of the pressures of other platforms.

"We thought Mates Day was the ideal moment to bring Aussies together to celebrate with the people that matter to them most and bond over some seriously good Gelato Messina. This brand campaign is a joyful way to remind everyone about what continues to make Snapchat an everyday part of millions of people’s lives, right across the country."

Sian Bishop, head of brand and marketing at Messina, added: "Bringing people together for good vibes and delicious gelato is part of Messina’s DNA. We are so excited to celebrate friendship this Mates Day with Snapchat. Creating Oh Snap! was fun. Getting to dish it out nationwide for free, in the name of friendship, is even better."

Snap's integrated Mates Day campaign comes off the back of the global brand campaign, Less Social Media. More Snapchat, launched in February.