Wendy’s, a leader in bold and engaging digital marketing, recently partnered with Snapchat to test an innovative new ad format—Sponsored Snaps.
This initiative, which delivers a full-screen video Snap directly to users’ chat inboxes, proved to be a game-changer, driving 52 million impressions in just one day and significantly boosting Wendy’s organic following and ad awareness.
As one of the first brands to experiment with this format, Wendy’s used a witty and conversational style to make the Sponsored Snap feel like a message from a friend rather than a traditional ad. This resulted in unprecedented engagement, a surge in brand awareness, and a glimpse into the future of digital advertising.
In this exclusive Q&A, QSR magazine spoke with with Russ Mischner, Wendy’s VP of integrated marketing, and Katelyn Kroneman, Snap’s US Head of Verticals, to discuss the success of the Sponsored Snap campaign, its impact on brand engagement, and what this means for the future of marketing on Snapchat.
Russ Mischner, Wendy’s VP of Integrated Marketing:
Wendy’s is known for its bold and engaging social media presence. How did the Sponsored Snap format align with your overall brand strategy, and what made this ad approach stand out compared to other digital campaigns?
At Wendy’s, our social strategy is all about showing up like a friend, rather than an advertiser. The Sponsored Snap fit seamlessly into our approach, allowing us to turn a paid placement into an engaging and entertaining connection point with our audience at scale. We pride ourselves in showing up in unique and unexpected ways—which, in this case, meant sending a Snap exactly like a friend would.
The results of this Sponsored Snap campaign were impressive, with 52 million impressions in a single day. What factors do you think contributed most to this level of engagement?
Our Sponsored Snap campaign was a huge success, and a lot of that comes down to how seamlessly the format fit with both our brand and the way consumers use Snapchat. Since the ad shows up right in a user’s chat feed—where they’re already actively engaging—it felt more like a message from a friend than a traditional ad. That, combined with our distinct voice and creative style, made the experience feel authentic rather than forced. The results speak for themselves—not just in impressions, but in the organic growth and ad awareness lift we saw immediately after.
Being one of the first brands to test out Sponsored Snaps also contributed to its success. The format was fresh, it stood out and it gave us a unique way to connect with Snapchat’s highly engaged audience. Plus, the timing and message were spot on — using the language of Snapchatters made it feel natural and in-the-moment, making it easier for them to take action.
The campaign led to a significant lift in organic followers on Wendy’s Public Profile on Snapchat. How does Snapchat fit into your broader social media and digital marketing strategy?
Snapchat has been a long-term, core social platform for Wendy’s. Snapchat is all about meaningful connections between friends, aligning with our overall strategy and giving us a space to show up for our friends in an authentic and often irreverent way. Whether we’re creating an immersive AR experience or entertaining our audience via Spotlight content, Snapchat is a go-to destination for Wendy’s to engage with younger consumers.
With Sponsored Snaps creating an experience that feels personal, like a message from a friend, do you see this format changing the way Wendy’s approaches digital advertising going forward?
The consumer is the #1 most important consideration when building ad campaigns and creative. We always want to deliver creative is relevant, engaging, entertaining and most importantly, fits seamlessly into the user experience on the platform. Snapchat’s personalized approach to Sponsored Snaps aligns with ours—creating moments with consumers that feel like a 1:1 touchpoint from a friend.
Did you notice any specific consumer behaviors or trends from the engagement metrics that stood out or surprised you?
Aside from the impressions, the real standout for us was the +55% organic growth in Snapchat followers immediately after the launch. This shows that our content resonated so well with the Snapchat audience that they were motivated to follow us without any additional paid promotion.
We also saw a +17 percent lift in ad awareness, which is above the restaurant category average. It’s a reminder that when we stay true to our voice and show up like a consumer, rather than a brand, we can build stronger connections with our audience.
Beyond reach and awareness, how do you measure success for an initiative like this? Have you seen any impact on customer loyalty or sales?
Consistent, meaningful engagement is crucial to measuring success. The follower growth we generated tells us the creative and experience resonated with our fans, and we’ve sustained that audience with increased engagement on Spotlight ever since.
Wendy’s has been a trailblazer in using digital platforms in fresh and authentic ways. What’s next for Wendy’s in terms of innovative marketing on Snapchat or other emerging platforms?
We keep a constant pulse on consumer behavior across social and digital platforms. Our recipe for success includes authentically showing up in emerging platforms as an early adopter. As new platforms emerge and established players refine their offerings, this allows us to diversify our engagement approach and meet our fans in the spaces and places they enjoy most.
Katelyn Kroneman, Snap’s US Head of Verticals:
The campaign with Wendy’s saw impressive ad awareness growth (+17 percent). Is this reflective of what you’re seeing across other early adopters of Sponsored Snaps?
Clients have been eager to be part of Snap’s chat experience, and I’m thrilled that Wendy’s was one of our early partners. With their strong, entertaining social personality, this collaboration was a perfect fit for a great execution.
Wendy’s success with Sponsored Snaps demonstrates how the format can drive strong engagement and lift key brand metrics, particularly ad awareness. While results can vary by brand and execution, early adopters have consistently seen increased visibility and interaction due to Sponsored Snaps’ seamless integration into Snapchat’s core chat experience. Because these ads feel more organic—like receiving a message from a friend—Snapchatters are more likely to engage.
Snapchat’s audience skews younger but is diversifying. How do you see Sponsored Snaps helping brands reach not just Gen Z but also older demographics on the platform?
Sponsored Snaps provide a unique opportunity for brands to connect with audiences beyond Gen Z by meeting Snapchatters where they’re most engaged—within their conversations. If you have teenagers, like me, you are familiar with the power and responsiveness of sending a Snap vs. trying to text your teen.
While Snapchat has a strong Gen Z presence, our community is expanding, with Millennials and even older demographics increasingly active. The chat-based nature of Sponsored Snaps allows brands to craft creative that feels personal and relevant, making it an effective tool to reach and resonate with a broader audience in an authentic way.
How do Sponsored Snaps compare to other ad formats in terms of driving action, like clicks or conversions?
Sponsored Snaps are such a unique offering because they deliver content directly within Chat—one of the most engaged areas of the platform. This direct placement, combined with full-screen vertical video, leads to high visibility and interaction. It’s also a more intimate and direct touchpoint because of the way our community utilizes Chat, making them more likely to engage, click, and convert. The natural, conversational feel of the format lowers ad resistance, leading to stronger performance across key engagement metrics. It’s no wonder that in Q4 2024, Sponsored Snaps was our largest single day reach product. And in Wendy’s case, the Sponsored Snap generated nearly 120,000 clicks in just one day, showcasing its ability to drive action efficiently.
