As the new academic year begins, Snapchat is rolling out the next iteration of its integrated ‘Say it in a Snap’ campaign, positioning the platform as the digital equivalent of the university quad, where students connect, communicate and build friendships in real time.
New research from Snapchat, commissioned by YouGov, shows that messaging and social platforms play a central role in how Gen Z students maintain relationships, with three-quarters (75 per cent) saying they are essential for staying connected with university and pre-university friends.
Featuring platform-native Snaps from Australian Gen Z university students, the campaign launches with out-of-home (OOH) and digital video placements, alongside brand partnerships with Officeworks and KFC—two brands already embedded in student life. The creative reflects the way Gen Z naturally communicates on Snapchat, capturing everyday moments between friends and classmates as they navigate study, social life and daily decision-making.
The campaign’s unpolished, user-generated aesthetic is a deliberate creative strategy, aligning with Gen Z behaviour and reinforcing consistency across OOH and paid social. By mirroring how content already appears on the platform, the creative ensures brand messages feel audience-relevant.
Brand integrations with Officeworks and KFC demonstrate how marketers can show up within these moments authentically—from students snapping a KFC treat after back-to-back lectures, to another sharing appreciation for their local Officeworks team in helping them prep for an assignment. Additional OOH placements draw on familiar student experiences, including free food on campus, recruiting friends for uni clubs, and sharing the highs and lows of long study days.
Brands now have the ability to connect with Gen Z students where conversations are already happening through Sponsored Snaps. These are designed to appear within the natural flow of Snapchat’s messaging tab and allow brands to become part of the intimate, real-time exchanges between close friends and families.
By tapping into the close and highly engaged nature of the chat environment, brands aiming to connect with Gen Z audiences can use Sponsored Snaps to foster a deeper and more memorable connection with this highly sought-after demographic.
Rolling out later this month, the next iteration of ‘Say it in a Snap’ will introduce a PR and influencer program shaped by insights into how Gen Z Australians are forming friendships today. With nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) of Gen Z students commuting from home over living with friends or on campus, living arrangements are increasingly influencing peer network formation and driving more digital-first social behaviours that brands can meaningfully align with.
“Snapchat is a tool for connection, it’s how Gen Z connect everyday with their mates for both the big and small moments in their lives. We know that university is a pivotal period for this demographic, so our next phase of Say it in a Snap really encapsulates how this generation use Snapchat as part of their university journey.” said Ryan Ferguson, managing director of Snap Inc. ANZ.
“Gen Z open Snapchat 40 times a day on average, with 75 per cent of that time being spent in the chat tab. This creates a clear opportunity for brands to show up within conversations that are already happening, in a way that feels platform-native rather than interruptive. It’s why Sponsored Snaps have gained strong traction since launching last year, with brands like Contiki and Uber among the first in Australia to adopt the format. When brands align with how Gen Z naturally communicates, performance follows.”
Credits:
OMD Credits
Business Management:
Danica Berjanovic
Sophie Wood
Media Implementation:
Joshua Emanual
Shoni Catt
EMOTIVE
Creative, Design & Production
Gavin McLeod
Edward Macaulay
Alistar Hill
Chris Cooper
Michael Hollis
Social & Cultural Strategist
Sarah Rosedale
Client Services
Zoé Hartas
SNAP INC.
Marketing
Clare Nash
Communications
Natasha Brack
