Mates Day (that’s May 8 – geddit?!) is all about celebrating friendship. So Snapchat, the app loved by Aussies for keeping connected and having fun with mates, has launched a national Mates Day brand campaign to drive awareness of the platform’s focus on real relationships, in collaboration with Gelato Messina.
The integrated campaign comes off the back of Snapchat’s global brand campaign “Less Social Media. More Snapchat”, launched in February 2024 to demonstrate to the world what makes Snapchat different from social media.
Snapchat was designed from the very beginning as a place where people can be their real selves with their real friends. And what better way to bring this to life than buddying up with iconic Australian gelateria Gelato Messina, to create a snappable moment to bring friends together IRL?
In a partnership made for fun, Snapchat and Messina have buddied up to create an ultra-limited edition Snapchat flavour – Oh Snap! – which will be available for free across all Gelato Messina stores nationwide on May 8, from opening until stocks run out.
Bringing together the perfect friendship of flavours, Oh Snap! is inspired by the classic vanilla slice, featuring vanilla custard gelato layered with passionfruit puree and crunchy caramelised puff pastry pieces.
Snapchat is also taking over the Gelato Messina Surry Hills store in Sydney, transforming the hip inner-city location into a Snap-yellow brand experience that aims to bring friends together to enjoy a free scoop of Oh Snap! and capture unmistakably Snapchat content for sharing.
The integrated campaign will run across publicity, physical store activations nationally, paid content and influencer, social and email marketing, as well as Snapchat in-app advertising to encourage the platform’s community of 8 million Australians to grab a free scoop on Mates Day. Snapchatters thinking of pals near and far on May 8, can also join in the fun by sending Snaps with a wacky and wonderful Mates Day augmented reality (AR) lens.
Tony Keusgen, managing director, Snap Inc. Australia and New Zealand: “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: “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!”
Date: Mates Day – Wednesday, May 8
Nationwide offer: Scoops available across all Gelato Messina stores from 12pm, while stocks last. See the Gelato Messina website for store locations (in all states and territories except Tasmania and the Northern Territory).
Sydney store takeover: Snapchat will take over Gelato Messina at 389 Crown Street, Surry Hills, NSW, with everything Snapchatters would love to Snap while they enjoy a scoop with their mates, open 12pm until 10.30pm or while stocks last. Interview and content capture opportunities are available throughout the event.
CAMPAIGN CREDITS
Client
Snap Inc.
Brand partner
Gelato Messina
Campaign creative, publicity and influencer
Ogilvy PR
Media agency
OMD
Brand experience
Studio Messa
