Snapchat Extends Live Nation Partnership with ‘Snap Nation’

Photo Credit: Alexander Shatov

Snapchat announces new ways for users to come together in an evolution of its Live Nation partnership, with the ‘Snap Nation’ public profile.During Snapchat parent Snap Inc.’s NewFronts presentation to its advertisers, the company revealed a slew of upcoming features like a new in-app sports channel, collaborations with figures like writer and actress Issa Rae, and an expansion of the platform’s partnership with Live Nation. Here’s the latest.

On Wednesday (May 1), the company announced the renewal of its agreements with the NBA and WNBA, as well as an agreement with longtime partner NBCUniversal pertaining to the Paris Olympics. The NBCUniversal deal will see Snapchat stars in Paris offering their takes on the Olympic Games to Snapchat users. In that vein, Snap’s new in-app sports channel is designed to “capture the passions” of many of the platform’s daily active users, where sports are increasingly a figurehead.

In a similar fashion, music is a key area of interest for Snap, whose partnership with Live Nation has been expanded to provide users with “unique access” to music experiences through events promoter and venue operator juggernaut Live Nation.

The Snap Nation public profile will enable users to see exclusive behind-the-scenes content from favorite artists, while Snapchat curates stories from Live Nation concerts and festivals. Snap Nation is expected to launch across 30 festivals and tour across the country within the next year.“Snapchat is all about showing the real moments, and Snap Nation will give Snapchatters an even deeper connection to their passions, like music, to make the moments even more memorable,” said Manny Adler, Head of Music Strategy at Snapchat. “This latest evolution in our partnership with Live Nation offers Snapchatters exclusive, unparalleled access to the magic of live music, entertainment, and the artists they love.”

“Globally, live music is experiencing a record surge, with fans actively seeking out online content to connect with artists and other fans in between shows,” adds Kevin Chernett, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Media Partnerships at Live Nation. “Now, with Snap Nation, we’re giving fans exclusive access to never-before-seen concert content, only on Snapchat. They’ll get to experience it all — from feeling the pre-show anticipation backstage to experiencing the post-show camaraderie, and so much more.”

“Snapchat uniquely offers artists a new platform to showcase the depth of creativity that goes into a live performance while building more personal connections with fans during peak moments of engagement,” Chernett continues.

Snap also revealed plans for new augmented reality tools to enhance the ad experience for users, in addition to AR and machine learning tools designed to increase engagement with advertiser content.