Snapchat snags ad deal with Viacom
The unique arrangement is a coup for Snapchat, enabling the TV advertisers the company craves to buy ads on the app at the same time they purchase spots on Nickelodeon, MTV and other Viacom networks.
“We can now offer television advertisers a way to tell their stories across television and mobile in a frictionless way,” Imran Khan, Snapchat’s chief strategy officer, said in a statement.
Viacom has faced criticism for licensing shows to Netflix and other video providers, boosting those companies’ fortunes while fueling its own demise.
Snapchat Discover, a feature on the app that promotes stories from about 20 media companies, will now have MTV and Comedy Central content worldwide.
[...] Snapchat will produce more Live Stories, curated batches of user-generated videos, that are tied to Viacom events such as the Video Music Awards and BET Awards.
Viacom won’t be able to sell ads for Discover channels or Live Stories that are tied to other media companies or for Live Stories outside the United States.