Inside Snapchat’s Growing Role in Hollywood’s Awards Season Playbook

You’ve scrolled through clip after clip of your favorite scenes on Instagram and TikTok. The biggest trailers rack up views on YouTube, while X and Threads serve as the home for real-time, text-based public conversation and instant reactions.

On the surface that may seem like all a TV show needs to run a successful social media campaign. But in reality, there’s one secret weapon that’s helping networks and streamers take their marketing to the next level: Snapchat . Related Stories TV Reba McEntire Expected to Perform Tribute to Dolly Parton at 2026 Emmys TV Paul Anthony Kelly, Shailene Woodley, Matthew McConaughey, Others Tapped to Present at 2026 Emmys

When it comes to making campaigns stand out—and earn Emmys buzz—activating on Snapchat has become the insider move, opening up new ways for networks and streamers to capture attention.

That’s right. The social media platform that started as disappearing photo and video messages between friends has become the inside track to successful Hollywood campaigns.

But what is it that sets Snapchat apart? For starters, the low-lift informality of the platform has hooked the attention of Gen Z , a group that craves authenticity. Snapchat doesn’t call for the level of curation and planning that Instagram does, and that casualness is reflected in the app’s audience makeup. Snapchat reaches over 75% of the 13- to 34-year-old population in more than 25 countries. But it’s not only Gen Z on Snapchat. Nearly 1 in 4 Snapchatters are 35 or older. And Snapchat isn’t just big—it’s getting bigger. In Q2 of 2026, Snap reported 971 million global monthly active users, marking a 4% increase year-over-year. 1

Now, 15 years after its launch, Snapchat has evolved into far more than just disappearing photos and videos. For TV shows, tools across the app create opportunities to turn entertainment into something audiences can experience, share and talk about. Sponsored Snaps in the Chat feed give entertainment marketers a native way to reach audiences in the same place they’re already talking with friends. Just as they would open a Snap from a friend, users can access teaser clips, BTS footage and more exclusive promo materials to drive tune in. Lenses are augmented reality effects capable of taking real-world imagery and transforming it, from a selfie Lens to an entire scene, while customizable avatars called Bitmojis allow for product integrations and digital fashion partnerships. On Snap Map, brands can embrace location marketing with Promoted Places, building out branded landmarks and events.

“Entertainment has always been about creating moments people want to talk about and share, and Snapchat gives marketers a unique opportunity to invite fans into those moments,” Snap Inc. Head of Media and Entertainment Laurel Duquette said in a statement. “Whether it’s stepping into the world of a favorite show through AR, getting an exclusive look of content via Sponsored Snaps in Chat, or bringing a live cultural moment to life in an unexpected way, we can help studios and networks turn audiences from viewers into participants.