Snapchat is set to begin testing a new six-second unskippable video ad format that they call “Commercials” that run during select number of Snapchat Shows, which are TV-like videos that rolled out last year. Shows are premium content produced by networks and entertainment studios.
According to a report from Digiday, the test will start mid-may. There are no details that have been shared so far as to which advertisers are taking part of the beta group taking advantage of the new video ad format or the Shows that will include the Commercials.
These six second Commercials are a departure form the usual Snapchat ad model, which usually allows users to skip past ads. With the inclusion of Commercials, users are going to have to watch the six-second video ad if they want to watch a full episode of the Show where the ad has been placed.
In a report from MediaRadar in March, it was revealed that fewer than 400 brands ran video ads on Snapchat between November 2017 and January of this year.