Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and other social media platforms allow brands to attract and engage followers publicly.  What about engaging with fans and followers on a more a more intimate level? Snapchat, Tango, Kik, Instagram Direct, and other messaging platforms provide a new avenue for brands to reach private, selected audiences and distribute content and images on a smaller scale.   Such platforms allow brands to send visually engaging content to a controlled list of followers letting their contacts feel as if they are specially informed and receiving exclusive information and offers.  A Pew Research Center study finds that 9% of U.S. cell phone owners use Snapchat translating into 26 million users.

This forum will provide examples of how brands have successfully connected and engaged with fans and customers via messengers and the strategies that were implemented to take advantage of this new engagement opportunity.

We will answer the following questions

• How do you use messenger apps to reach new audiences?
• What types of contests, promotions, etc. are best used on messenger platforms?
• How do you tell stories and deliver content via chats?
• How do you humanize your communications via messenger apps?
• Which direct messaging apps are right for you?
• How do brands and agencies optimize the content for mobile?

Calvin Stowell Presentation

Eytan Oren Presentation