16 Handles jumps on the Snapchat bandwagon

That didn't take long. Snapchat, the popular private photo messaging app that allows users to send photos that disappear now has an advertiser jumping on board: The Frozen Yogurt chain 16 Handles.

If you aren't familiar with Snapchat, let me be your guide. Remember Chat Roulette? It's kinda like that except the photos and vids you send disappear after ten seconds.

So 16 Handles initiative is for you to follow 16 handles on Snapchat and then go to a 16 Handles location and take a photo of you tasting a sample of their fro yo and then send a photo and then they will send you a coupon and then after you make your selection you can then hurry up and use that coupon for whatever random amount of savings off before it disappears.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA. You lost me on step fourteen. Why not make me paint my car and cover it with sprinkles while I'm at it? That's a long way to go for a discount on frozen yogurt I might lose anyway if I accidentally hit view.

I thought 2013 would be the year where we moved past the hoop-jumping exercises. Guess not.

By the way, remember when I wrote Snapchat is kinda like Chat Roulette? What I meant is, it's mostly photos of dudes showing off their genitalia. Yep, it's a sexting app! Even though founder Evan Spiegel denies this. Of course he would, wouldn't he?

Even the New York Times called him out on it, back in May.

16 Handles: Enjoy the fact that your ads might be showing up in between pictures and videos of dudes' dicks. I'm sure that's the demographic you intended.

And by the way, if you really think your photos and videos disappear completely when you use Snapchat you have brain freeze. Check out this lovely tidbit from Snapchat's privacy policy:

Message Data:
When you send or receive messages using the Snapchat services, we temporarily process and store your images and videos in order to provide our services.

And of course, they'll also share your personal information -- with your consent, of course! *Wink*

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Anonymous Adgrunt's picture
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Adam Britten's picture

Hey there,

As the Community Manager at 16 Handles, I just wanted to clear up a couple things. You don't have only 10 seconds to redeem the coupon. It's 10 seconds from when the customer activates it. Our intention is that the customer will activate it at the register, which is a fairly smooth process for our cashiers and Snapchat-savvy core customer group, giving them the chance to get a coupon of up to 100% off their purchase.

Please feel free to let me know if you have any other feedback or questions!

-Adam Britten, Community Manager, 16 Handles

kidsleepy's picture

Duly noted, and duly rewritten to reflect that notion. It disappears in ten seconds only if you hit view. Gotcha. And no doubt a Snapchat-savvy core customer group will enjoy taking a break from sexting to refresh themselves at any of your locations, and enjoy some savings in the process.
Good luck to you!