Snapchat has reached a deal with NBCUniversal that brings audio clips from successful movies and TV shows such as Bridesmaids, The Office, Parks and Recreation, Back to the Future, Shrek, and Saturday Night Live to the social platform. In addition to music, users worldwide can now add audio snippets from popular titles in the NBCUniversal catalog to their snaps. Users who receive a snap from a friend using NBCUniversal audio have the option to swipe up to view more information about the movie or show, as well as a link to access the title on any streaming platform where it is available.
Ben Shleifer, Senior Vice President of Content and Partnerships at Snap, stated, “NBCUniversal has a creative lineup. We know our users love to add quotes from their favorite movies and shows to their snaps to help perfectly express the moment. NBCUniversal has been a tremendous long-term partner for us, and we are excited to continue innovating together on new experiences for our community.”
This NBCUniversal partnership follows a multi-year licensing agreement with Universal Music Group to bring the company's entire catalog to the platform. This deal has allowed users to access music from top artists and use it through the audio tool, enabling users to add musical clips to their snaps or stories via augmented reality lenses and curated playlists. Universal Music Group has also partnered with the platform to launch more branded augmented reality lenses across Snapchat, providing additional e-commerce opportunities. Several UMG artists have previously used the social platform to create their own lenses or promote their music and merchandise.
Moreover, last October, the platform signed deals with Warner Music Group and Warner Chappell Music. Since the launch of the audio feature last year, over 521 million videos have been created using the feature. During the company's quarterly earnings last week, Snap announced that it had reached 306 million daily active users. The move to expand its audio offerings is likely a response to TikTok's growing popularity, which has reached a billion users.
