Former President Donald Trump kicked off his campaign’s first Snapchat advertisement of the 2024 election season, entering the scene just as the election draws near. This comes as Vice President Kamala Harris has been actively promoting her campaign on the platform since March, while President Joe Biden previously invested about $1.5 million in Snapchat ads before leaving the race in July.
Snapchat boasts over 100 million users in the U.S., with around 80% of them being eligible voters, making it a promising avenue for both Democrats and Republicans to connect with a younger audience.
One standout new ad features Trump accompanied by a graphic that asks, “Who needs to vote?” as he gives a thumbs-up to the viewer. This ad draws on a memorable moment when Trump and running mate JD Vance honored 9/11 victims in New York City.
The campaign strategies of Trump and Harris present a striking contrast. While Harris’s campaign has poured $7.8 million into Snapchat ads since March, Trump’s entry is notably late, especially when considering that his campaign spent $268,000 on the platform in 2020.
Trump’s limited Snapchat presence stems from a ban on his personal account post-January 6, 2021, which remains in effect. Despite this, his campaign has been allowed to run political ads after meeting Snap’s fact-checking standards.
Harris’s ads effectively showcase her messages while hitting Trump on issues like his anti-abortion stance. Many include her campaign anthem, Beyoncé’s “Freedom,” and encourage younger voters to engage with the electoral process through creative “back-to-school assignments.”
In July, the Trump campaign voiced their dissatisfaction with Snap for allowing ad purchases while maintaining the ban on his account. Trump expressed his grievances on X, labeling it as a part of Big Tech’s bias against him. Meanwhile, X CEO Elon Musk showed support for Trump following a recent campaign incident.
To connect with younger male voters, Trump has reached out through popular online platforms, engaging hosts like the Nelk Boys and Joe Rogan, as well as embracing TikTok despite previous reservations about its ownership.
Political ad spending on Snapchat is modest in comparison to behemoths like Facebook and Google, where hundreds of millions are being spent. Harris’s campaign has consistently maintained a higher online ad budget, bolstered by stronger fundraising.
Research indicates that Snapchat’s demographic leans slightly Democratic, with 51% of users identifying as liberal compared to 41% as conservative. The platform’s user base is predominantly female, unlike other platforms that tend to skew towards a more conservative, male audience, which is more favorable for Trump.
Harris has utilized Snapchat’s visual platform to her advantage—some of her most impactful ads employ clips of Trump discussing abortion alongside related news headlines, showcasing the stark contrast between their policies.
With tight polling margins, both campaigns are ramping up efforts to engage Gen Z and millennial voters who are increasingly reliant on social media for news rather than more traditional methods.