Apparel and accessories brand Lacoste is running an ongoing campaign on Snapchat using its crocodile logo and offering 20 percent off customers’ next purchase.

As Snapchat appeals to more brands, the messaging app and Lacoste most likely share the same core audience, including millennials and Generation Z. Therefore, the platform seems like an ideal location to reach Lacoste’s audience.

“Snapchat’s highly engaged, younger user base is the primary reason for Lacoste’s move to market on Snapchat,” said Esha Shah, manager of mobile strategy at Fetch, San Francisco. “Snapchat is currently not infiltrated by too many ads and marketers, which gives brands first-mover advantage.

“I assume cost for marketing efforts are also very limited since Snapchat does not offer a formatted ad format, so campaigns are all about content generation,” she said. “All of these factors combined make this a great time to test and learn on the platform to see what users engage with their brand, especially new users who are not already loyal to the brand.”

The right channel
Users are invited to add Lacoste on Snapchat and then look for updates from the brand. To participate, users look for the hidden Lacoste crocodile icon in a series of 10-second-long Snap videos that the brand posts. When the crocodile is spotted, participants enter themselves by snapping the brand and telling where the crocodile is located on the screen.

The first 10 applicants will win a 20 percent discount coupon on their next purchase.

Lacoste is posting one video every two weeks. For its most recent effort, the brand posted a Snap of the winners and let users know when to expect the next alert.

To promote its efforts on Snapchat, Lacoste has been leveraging other social networks, including Facebook and Twitter, to drive users to Snapchat. Lacoste is using the hashtag #SpotTheCroc to represent the promotion and the hashtag #BeautifulHolidays to represent all of its holiday gift products.

Socially inclined
Lacoste is increasingly investing in mobile.

The brand released a mobile application in August to activate New York City’s tennis players by directing them to nearby courts and store locations to shop for tennis gear.

In an effort to keep the sport active, the City Tennis app combines social capabilities, enabling users to look up potential playing partners, mobile gaming and augmented reality for Lacoste’s tennis gear. Even though the app has many features, it is currently limited to New York residents, which is something that Lacoste could try to expand in the future (see story).

This summer, Lacoste took in-store shoppers on a virtual experience with an augmented reality application inviting users to scan their smartphone and digitally try-on the brand’s trainer shoes.

The tool allowed shoppers to avoid waiting in line and removing their shoes and could also be used for direct purchasing and social sharing (see story). 

“Lacoste has a few apps out in the marketplace as well as a new digital boutique that drives online purchases,” Ms. Shah said. “Through their apps, Lacoste seeks to drive engagement and immersive experience.

“Their mobile site is for consumers to explore products and ultimately make a purchase” she said.

Final Take
Caitlyn Bohannon is an editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York