Scroll-stopping or scroll-past? The 2.5-second ad dilemma

If 85% of digital ads fail to hold our attention for even 2.5 seconds, what chance do brands really have? In a fast-scroll world, especially one dominated by Gen Z’s fragmented, dopamine-driven attention spans, traditional advertising is fast becoming white noise.

The challenge isn’t just to be seen—it’s to be remembered. And increasingly, that requires more than visibility. It demands storytelling that sticks.

Welcome to the age of multi-format storytelling—an era where brands need to be nimble, relevant and genuinely creative if they want to make it into Gen Z’s daily scroll. This isn’t just a creative imperative—it’s a commercial one. With Gen Z’s global spending power expected to hit a staggering $12 trillion by 2030, according to NielsenIQ, brands not showing up in formats this generation engages with risk becoming invisible.

Tapping into Snapchat’s First Story placement allowed Swiggy to enter its users’ most personal digital space.

“At Swiggy, we constantly look for moments where culture meets convenience. Tapping into Snapchat’s First Story placement allowed us to enter our users’ most personal digital space, right where they’re most engaged,” said Surbhi Johri, brand marketing at Swiggy.

Where ads feel like content, not clutter

Gen Z doesn’t want to be spoken at—they want to interact, explore, remix and express. Platforms like Snapchat, which were built mobile-first and creativity-forward, are perfectly primed for this. Whether it’s through vertical videos, Snap Ads, custom Bitmojis, creator-led campaigns, or AR Lenses, brands are now designing experiences instead of just pushing messages.

The platform’s latest format, Sponsored Snaps, exemplifies this shift. Introduced earlier this year in India, the high-impact, full-screen vertical placements go straight to a Snapchatter’s inbox—cutting through noise with direct, personal delivery.

Reliance-backed fashion e-commerce platform AJIO was among the earliest adopters, using the format to elevate awareness and drive engagement around its fashion collection. Rather than interrupting the feed, the brand embedded itself inside it.

Arpan Biswas, chief marketing officer, AJIO.

AJIO’s chief marketing officer Arpan Biswas highlighted the brand’s intent to tap into Sponsored Snaps to better engage with digital-first users in an interactive, native way. “We are excited to leverage its potential to elevate our storytelling and foster deeper, more meaningful connections with Snapchat’s community,” he stated when the company debuted its ads.  

Meanwhile, Swiggy Instamart went full-spectrum, combining AR Lenses, Sponsored Snaps, and Video formats to drive both visibility and action. “Unlocking Snapchat’s First Story property gave us a sharp edge; it’s not just about visibility, it's about timing and mindset,” added Praveen Joshi, vice president for media at Pivotroots - A Havas Company. “Whether it was Mother’s Day or the peak IPL playoffs, we leaned into relevance and precision to drive performance where our target audience already is.”

The immersive power of AR and AI

In India, 80% of Snapchatters engage with AR daily. That’s not a stat—it’s a signal. AR is no longer just a shiny add-on; it’s core to brand engagement. From beauty and fashion to QSR and travel, companies are tapping AR to blur the line between ad and experience.

Snap Inc.’s recent launch of Sponsored AI Lenses on April 8, 2025, takes that a step further. Powered by two years of generative AI development, these lenses let users insert themselves into brand-aligned visual worlds—be it retro throwbacks or fantasy dreamscapes. According to the company’s internal data, the format offers 25–45% more impressions in a single day by placing brands “at the forefront of the Camera.”

The results speak for themselves. MakeMyTrip’s 25th anniversary campaign used an interactive AR Lens featuring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt, turning their flagship film into a full-body dance-along. Not only did this celebrate the milestone, it made fans a part of it—turning engagement into participation.

Reckitt recognised that driving growth meant shifting beyond familiar brand touchpoints like packaging, in-store visibility, and product experience. The team acknowledged the need to meet consumers where they already are—especially younger audiences.

Rather than relying on personal platform preferences, the wellness major leaned into demographic insights, identifying Snapchat as a key channel to connect with Gen Z. The pivot marked a conscious departure from legacy marketing habits in favour of platforms that reflect evolving consumer behaviour and media consumption.

Kanika Kalra, regional marketing director—Health & Nutrition, Reckitt.

“With this campaign, we wanted to meet Gen Z where they are—in moments of discovery and self-expression,” said Kanika Kalra, regional marketing director—Health & Nutrition, Reckitt. For instance, Veet’s campaign used a custom lens that encouraged teens to celebrate their ‘firsts’—from first concerts to first hair removal experiences. “Snapchat’s AR tech helped us turn Veet’s message into an immersive experience that truly resonated,” Kalra added.

Forget A-listers; Gen Z’s real influencers are creators who feel more like friends than spokespeople. These are the voices that drive conversation, shape opinions, and—crucially—influence buying decisions. With three in five Gen Z consumers following creators who influence their purchases, the creator economy isn’t just booming—it’s pivotal.

Snapchat has embedded this creator-first mindset deep into its product and ad strategies. Creator Ads on Snap don’t feel like ads—they feel like recommendations, crafted in a tone and style that feels native to the platform.

One example is Flipkart’s creator-led AR campaign, which brought shopping to life in an interactive, personalised way. It wasn’t just about selling—it was about making discovery delightful. And that’s the blueprint for Gen Z engagement.

Why agencies are doubling down

It’s not just brands that are waking up to Snap’s potential—agencies are increasingly leaning into it to add an edge to their campaigns. PivotRoots, for instance, has strategically integrated formats like First Story and Sponsored Snaps into their media plans to elevate contextual relevance and drive performance.

“It’s about timing and mindset,” as Joshi pointed out. “When you map a campaign to moments that matter culturally or emotionally, and when you’re in a space where users are already engaged, that’s when you see a tangible impact.”

For media planners, Snap’s multi-format stack offers agility—allowing them to test and scale creative ideas across lenses, creator ads, and direct placements quickly. For clients, this means performance marketing that doesn’t look like performance marketing.

From awareness to action

This isn’t just about soft metrics like engagement or recall. Snap’s formats are designed to move the needle on real business outcomes. The platform’s ability to combine reach with intent—especially through features like Sponsored Snaps and AI-powered Lenses—helps drive qualified interactions that push users down the purchase funnel.

And because Snap’s environment is one where content feels like native communication, the message doesn’t interrupt—it integrates.

“Snap gave us a powerful, creative way to show teens that Veet’s got their back wherever they’re headed next,” said Kalra. The brand’s campaign didn’t just drive impressions—it drove connection. And in a world where ad-blindness is rising, that’s the true win.

Let’s be clear—multi-format storytelling is no longer a luxury or an innovation. It’s a survival strategy in a market where user attention is fragmented and brand loyalty is earned by engagement, not repetition. For creative and media agencies alike, the new brief isn’t just to land the message—it’s to make it memorable, playful, and purposeful.

For marketers wondering if Gen Z is “worth the effort,” here’s the blunt answer: you don’t have a choice. Their spending power is rising, their cultural influence is dominant, and their expectations are shaping the next era of brand communication.

Platforms like Snapchat are not merely ad spaces—they’re cultural canvases. And in the race for relevance, those who treat media as a playground for creative innovation—not just a performance dashboard—are the ones who will leave a mark.

So where does all this leave us? In a world where attention is currency, Gen Z isn’t interested in your brand’s backstory—they want to know what’s in it for them, right now. The brands that win will be the ones that show up with content that’s fun, interactive, relatable and timed to perfection.

Because if your story doesn’t spark action in 2.5 seconds, it’s not a story—it’s just another swipe.