I See You – Snapchat Spectacles Style
Let’s just say, you won’t be called four-eyes anymore. Not only did I get to experience the release of an incredible product first hand, but I also received the superhuman ability to have the world see through my eyes. That’s right, first person perspective. Might I say there’s a new superhero in town…?
Thursdays aren’t usually my favorite, but this time it was different. So, I’ll admit it. I ended up missing my morning coffee and wasn’t able to eat until around 3 PM. Does that matter? No. Here’s why: Google notified me that Snapchat Spectacles released! Queue the balloons... literally. Now, for those that don’t know, I’ve been obsessed with pitching campaign executions to clients surrounding these magnificent camera-equipped sunglasses. My time had finally come to show what they were made off. I knew these would be big! Yep, large enough to where waiting 218 minutes in the blazing heat to spend money was worth it.
Speaking of worth, has anyone else recognized the brilliant marketing strategies that Snapchat comes up with? I’ll be the first to admit that I was basically begging different teams to ship me a pair before launch. And boy did I fail. One aspect of this brand that I love is that they are consumer-first with each product release and app update. It’s organic. They lack the “over the top” and “in your face” advertising that we see so much of today. For those of you who didn't go online today, I’ll fill you in. Snapchat created SnapBots, which are minion-like vending machines that allow you to virtually try on a pair in every color. These “bots” will be placed in new cities each day, with yesterday being in Venice right along the beach. Today? You’ll have to wait and see. If you’re curious, Spectacles has a website that releases the bot’s location 24-hours in advance. And yes, the SnapBot even takes a snooze at night. But, I wouldn’t hold your breath on it being in your city, because only one vending machine existed in the entire world!
The world saw something incredible. Incredible enough that these Spectacles sold on eBay for around $1,000 a pop. There's even a guy on eBay who’s willing to fly you out to Australia just for buying him a pair. These are so highly desired, that I not only sold a pair of Spectacles to a social media influencer who just missed the cut-off, but he also paid for mine. I got out of there richer and looking like a hipster. Score.
Let me tell you why Spectacles are so rad. First off, these glasses are of quality. My expectation was that they’d be cheap and light, but they actually weren't. I’ve received multiple questions on how these fit when they’re “one size fits all.” I had about 50 of my coworkers try these on, and it fit every person comfortably. Moving from the materialistic side, my favorite technical ability is charging these glasses in the case. It’s simple, easy, and efficient. I should also point out that the process of pairing these glasses to your Snapchat account is easy enough a young child could do it, which is a major plus. May I also note that the primary feature of Spectacles, which is the ability to create videos hands-free, is better than expected? Yes. Not only can I officially produce step-by-step recipes with the click of a button, but I can also stop using my phone to show off where I’m traveling to.
Ready for the negatives? Hold your breath, because there’s not many. One con is that the battery life of these is shorter than expected. They stay charged about 1-2 hours when being constantly used. And, yes. Speaking of battery, it will suck your iPhone dry. But, we all knew that using Bluetooth would do that.
Do you like what you see? These are content creating miracles that not only users will love but also brands. I highly recommend sighting these SnapBots and getting a pair in your hands ASAP. These are the game changers you're looking for.
— Diana Mabie, Social Media Manager
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