Snapchat’s Dancing Hot Dog filter recently made a resurgence after its 2017 debut on the social media platform. The iconic filter was given an election-themed makeover and was launched on the fourth weekend of October. The date was chosen in celebration of Vote Early Day, "aimed at ensuring that eligible voters knew when and how to vote early."
Snapchat's Dancing Hot Dog lens was also featured this past Election Day, boasting selfie and world view capabilities along with links to the Before You Vote tool, which offered access to polling locations in one's area, and more background on candidates and the key issues they stood for.
"Snap Inc. said it has helped over 1.24 million users in the U.S. register to vote through the Snapchat app, and 56% of those are first-time voters."
Election-Themed Social Media Filters
Snapchat’s Dancing Hot Dog Was Reintroduced on Vote Early Day
Trend Themes
1. Election-themed Social Media Filters on Snapchat - The resurgence of Snapchat's Dancing Hot Dog filter with an election-theme shows the potential for using social media filters as a tool for promoting civic engagement with younger demographics.
2. Integrated Voter Registration Tools in Social Media Platforms - The success of Snap Inc.'s voter registration efforts through the Snapchat app highlights the opportunity for other social media platforms to integrate similar tools to increase voter turnout.
3. Social Media as a Platform for Political Advertising - With the success of Snapchat's election-themed filters, there is a growing opportunity for political campaigns to leverage social media advertising as a way to reach younger, tech-savvy voters.
Industry Implications
1. Social Media - Social media platforms have the opportunity to incorporate voter registration tools and election-themed filters to encourage more engagement and activism among younger users.
2. Political Campaigns - Political campaigns can use social media advertising to target younger voters with engaging content, such as election-themed filters, to increase voter turnout.
3. Voter Education and Engagement - The use of social media filters and integrated registration tools show the opportunity for organizations dedicated to voter education and engagement to leverage new technologies to achieve their goals.