First off, on Highlight – Snapchat’s launching a brand new set of Black Historical past Month Highlight Challenges, which can see over $40,000 awarded to creators for participating in particular initiatives aligned with the occasion.

Snapchat’s Black Historical past Month challenges will likely be up to date weekly all through February, and can contact on a spread of key themes:

• February 1 – 7 – Share what #BlackExcellence means to you
• February 8 – 14 – Present us what a day within the life at your HBCU seems to be like with #LifeAtMyHBCU!
• February 15- 21 – Use a location tag to your favourite native #BlackOwnedBusiness and inform us why you help them!
• February 18-24 – Educate Highlight on essentially the most attention-grabbing #BlackHistoryMonthFacts.

Highlight, Snap’s tackle the full-screen, vertical scrolling video shift, has turn into a preferred addition within the app, with the corporate reporting this week that whole time spent watching Highlight content material has grown greater than 100% year-over-year. So whereas it’s primarily a TikTok clone, the recognition of the choice as soon as once more underlines why apps replicate and duplicate such options. As a result of it really works, and it retains extra of their customers from migrating to different apps.

As such, it may be a great way for Snap to advertise its Black Historical past Month initiatives.

Snapchat’s additionally launching a spread of themed Lenses, created by Black artists:

“At present, Snapchatters can categorical themselves with a set of augmented actuality Lenses created by Black AR creators like Enoch, Masharzi McCann, Kathryn Hicks and extra. On February 15, Snapchatters will have the ability to discover a brand new assortment of Black Historical past Month Lenses created by a gaggle of seven Black AR creators.”

The themed Lenses will concentrate on three components:

• Uncommon and untold tales – Sharing neglected information in regards to the Black expertise and historical past.
• Revisiting historical past and the promise of tomorrow – Recognizing how far we’ve come by spotlighting important accomplishments and beliefs for the longer term.
• Diaspora – Discussing Black historical past because it applies to the diaspora, celebrating our variations and coming collectively in shared lineage.

That would assist to spotlight key messages by way of partaking AR experiences throughout the app.

Lastly, Snapchat’s additionally teaming up with the Magnificence in Inclusivity Affiliation (BIIA), to make sure that there’s an optimum mixture of illustration and variety throughout the app.

“BIIA is a brand new model auditing and certification system that may work with companies as a coaching useful resource to develop actionable targets and requirements for enterprise leaders to raised prioritize variety and illustration throughout all areas of the wonder enterprise. Snapchat will host a devoted profile for BIIA-curated content material to amplify BIPOC and allied creator voices as they share their distinctive tales.”

Black Historical past Month is a crucial time to acknowledge and mirror on the previous and present injustices inside societal buildings, and to contemplate how we are able to all contribute to enhancing such transferring ahead.

Snapchat’s trying to contribute to this broader dialog, and these themed ideas may very well be a great way to spotlight such throughout the app.