Break through the incredible clutter and drive awareness, excitement and, ultimately, tune-in viewership for the hottest and loudest night in country music, the CMT Music Awards, CMT's version of the MTV VMAs and a major live tentpole for the network.
Known for its ability to break new artists and the unparalleled collaborations with music superstars spanning all genres, the CMT Music Awards is the industry's most evocative fan-fueled and fan-voted event. It's also CMT's biggest night of the year—equally for the show's strong ratings and unforgettable moments as for the robust integrated advertising partnerships that are important for the CMT business—so creating excitement among new and occasional viewers is crucial.
Without a traditional paid media off net ad campaign to support the 2017 event, CMT partnered with Snapchat to broaden the appeal and drive day-of interest and tune-in for the live show.
Country music's biggest stars and most notable up-and-comers walk the red carpet at the CMT Music Awards - from Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood to Thomas Rhett and Kelsea Ballerini. No cowboy boots and tumbleweeds here! The show is full of all the glitz and glam you'd expect from a star-studded Hollywood red-carpet evening... not the typical outdated stereotypes that may accompany "country." So CMT wanted to super-serve fans with the opportunity to get ready for the big show with an immersive awards show glam experience like never-seen-before. Through an engaging and shareable national Snapchat Lens, fans could instantly go from a hum-drum bathrobe to radiant starlet glamour, walk the carpet to paparazzi flashes, and even accept a CMT Music Awards trophy – just like their favorite stars.
The Lens was a powerhouse smash hit, delivering a high-impact, shareable experience that spiked awareness and excitement for the show amongst a crucial millennial audience for CMT. Coupled with extremely strong impressions and engagement metrics for the Lens itself, the stunt achieved its mission: the 2017 CMT Music Awards ranked as the #1 Series/Special on Nielsen Social Content Ratings for the night (6/7/17), the #3 Series/Special for the week (6/5-6/11/17), and trended on Twitter Worldwide (3 hours) and in the United States (8 hours) the night of the show.
