Snap Appoints First CMO in 2 Years
Snap Inc. has promoted Grace Kao to Chief Marketing Officer, effective immediately. This marks the return of a CMO to the Snapchat parent company after a two-year vacancy following Kenny Mitchell's departure in 2023. Current Chief Creative Officer, Colleen DeCourcy, will transition to an advisory role to facilitate the changeover and plans to depart Snap later this year.
DeCourcy's Legacy and Kao's Background
DeCourcy, formerly of Wieden+Kennedy, joined Snap in 2022. She led significant marketing initiatives, including the "antidote to social media" campaign, which positioned Snapchat as a healthier alternative to other platforms. DeCourcy has acted as the lead marketer since Mitchell's exit and played a key role in establishing Snap's in-house creative team.
Kao joined Snap from Spotify in December 2024, recruited by DeCourcy. Initially serving as Vice President of Consumer and Business Marketing, Kao brings over two decades of experience in the advertising industry. Her resume includes roles at Instagram, Pandora, and Yahoo, as well as agency experience.
Permission granted by Snap Inc.
New Marketing Leadership Ahead of Newfronts
This leadership change comes as Snap prepares for its Newfronts presentation on May 7th. The company will showcase its latest technology, ad formats, and content offerings to advertisers and agencies.
DeCourcy will continue to support key events, including the Newfronts and Cannes Lions. Earlier this month, Snap expanded its agency partner program to collaborate with marketing service providers of all sizes.
Snapchat's Ongoing Differentiation
Snap continues its efforts to differentiate itself from traditional social media platforms. The company emphasizes its focus on personal connections through messaging and camera features like augmented reality (AR). Following the "Less Social Media. More Snapchat" campaign, which included the platform's first Super Bowl ad, Snap aims to solidify its unique position in the market.
Snap's Financial Performance
Snap will report its latest quarterly earnings on April 29th. In Q4 2024, the company exceeded Wall Street expectations with a 14% year-over-year revenue increase to $1.56 billion.
