With new apps like Facebook Poke and Snapchat, mobile users are receiving content time bombs. Mobile users can send their friends photos or videos that self destruct a few seconds after viewing them. This content can never be accessed again. With the popularity of mobile photo sharing, these apps allow mobile users to share content that disappears almost immediately after sending it.

While Facebook Poke and Snapchat are very similar in design and functionality, Snapchat has grown in popularity since Facebook Poke’s launch. According to App Annie, Facebook Poke has steadily declined in its app ranking since its launch in December 2012:

Snapchat remains popular and has stayed in Apple’s list of top 20 free apps:

1. Choose Recipient 2. Choose Message Format: Poke, Text, Video, or Picture

3. Determine Length Recipient Can View Message

4. Users receive notifications that they have a pending Poke

5. User must press and hold their notification to see the content

6. Once time is up or the user releases their finger, content disappears

• Facebook Poke has limitations brands need to consider before implementing the app in a campaign:

•Content can only last up to 10 seconds

•User must press and hold notification to see content

•Once the user stops holding the notification, the content is gone forever

•Content can only be accessed on a mobile device

• Users will not receive Poke notifications on web version of Facebook • Users cannot access Pokes on the mobile Facebook app; they must use the standalone Poke app

• 16 Handles, a frozen-yogurt brand, distributed coupons using Snapchat • Customers sent photos of themselves enjoying 16 Handles yogurt to brand’s Snapchat account • Customers then received a Snapchat message from the company that contained a discount •This discount had to be redeemed in front of the cashier due to Snapchat’s self-destruct function

Although there aren’t any metrics to calculate the success of this campaign, 16 Handles received extensive press coverage because it was one of the first brands to leverage Snapchat for promotional purposes

• Ad agency Grey Israel created a 10-second video to advertise a one-time sale for lingerie company, Delta. Grey Israel faced several challenges with this campaign:

•Could not send video through Delta’s account because Poke messages can only be sent to existing Facebook friends • As a result, video had to be sent through model’s account, which limited the ad’s reach •Facebook Poke videos cannot be saved for multiple uses and can only be sent to 40 users at a time •Grey Israel had to re-shoot the video to reach additional people.

1. Brands should consider marketing objectives before using Facebook Poke. Apps supporting disposable or impermanent content work well for one-time campaigns such as coupon giveaways. Facebook Poke is not suited for large scale distribution of content.

2. Brands can personalize and privatize promotions. Since Facebook Poke content self destructs, users can’t share content with friends. This allows brands to send targeted coupons/promo codes without risk of those coupons being duplicated.

3. Entertainment and corporate clients can integrate Facebook Poke into contests. Viewers can submit pictures of themselves watching a series or using a product as an entry into a contest. These entries would be quick to submit and easy to sort through.