HBO Max and Snapchat Partner for Co-Viewing
Beginning to roll out today, Snapchatters in the U.S. can watch select episodes of award-winning HBO Max programming virtually alongside their friends for free through Snap Minis, Snap’s platform for shared experiences on Snapchat, including the first episode of the hit new Max Original, “Gossip Girl.” HBO Max is the first major streamer to build a Mini to bring full-length episodes to Snapchat, building on its history of innovation to reach new audiences and engage with fans. The HBO Max Mini launches instantly in Snapchat with no installation required, offers age-appropriate episodes based on the user's age, and is available on iOS and Android. Snapchatters will be able to access watch groups that are viewing episodes with an age-appropriate rating.
Through Snapchat’s HBO Max Snap Mini, Snapchatters can watch a selection of content from the beloved HBO Max catalog through shared playback, while chatting and sharing Bitmoji reactions. This partnership provides an additional avenue for people to congregate around and forge meaningful relationships with culture-defining shows.
“People love to come together to watch their favorite HBO Max shows and talk about what’s unfolding. Our partnership with Snapchat is another step towards fulfilling that desire for human connection and providing our fans with co-viewing opportunities, while deepening their emotional relationship with the brand,” said Sarah Lyons, EVP, DTC Global Product Management, HBO Max. “We believe humans value recommendations that come from other humans, so having the opportunity for friends to suggest, and then subsequently watch content together paves the way for more meaningful discovery.”
Upon entering the HBO Max Mini experience through the rocket icon within Chat, or through Search, Snapchatters, will be required to enter their birthdate to access a curated collection of free, age-appropriate pilot episodes. Viewers can then invite up to 63 other Snapchatters by sending an in-chat message with a link to join the Mini, or by sending a clickable sticker link with the image of the show via Snap's camera. Once Snapchatters are in the Mini with their group, they can watch an episode through synchronized playback together, chat and share Bitmoji reactions throughout the show. Following each episode, users, 18 years and older, will be presented with the option to go to HBO Max to subscribe, continue watching the series and explore the entire catalog.
Available titles will be refreshed on an ongoing basis. At launch, pilot episodes (Season 1, Episode 1) available on the HBO Max Mini include*:
“We’re excited to partner with HBO Max to offer our community an innovative co-viewing experience inside of Snapchat,” said Alston Cheek, Director of Platform Partnerships at Snap, Inc. “Snap Minis offer an exciting new way for HBO Max to create social experiences for fans of its programming, complementing our incredible Snap Originals and partnered content available on Discover. The Mini is easy to use, and instantly brings friends together to watch their favorite titles and discover new shows for free.”
HBO Max is a new streaming platform that offers consumers best-in-class and iconic programming for each member of the household. From breakout HBO Original hits like “Mare of Easttown,” “Lovecraft Country,” and “The Undoing,” favorite Max Originals including “The Flight Attendant” and “Hacks,” unique unscripted series, documentaries and specials like “Friends: The Reunion,” new and iconic kids franchises like Sesame Street, to DC movies, popular adult animated series, and legendary animated films from Studio Ghibli, the deep and diverse catalog offers something for everyone. HBO Max makes discovering content seamless, providing an experience tailored to each individual user and serving up content that resonates most through the combination of bespoke editorial curations and custom recommendations.
[Editor's Note: This is a lightly edited press release.]