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Snapchat has partnered Creative Equals to launch Snap Creative Council, an administrative body that aims to improve diversity and representation across the industry.

Featuring representatives from Isobar, Leo Burnett, and Wunderman Thompson, as well as industry freelancers, the partnership will encourage members to use Snapchat tools to address social issues throughout the UK.

Through the Snap Creative Council, selected creatives will nominate small teams to develop pitches based on either of this year’s two cause-related briefs – mental health and civic duty among Gen Z and millennials.

All submitted campaigns are set to be judged by the UK SCC; the winning work will be professionally produced and launched on Snapchat and supported with media.

Collective groups will also be able to donate $100,000 (£76,000) to a global charity via Snap Creative Council, to be chosen from a shortlist of five charities.

“We believe that ideas that live on the small screen can have a big impact, and for Gen Z and millennials that screen is powered by Snapchat,” Will Scougal, global director of creative strategy at Snap, said.

“The SCC will serve as a powerful forum made up of a diverse and inclusive community from the advertising industry, and is a commitment from Snap to use our reach to drive positive change.”

Research from GroupSolver found that more than half of British Snapchatters believe they have a responsibility to create the change they want to see in the world. 

Among the UK Snap Creative Council are: Lydia Amoah, learning and cross-cultural director, Creative Equals; Simon Gill, chief creative officer, Isobar; Dino Myers-Lamptey, founder, The Barber Shop; Gracie Page, director of emerging technology, VMLY&R; and Shirin Majid, deputy executive creative director, VCCP Kin.

Ali Hanan, chief executive of Creative Equals, said: “'Representation matters. We are proud to partner with Snapchat to bring together a diverse mix of creatives to work on these game-changing briefs. 

“Lydia Amoah, our phenomenal cross-cultural and learning director will bring her wealth of experience as a business coach and independent researcher, with her The Black Pound Report, working alongside three returner teams from our CreativeComeback programme 2019-20.”

Snapchat previously collaborated with Creative Equals in 2017 and 2018. However, the partnership focused on facilitating community and discussion within the creative industry, as opposed to addressing social issues.

Myers-Lamptey said: "The small screen is now dominating our attention, and will only keep growing in importance, and yet too often our advertising ideas are led by big-screen thinking.  

“Creating a memorable difference in a world of so much distraction demands creativity, so I am excited by what can be enabled by focussing diverse creative talent with these healthy constraints." 

The topic of civic duty amongst Gen Z was showcased by Deutsche Telekom last month (12 August) in an ad starring musician Billie Eilish.

August also saw Snapchat launch its first global B2B campaign, “Meet the Snapchat generation”, which chief marketing officer Kenny Mitchell told ��������pk10 did not refer to a specific age group such as millennials or Gen Z.