Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul was one of the first 2016 presidential contenders to embrace Snapchat, and now he’s becoming one of the first to advertise on the platform.
Paul’s campaign is placing three ads on the social network this weekend as part of a broader digital campaign soliciting ideas for how the libertarian lawmaker can destroy the tax code. The 10-second video spots are cut from a longer video released earlier this week featuring Paul fire, using fire, a woodchipper and a chainsaw to tear up piles of papers, all set to an electric guitar rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner.”
The ad campaign is the latest effort by Paul to revive a campaign that is in danger of falling behind amid a softening of his support in the polls and lackluster fundraising for the campaign and super PAC.
The ads are targeted at all users in the four early voting states, Iowa, Nevada, South Carolina and New Hampshire, and his campaign hopes they will appeal to the platform’s younger-skewing demographic.
Last week, Snapchat featured two ads for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and one for Ohio Gov. John Kasich in a politically-themed “live story” for users on the platform from the four early states. Paul’s ads are aimed at all users from those states, not just those viewing the “live story,” including those using Snapchat’s “discover” feature.
“Many younger ‘off-the-grid’ voters aren’t consuming traditional news outlets and are increasingly using platforms like snapchat as their source of information,” said Vincent Harris, Paul’s digital strategist. “Senator Paul’s campaign plans to continue to run ads and connect with voters in this way.”
Harris would not reveal the dollar-amount behind the buy, adding, “The campaign will continue to spend more after we see the ROI. This is new and exciting territory.”
Watch the ads below.