Snap will air an Oscars spot showing users how to fingerspell through new Snapchat Lenses, in honor of the hard-of-hearing and deaf community.
The lenses were developed by Snap’s internal “Deafengers” group, which is made up of the company’s deaf and hard-of-hearing employees. It was done in partnership with SignAll, a tech company that uses machine learning and algorithms to translate sign language. The lenses use hand-tracking to teach users how to fingerspell.
Snap will run 15-second and 30-second spots during the Oscars, with the shorter spot running on digital and social channels during the ceremony. The creative was conceived and produced by Snap's internal creative team. The spots were shot and directed by filmmakers Daniel Mercadante and Katina Mercadante (who can communicate using ASL) from production company Park Pictures.
Disney, which will broadcast the ceremony on ABC, recently announced that it has sold all 60 of the commercial slots for the Oscars. Other brands airing spots include Crypto.com, Rolex, Best Buy, Geico, Google, Discovery+, Disney+, Kellogg, Meta, State Farm, Subway and Lionsgate.
Snapchat's first national spot in four years is a nod to the increase in deaf representation at this year's awards. The film “CODA” (which stands for “child of deaf adults”) was nominated for Best Picture and is the first movie starring a predominantly deaf cast in leading roles. One of the film’s actors, Troy Kotsur, is the first deaf male actor to be nominated for Best Supporting Actor. The film “Audible,” which follows a senior football player at the Maryland School for the Deaf, is nominated for Best Documentary (Short Subject).
The nominations of “CODA,” Kostur, and “Audible” are a win for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. There have been other representative moments with films like “The Sound of Metal,” which is about a heavy-metal drummer who loses his hearing; Marvel’s “Eternals,” with deaf actress Lauren Ridloff; and John Krasinski’s “A Quiet Place,” which starred deaf child-actress Millicent Simmonds.
The Oscars have struggled with maintaining audiences in past years. Viewership for the 2021 Oscars broadcast dipped 56% from the previous year, according to Nielsen data. The last three shows didn’t have a host. A few years ago, the Oscars were called out for its lack of diversity in nominations, sparking the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite. The industry was also impacted by the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements against sexual misconduct. This year, the Academy is hoping to boost engagement with Twitter, and has not one, but three hosts, in Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall.
The Academy Awards will air on March 27 at 8 p.m. ET.
