Snapchat users expecting to see their camera or messages when they open the app say they are getting a full-screen advert instead. The video starts in a dim passage before revealing Robert Downey Jr. wearing Specs, the augmented reality glasses made by Snapchat owner Snap.
The complaints began appearing on Friday 23rd October 2026. Some people initially thought the image was a glitch or that someone had gained access to their phones. Others were frightened or irritated enough to swipe the app away and open it again.
One user described seeing a man in a dark passage when they opened the front camera, with no obvious way to close the image. Another said the screen went black and music started playing before the actor appeared. Several users could not immediately find a close button, although those who stayed with the advert longer reported a small Skip button appearing in the top-right corner. Those accounts suggest the video can be skipped after it starts.
The interruption is especially frustrating when someone opens Snapchat to do something quickly. In another discussion, one person said the advert interrupted them while they were trying to photograph something, and they missed the moment. Others complained about being made to watch a promotion just to read a friend’s message. Some said they were considering deleting Snapchat if adverts like this become regular.
Why Robert Downey Jr. is appearing on Snapchat
The advert is part of Snap’s campaign for Specs, its upcoming augmented reality glasses. Unlike ordinary sunglasses or glasses that mainly take photos, Specs place digital information and images into the wearer’s view of the real world. Wearers control Specs with hand gestures and voice commands.
On 20th October 2026, Snap appointed Downey Jr., best known for playing Iron Man, as its honorary Chief Customer Experience Officer. The promotional role also involves working with the Specs team on experiences for the glasses. Snap has released short videos in which the actor tries using Specs for work, golf, entertainment and art. The campaign was also scheduled for television appearances during the NBA season opener on 20th October and the World Series on 23rd October.
Specs are available for pre-order in the US, UK and France, with shipping expected to begin in autumn 2026. They start at USD 2,195, or about KES 285,000. Kenya is not among the announced pre-order markets.
What this means for ads on Snapchat
Users want to know whether they will have to watch an advert every time they open Snapchat. The app has long had advertisements in Stories, Spotlight and its Chat feed. Its published advertising formats also include Commercials that cannot be skipped for up to six seconds, within curated content. That description does not cover adverts appearing as soon as the app opens.
Several people in the discussions said they received the advert despite paying for Snapchat+. The ordinary subscription does not promise to remove all ads. Snapchat+ Platinum is the tier advertised as removing Story and Lens ads, while Snapchat’s subscription information says it also removes Sponsored Snaps. Neither explanation specifically addresses this app-opening Specs campaign.
Snap’s public campaign announcement does not say how many people will see the opening advert, which markets are receiving it, whether it is a temporary promotion or whether similar placements will be sold to other advertisers. The Reddit complaints describe the experience of some users. They do not establish that everyone is getting the advert.
The complaints echo a familiar frustration with adverts in apps people use mainly to communicate. Earlier this year we covered the arrival of WhatsApp ads in Kenya, where the promotions sit inside Status and Channels. With this Snapchat campaign, users say the interruption comes before they can reach the camera or conversation they opened the app for.
The placement gets Snap’s glasses onto people’s screens before they can use Snapchat, yet some viewers are closing the app before the advert finishes. We think that is a poor introduction to Specs, especially when the advert gets in the way of the photo or message someone opened Snapchat for.
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