I knew Kylie Jenner was powerful.
But I didn't realise she was a titan of this strength.
In 2018, Snapchat was riding high. Fresh off its IPO, the platform had captured the hearts of 187 million daily users and was valued at a jaw-dropping $24 billion.
It had secured its position as the reigning king of Gen Z social media.
That was, until one fatal rebrand, and a tweet from Kylie Jenner that brought the platform to its knees.
What followed was a cautionary tale for brands everywhere-a story of hubris, misjudgement, and the unrivalled power of the Jenners.
It was February 2018. Snapchat had just rolled out their new redesign, which fundamentally altered how the app worked. The platform decided to split its interface into two distinct halves: friends on the left, publishers on the right.
This was a little more than a tweak. It was a seismic shift, meant to prioritise - yep, you guessed it - ad revenue.
You know how they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it? Well, it's no surprise that the move backfired spectacularly.
For users, the changes were disorienting. Messages felt scattered, memories appeared misplaced, and stories were buried under confusing layers.
The backlash hit like a tidal wave.
A petition to reverse the update garnered more than 800,000 signatures.
App store ratings plummeted to a dismal 1.8 stars.
The hashtag #DeleteSnapchat trended worldwide.
Despite the uproar, Snapchat's CEO, Evan Spiegel, doubled down.
His stance? Users would 'get used to it.'
The breaking point came on a quiet Wednesday night. Kylie Jenner, crowned the unofficial Queen of Gen Z and Snapchat's golden influencer, sent out a seemingly casual tweet:
'Sooo does anyone else not open Snapchat anymore? Or is it just me...ugh this is so sad.'
By the time the markets opened the next day, Snapchat's valuation had dropped by $1.3 billion.
That's right-a single tweet wiped out more than a billion dollars in value. It wasn't about the words themselves. It was about who was saying them.
Because Kylie is no ordinary celebrity. She was the epitome of Snapchat's core user- young, trendy, digitally savvy, an influencer who spoke directly to the platform's audience. Her words felt like a war cry to her 24.5 million followers, and they listened.
Kylie's tweet, amplified by the backlash, revealed an important truth: in today's digital ecosystem, the opinions of influencers and creators hold as much weight as corporate executives or even policy makers.
It also exposed a larger shift in the balance of power:
Consumers now own the narrative. Social media platforms like Snapchat gave users a voice-and they used it to reject the redesign.
Influencers are gatekeepers. Kylie's influence proved that brands can live or die by the favour of a single individual.
Corporate stubbornness can cost billions. Spiegel's refusal to listen to users highlighted the importance of adaptability and humility in leadership.
The debacle offers critical lessons for marketers navigating a landscape increasingly driven by user experience and influencer clout:
Snapchat's redesign alienated its most loyal users by prioritising advertisers. Always consider the needs and preferences of the people who make your platform thrive.
Kylie's tweet turned a complaint into a movement. Partnering with influencers who genuinely align with your brand is essential-but so is ensuring they remain advocates.
Rolling out massive changes without sufficient user testing is a recipe for disaster. Beta-testing with a small segment of users can uncover potential pitfalls before they go public.
Evan Spiegel's dismissive attitude towards user feedback exacerbated the situation. A brand that listens and adapts earns respect-and retains its audience.
