On Sunday, Snapchat notified users in Jamaica that on Monday Jamaica would be a featured location in their messaging mobile application for 24 hours. As part of its regular “Live Stories” feature, the idea is to give the app’s nearly 100 million daily users a look at what the Real Jamaica looks like.
Live Stories are a curated stream of user submitted Snaps from a specific location.
The company has been highlighting different cities/countries from around the world for awhile now to grow its user base.
This means that the Jamaican users of the application had the opportunity to give Snapchat’s users from around the world a glimpse what of life on the island is like with the use of photos and videos for one full day. And then, 24 hours later, they will all disappear.
After the announcement, naturally, a Jamaican wanted to know if the PM was going fix the road if he participated. #Jokes Check his location.
Portia a fix road again fi dis? — jp. (@iiiiamJP) September 13, 2015
Jamaican twitter user ‘unruly pineapple’ urged fellow Jamaicans to expose the PM’s inability.
Expose unuh fi expose Portia tomorrow #JamaicaOnSnapchat — unruly pineapple (@LegalHerbalist) September 13, 2015
Another asked if he was suppose to dress properly for the day. #Jokes
So mi fi wear mi good clothes tomorrow? #JamaicaonSnapchat — Barrington Grant Jr (@barringtonjr) September 13, 2015
Speaking with the La Times in a phone interview, a Kingston-based social media marketer said that people were excited for a chance to show off their country. “Some people think it’s just Bob Marley and the beach,” she said. “But we’re so much more.” More tweets poured in following the announcement:
Zinc fence we wah see @Snapchat #JamaicaOnSnapchat — rebel (@unseen_greatnes) September 13, 2015
The entire Jamaican Snap Chat population should just post “We want justice” and turn our pipes on. #JamaicaOnSnapchat #JamaicaLiveSnap
— Charlie The Unicorn (@Ryanmattis) September 13, 2015
Because:
pic.twitter.com/zgpMkDFFA7 — Nåvron Hénry (@NaviiMusic) September 14, 2015
To see the clips hand-picked by Snapchat, the company which has a valuation of up to $20 Billion, users had to download the app, open it, sign up, swipe left, and click ‘Jamaica’ to see the clips curated by a curation team.
$100 a man seh free Kartel #JamaicaOnSnapchat — Coolie (@FvckingCoolie) September 13, 2015
On Monday:
Jamaica is live on snapchat. #JamaicaOnSnapchat pic.twitter.com/8dUmqa0BjY — K Δ O (@Khaos_Music) September 14, 2015
Jamaica: So where’s the snap story? Snapchat: new phone, who dis? — supreeth (@kingsupreeth) September 14, 2015
The first Jamaican Snap was cool. It showed one of our dancers dancing, naturally.
A 200-second video has been posted on our page: I AM A JAMAICAN
As our fellow Jamaicans watch their native counterparts’ clips, they shared their thoughts on twitter:
Bombaaat Tawna buss global wid himfake accent — #ForeverFlourish (@chantipantzi) September 14, 2015
Only Jamaicans fake their own accent to rass…? — Nåvron Hénry (@NaviiMusic) September 14, 2015
Then came mr. stereotype:
Somebody find his @ and let him know the entire Jamaica hates him pic.twitter.com/fsJO6xJruv — King Jaffy Jayfer (@JayHolness) September 14, 2015
U get mad wen foreigners have certain stereotypes of JA but u get a chance to fix those yet u play/snap right into them #JamaicaOnSnapchat — iB Konteh (@ibsoundsbetter) September 14, 2015
THEM REPLACE HIM ?? go look #JamaicaOnSnapchat https://t.co/sBYWGorEgV — Sebastian Reid (@sbstnrd) September 14, 2015
Lmao the fact that snapchat saw Jamaicans complaining about that guys snap and kicked his video off ???? #JamaicaOnSnapchat — Chanel Campbell (@Chanel_Designz) September 14, 2015
Some tried to get our food highlighted. You who made the cut here
Did I do good, guys? #JamaicaLiveSnap pic.twitter.com/Foxy6XYbBy — Mini Bossness (@MszRockstar) September 14, 2015
After hours and a 120-second compilation by Snapchat’s curation team it was evident that:
Seems as if the person who is supposed to send Jamaica ‘global’ on snapchat is still asleep. #JamaicaOnSnapchat — K Δ O (@Khaos_Music) September 14, 2015
So a fellow yard-man took to twitter to say:
Dear snapchat, if you want some better stories.. Check we back pon a weekend please an thanks! — Kareem Murdock (@MurziFbaby) September 15, 2015
