Disney/ABC Television Group (DATG) and Snap, Inc. have partnered to produce original content for the Snapchat social network—starting with the popular dating-show franchise The Bachelor.
Debuting the morning of Jan. 3, Snapchat's Watch Party: The Bachelor will complement the ABC series by gathering celebrities, comedians, fans, and contestants each week to watch what host Chris Harrison called "the most dramatic season of The Bachelor ever."
Meant to mirror devotees' home viewing parties, the social media show features a rotating group of enthusiasts on a couch—chatting, snacking, joking, reacting—intercut with clips from the week's episode.
Ten original installments, plus one Live Story, will air the Tuesday morning after each Bachelor episode, and stay live for 24 hours on the app.
"We look forward to working together with Snapchat to not only reach Bachelor fans in an entirely new way, but to also provide our advertising partners with even more opportunities," John Frelinghuysen, executive VP of DATG digital media, strategy, and business development, said in a statement.
As part of the deal, Disney will develop and sell advertising packages incorporating Snapchat's full-screen video Snap Ads.
"Disney/ABC have rewritten the rules for how to develop daring, fun and adventurous series for TV," Snap's VP of content, Nick Bell, said. "They will be a vital partner as we continue to expand our lineup of Shows on Discover and we're excited to kick off 2017 by bringing one of their most beloved brands to Snapchat."
Keep an eye out for more DATG content rolling out on Snapchat, which is adding a slew of original, scripted, and unscripted programs to its Discover platform.
Aside from character- or format-driven single-narrative shows such as Watch Party: The Bachelor, Discover also features Editions—selections of editorial content produced by third parties—and Live Stories—a collection of Snaps submitted by users in specific locations, and curated by Snapchat.