Snapchat’s Phantom House reopens its doors to celebrate spooky season

October 1 marked the unofficial start of “spooky season,” and Snapchat is celebrating alongside some of its biggest stars. The social app has announced the return of Phantom House, a spooky scary series that doubles as a showcase for Snapchat’s augmented reality (AR) Lenses.

Each Phantom House episode is centered around a specific creator, who will lead viewers through a haunted setting by posting sequential Snap Stories. The first installment, featuring Caryn Marjorie, is now available through the official Phantom House hub. Three new episodes will arrive one at a time on Tuesdays, with Snap stars Tue Nguyen, Jake Koehler, and Rachel Levin getting their turns in the proverbial spotlight.

Phantom House is a timely tribute to Halloween frights, but it’s also an example of what original Snapchat content looks like in 2024. The app began producing originals a few years after its 2012 breakout, but in 2022, it slashed funding for those programs amid a round of layoffs.

Several problems plagued the first generation of Snapchat originals. Some shows focused more on celeb culture than relatable experiences, and in general, viewer interest wasn’t high enough to sustain Snapchat’s spending.

But Phantom House, which premiered last year, is different. It takes one of the Snap community’s favorite topics — spooky stuff — and incorporates it into a framework that appeals to viewers. Snap’s Q2 2024 earnings report revealed that Lens usage had risen 12% year-over-year, and Phantom House introduces four new Lenses to accompany its episodes.

The series is also an opportunity for brand engagement on Snapchat. Phantom House sponsors include Maybelline, State Farm, and Hulu. “Maybelline New York believes that makeup should be fun – a playground for everyone – which is why we are thrilled to continue our partnership with Snap for Phantom House Season 2,” said Maybelline SVP of Marketing Jessica Feinstein in a statement. “Halloween is a key moment for discovery in the beauty industry, and Maybelline celebrates all opportunities for people to step out of their comfort zone and express themselves.”

It’s the dawn of a new era for original Snapchat content, and the app is building around the topics it knows best. The Snapchat logo is literally a ghost, and the company is looking for a boo-st this October.