Snapchat Trolls Instagram With "Reals" Rebrand Prank

Happy April Fools' Day, tech enthusiasts! While we usually expect some wild claims today, Snapchat decided to go for a bit of high-level trolling against its biggest rival. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel took to the screen to "announce" that Snapchat’s Spotlight feed—the app's destination for short-form vertical video—is being rebranded to "Reals."

If that name sounds suspiciously like Instagram Reels, that is exactly the point. In a video featuring Spiegel, the company described "Reals" as a place where "real people share real moments. Really." The emphasis on the word "Real" seems to be a cheeky nod to the platform's long-standing claim that it offers a more authentic social experience than Meta’s platforms. Spiegel added that people feel free to be their full selves on Snapchat, essentially drawing a line between Snap's "real" vibes and the curated aesthetic often associated with Instagram.

This isn't just a random name change for a laugh; it’s a masterclass in corporate shade. For those who might have forgotten their social media history, Instagram famously "borrowed" the Stories format from Snapchat back in 2016. Since then, the two have been in a constant feature war. By naming their feed "Reals," Snap is effectively poking fun at Instagram's "Reels," reminding everyone who the original innovator in the vertical video space actually was.

Spiegel also used the satirical announcement to remind users about the ephemeral nature of Stories. It seems that even in 2026, the rivalry between Snap and Meta remains as spicy as ever. While the "Reals" name likely won't stick past today, the message Snap is sending is crystal clear: they haven't forgotten who copied whom.