Facebook launches an advertising push for Instagram in France

Facebook's first campaign to promote Instagram will take place in France. There will be out-of-home posters, displays, as well as cinema and digital ads, with video and images popping up around France. Facebook's investment in the campaign is said to be 'significant' and comes at a time of growing competition from Snapchat which is overtaking Twitter and Facebook in terms of active daily users and video views. The announcement also preludes the Euro 2016 football tournament getting underway in France on Friday. Fans will be able to light up the Eiffel Tower using Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, via sponsor Orange.

Facebook has selected France as the base for its first ever campaign to promote sister company Instagram.

The push will see OOH posters and displays pop up around France to promote the image-sharing app, as well as cinema and digital ads.

"Images and videos from everyday French instagrammers" will sit at the heart of the campaign according a spokesperson from the social network, who confirmed the news to the Verge.

Head of Facebook France, Laurent Solly, told French newspaper Les Echos: "​We are still growing, but it is mostly a way to celebrate our Instagram community, [which is] very active in France."

While the Facebook-owned firm would not reveal how much it's invested in the campaign, Solly told Les Echos that it was "significant."

Instagram will be hoping that the push will help it stave off growing competition from younger social networks like Snapchat, which is gaining popularity among younger subscribers and continuing to outpace social giants like Twitter and Facebook in terms of daily active users, and video views.

The announcement also comes as France makes the final preparations to host the Uefa Euro 2016 tournament, which kicks off on Friday. The competition looks to be the most socially-driven one yet with sponsor Orange giving supporters the chance to light up the Eiffel tower through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter engagement.