Genies

Case Studies.Genies

Background

Genies, the avatar technology company that allows its users to create personalized avatars and use them in different apps such as iMessage, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger, worked with Virgo PR to promote the technology and avatars through a digital PR campaign. The company wanted to raise brand awareness of Genies’ capabilities and get more people from the general public to start making their own digital avatars after introducing the new features.

The company leveraged the connections with celebrities and influencers to promote the brand as well as its 3D motion picture quality digital avatars and its platform.

Virgo PR was tasked to further develop the campaign through additional promotional content that would be shared with relevant media channels. The agency was also responsible for the public relations content strategy, timing, placement, and advertising of the campaign.

Strategy

The team at Virgo PR advised the avatar tech company to have the celebrity users of its platform and avatars also invest in the company itself and then created additional digital public relations content around the investments with the right media outlets, reporters, and journalists.

Additionally, with the help of Virgo PR, the company behind the 3D emojis powered by artificial intelligence also partnered with the Italian fashion giant Gucci, which now provides these digital avatars with exclusive attire, right from the brand’s latest designs.

With Virgo PR, Genies also partnered with Giphy, the online database and search engine that allows its users to search for and share short looping videos so that the users of Genies can share their digitized selves across different platforms.

Virgo PR provided public relations copy to all relevant media outlets for both the partnerships as well as the investments into the avatar technology company, and utilized social media support from celebrities to amplify the promotional campaign and reach the client’s goals.

Result

This campaign led to successful media placements of the digital avatar company on notable and relevant outlets, which raised awareness of Genies’ capabilities in the new age of avatar communication.

With the partnerships and investments from the celebrity clients of the platform, Genies managed to raise nearly $40 million in funding, and also integrated its software development kit, so avatars can also be used on other platforms, games, and other environments that require a 360-degree rendering of the digital goods that users can purchase.

The platform grew to have over two million users and allowed its celebrity users to use their avatars as stand-ins for brand sponsorships, where the celebrity isn’t required to pose for photos.

The users increased their time spent in creating their own 3D avatar – up to 20 minutes – which also adds more engagement time for the platforms where those avatars are used, as well as increased engagement on social media platforms for the celebrity users. Finally, with the company introducing in-app purchases in its platform soon, it’s also going to be able to capitalize on the big market of digital goods.