Giphy rolls out a new tool targeted at OS X users: with Giphy Capture, owners of Apple computers will be able to GIF content off their desktop in no time.
Upon its launch three years ago, Giphy was merely a search engine that allowed users to keep up with the pop culture's most prominent GIFs. Everything from Jennifer Lawrence's red carpet tripping to the moonwalking of Michael Jackson was available in real-motion short bursts, making it easy for users to share their tastes in pop culture (and humor) with the world.
"We've seen the medium grow exponentially," said Simon Gibson, Giphy's leader of marketing and acquisition.
Gibson notes that the GIF file revolutionized the way in which we communicate.
No longer must one spell out "I feel that I made a mistake" when there are numerous ways to portray the apology in GIF form.
Giphy fares pretty good in the economic sector, too.
In February, the company announced that it recorded a 500 percent year-on-year growth. At a Series C funding, Giphy pulled $55 million in investments at a valuation of roughly $300 million.
Gibson says that his enterprise plans to "own every part of the GIF ecosystem from start to finish," and the latest app seems to back the initiative.
With the release of Giphy Capture for OS X, the company offers a unique desktop tool which makes sure that Mac users can create GIFs from whatever happens on their computer screen.
The Capture works regardless if you're looking at a FaceTime chat, a video of a toddler doing cute toddlery things or a video game sequence that you are terribly proud (or ashamed) of.
Similar with the Giphy Cam, Giphy Capture makes sure you can add stickers and text functions to increase the humor value.
Social media channels of brands big and small can monetize on the capabilities of Giphy Capture by quickly creating new content. Sports leagues come to mind, as framing a football essay or a baseball strike has never been easier.
There are positive precedents on Giphy's cooperation with TV studios, celebrities and companies, as global players realize how important snappy digital presence is. Media events such as the MTV Music Awards and the Academy Awards also teamed up with the company in order to cover their events via GIFs. One particular GIF went viral instantly: we are talking, of course, about the long expected Oscar that was received by Leonardo DiCaprio during the last Oscars.
Giphy took previous steps into giving GIF-crafting capabilities to as many users as possible. In August last year, the firm unveiled Giphy Cam, an app which enabled handset owners to use their own photos and videos in creating GIFs. The deluge of home-made GIFs that flooded social media afterwards stands witness to the app's success.
It is true that, in comparison with pop culture moments that get shared by the millions, user-generated GIFs cater to a smaller audience. Nevertheless, this does not stop the company from wanting to see each average Joe GIF-ify his life.
"We want to offer a toolbox of things to allow people and brands to nimbly, quickly, and easily create GIF content from stuff they already have," Gibson says.
