Just peachy: why GIFs are the latest craze on social media apps

From Tinder to a new messaging app — it’s all about GIF giving, says Rachael Sigee
Peach is a messaging app created by the founder of Vine, Dom Hofmann
Rachael Sigee4 February 2016

If you still think that the best way to express girl power is with the ‘X Factor arms’ emoji, you’re behind the times. The new way to do it is a GIF of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler high-fiving.

GIFs (animated images that play like mini soundless video clips) are the only way to communicate: fast, multi-layered and saying so much in jut a few seconds.

And if anyone knows the power of a moving image then it is Vine founder Dom Hoffman whose latest venture — a messaging app called Peach — capitalises on the popularity of GIFs.

The main gimmick of the fledgling service is that “magic” word shortcuts within the app minimise the typing you need to do. For example, typing “shout” posts your words in big letters on a bright background. Key if you want your “WTF” have a lot more impact.

But the feature that has got social network addicts buzzing is “GIF” — one tap and you have access to thousands of mini-clips that condense your bundle of emotions into one perfect Beyoncé hair flick.

It’s the ideal solution to the puzzle of successfully articulating your feelings online.

After all, no text message can express sheer joy quite like a baby panda rolling in the snow, and you can deliver maximum snark with a GIF of Leonardo DiCaprio face-pulling behind Lady Gaga at the Golden Globes.

Tinder is getting in on the action too. The dating app’s most recent upgrade includes a link-up with Giphy, which means a library of millions of ice-breaking GIFs is just a tap away. If a picture paints a thousand words then you can learn a lot about a person from their choice of GIF, instantly getting a handle on their cultural reference points and sense of humour.

And it’s all very well typing “back off sleazy creep” when a match propositions you with a graphic fantasy before even bothering to say hi but doesn’t Nicki Minaj rolling her eyes say it better?

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At the moment being on your GIF game demands quite some dedication: a vast catalogue of pop culture references and a lot of time to trawl Tumblr, but one-touch is the way forward.

Currently Peach is only available on iOS but there is an Android version being developed. And given that WhatsApp still autocorrects “GIFs” to “gigs”, Peach should probably be praised for giving the people what they want and popularising a new language.

And that is the language of Jennifer Lawrence gurning and kittens falling asleep.

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