Carrying the weight of expectation attached to securing $11.9 million funding in its first few months of operation, MessageMe has switched on the ability to send and receive stickers — an increasingly popular medium which has sparked a multi-million dollar gold rush for messaging app developers.
MessageMe switched on the functionality overnight in the iOS App Store, allowing users to send detailed cartoons when they chat with their friends, in addition to the ability to seamlessly send rich media such as photos, music, and doodles.
The start-up, which was co-founded by LOLapps founder Arun Sethi in March, and within months raised $11.9 million from a series of high-profile investors, is the latest messaging app to jump on the sticker bandwagon.
Japan’s Line booked $27.4 million in sticker sales in Q2 results announced today, almost double the previous quarter; and it sold almost as much in sponsored sticker packs. And in the first 24 hours after its sticker launch, Path made more money than it had in its entire lifetime as a company. Meanwhile, Facebook — who blocked MessageMe days after launch because it too closely resembled its own Messenger App — launched branded stickers in late June. The social networking giant doesn’t charge for stickers, and recently offered a Despicable Me image pack to coincide with the film’s release.
The new sticker pack comes installed with Dex the Corgi, an amber canine demonstrating in 32 poses including boxing, yoga, and even spinning plates will balancing on a ball.
