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Washington, DC's Official Marketing Office Updates Free Emoji DC App

Update Features 40+ Original DC-Themed Stickers, Emoji and Animated Gifs for Consumers to Share

(Washington, DC) – Destination DC, the official marketing organization for the District of Columbia, preps for the busy spring travel season by expanding its groundbreaking Emoji DC app.

“When we launched Emoji DC in May 2015, we were the first destination in the United States to offer a free emoji app in support of a social marketing campaign,” said Elliott L. Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination DC. “Since then, Emoji DC has been downloaded more than 11,200 times, and users have engaged with it nearly 600,000 times. We’re confident the expanded series will inspire more playful social engagement.”

Some of the new pictograms joining the Emoji DC lineup, which already includes the DC flag and popular memorials and monuments, are the soon-to-open National Museum of African American History and Culture, the DC Circulator bus and the Iwo Jima Memorial. In addition to adjusting the size and designs of emoji, the app now includes enhanced stickers and animated GIFs. Stickers appear as larger emoji paired with a cheeky message, such as a picture of the National Zoo’s adorable new giant panda cub labeled with the words “Hey Bei Bei.” The Racing Presidents from the Washington Nationals, the presidential motorcade and an animated cherry blossom from Destination DC’s springtime video have also been incorporated as animated GIFs. The app was designed in-house.

“This update invites our audience to share images in ways beyond the obvious ‘I want to go here’ and ‘here I am,’” said Robin McClain, vice president of marketing and communications for Destination DC. “Emoji DC is a gift for our consumers who can tap-to-add our DC’s culture into the center of their conversations. The app dovetails with ongoing efforts to streamline user generated content with our in-house expertise whether it’s our Instagram account and throughout the relaunch of Washington.org later this season.”

In February, the @visitwashingtondc Instagram account asked its 25,000 followers for new emoji ideas. More than 200 suggestions were shared in 72 hours, many from locals who recommended landmarks such as the colorful Blind Whino SW Arts Club to “first dog” Fala at the FDR Memorial. Three user generated suggestions were incorporated into the current app. More will likely be used for future refreshes.

The free, downloadable emoji stickers are available on Google Play and the App Store by searching “Emoji DC.” All 47 tap-and-paste images are compatible with standard text messaging and social messaging platforms including Facebook Messenger, What’s App and WeChat. Destination DC worked with Swyft Media to license the platform.

About Destination DC: Destination DC, the lead destination marketing organization for the nation’s capital, is a private, non-profit membership organization of more than 850 businesses committed to marketing the area as a premier global convention, tourism and special events destination with a special emphasis on the arts, cultural and historic communities. Destinationdc.com.

March 10, 2016


Media Contacts

Danielle Davis
Vice President of Communications
Susan O'Keefe
Senior Marketing & Communications Manager, Trade
Nicole Nussbaum
Global Media Manager
Goldy Fogel
Global Media Manager
Kyle Deckelbaum
Domestic Media Relations Manager
Claire Deegan
Communications Coordinator
(202) 789-7059