Remember JibJab? For several years they entertained the Interwebs with biting political satires such as its Bush-Kerry election take on “This Land Is Your Land” (see below). Well, they stopped making those videos a few years back. They seem to be trying to reinvent themselves for social sharing platforms to keep themselves relevant. It’s odd, considering how much rich and mockable news there is these days in the political realm.
Be that as it may, JibJab has just announced an app—JibJab Camera for iOS—which turns your selfies into silly videos and personalized stickers. You start by snapping a selfie, then you choose to insert your face into an ever-changing collection of animated GIFs and still images. Kinda like Snapchat and Instagram Stories. OK, a lot like Snapchat and Instagram Stories. The images can be shared to the usual image-sharing suspects such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram. Is this enough to make JibJab relevant to teens and millennials?
Starring You GIFs—here shown in screen grab stills featuring a JibJab-doctored selfie of the author.
The new JibJab app includes:
- “Starring You” Stickers: Create JibJab-style characters using photos of yourself and your friends
- Cartoon Avatar versions of your selfie that can then be animated
- Phrases & More: Create an animated phrase using characters and props.
The app is being launched in conjunction with a promotional campaign for NFL football. So, you can expect a lot of football-related choices on the app initially. Options will change seasonally or reflect recent events, so users will be tempted to open the app often and see what’s new.
To refresh your memory, here’s the first JibJab video to break the Internet, from way back at the beginning of the millennium:
Which do you prefer—bringing back JibJab political parody videos, or yet another app?
