Professional basketball team Atlanta Hawks have released two mobile applications, including an emoji keyboard, in an attempt to drive greater brand awareness and a deeper connection with fans, hoping emojis will embody a jersey-like badge of honor from true fans. 

The National Basketball Association team aspires to create an all-around hub for fans to access on their mobile phones, along with spreading awareness through mobile messaging with the emoji app, social media promotion and original team app. The Atlanta Hawks app is also available on the Apple Watch, and creates an omnichannel experience for fans.  

"It is less important that brands have emoji keyboards than it is important for brands to understand the shift from social to messaging as the place where consumers spend time, share information and content and ultimately make decisions," said Christian Brucculeri, CEO of Snaps, the developer behind the keyboard. "The volume of conversation, well over 50bn messages are sent per day, means consumers are communicating in places where brands have an opportunity to join, and perhaps influence, these conversations.

"Emoji is representative of a trend towards visual communication in that medium and so branded emoji have become the first entry point," he said. "They represent a way to be additive to a conversation, versus disruptive, which is the norm in advertising."

"If there is one thing that brings us all together, it is sports, we love our teams and we love to rep them wherever we go. This tool is a perfect extension for fans, we moved from the jersey to the emoji as the badge of a true fan."

Mobile messaging and mobile apps are where consumers are spending the most amount of time, and the basketball team wants to have that anytime, anywhere access to these fans without being overly intrusive. The emojis and apps allow for that balance where consumers can access the content whenever they are seeking it. 

Promotion through fans
The Atlanta Hawks mobile app has a wide array of features for users to take advantage of, making the draw to download and engage much larger. It is ideal for the extreme Atlanta Hawks fan, who will use both apps to spread brand awareness through other channels. 

However, for the fair-weather fan, a download is unlikely, due to the specific content that only relates to the Atlanta Hawks. Consumers would rather have an app that encompasses all sports team and information, rather than many apps for many different teams. 

Despite this, the emoji keyboard app and features of the mobile app encourages promotion of the team through various platforms, which means these apps can still make an impact without usage from more than the radical fan. 

The Atlanta Hawks' emoji keyboard allows for users to easily send branded stamps to others

Social media pages are linked on the Hawks app, featuring a feed of the team?s accounts from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, along with a share button that includes the hashtag #Hawks posted to the user?s Twitter account. Highlights of recent games, an interactive calendar for the team?s schedule, statistics, the team roster with player data, ticket purchasing, merchandise shopping and local information around the stadium are several of the features available in the smartphone app. 

?The most intimate way to connect with people today is through their mobile device," said Steve Koonin, CEO of The Atlanta Hawks. "To truly be connected with your fans, you have to be able to reach them where they spend the majority of their time. 

"People are busy and immediacy for information and entertainment is important," he said. "An app is the quickest way to provide that experience to them.

?A key factor for us in the mobile space is to be innovative and to provide something for our fans that allows them to show their passion for the team in fun and engaging ways. By constantly providing new and fresh content on the keyboard, there is always a reason to check back to see what is new, and that attachment is a huge part of what we hope to accomplish.?

Mobile consciousness 
Emoji keyboards are a growing tool for brands to increase awareness and utilize consumers? interests for marketing purposes. 

Recently, Logo reality contest show RuPaul?s Drag Race and footwear retailer Foot Locker joined in on the emoji keyboard applications mobile marketing trend, in an effort to connect further with fans (see more).

It is imperative for brands to pay attention to the Apple Watch as well. Although the area is somewhat unknown right now due to its recent release, numerous brands similar to The Atlanta Hawks have forayed into apps for the smart watch as well. 

New England Patriots fans can receive real-time updates about the latest moves and deals from the National Football League player draft without having to constantly check their smartphones via the Patriots? Apple Watch app, spotlighting Apple?s closely watched wearable during one of the year?s biggest sporting events (see more). 

All these marketing platforms are tools to build higher engagement and greater brand promotion. 

?For most brands, the first goal is engagement, word of mouth marketing, brand lift and awareness,? Mr. Brucculeri said. ?We are building tools that will take emoji to the next level, and enable CRM, commerce and deeper relationships with customers.?

Final take
Brielle Jaekel is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer and Mobile Commerce Daily