Universal Studio?s Minions film released an emoji keyboard prior to its box office opening, adeptly leveraging the lovable qualities of the film?s characters to support the franchise and let users have fun with the brand.

The animated prequel to the Despicable Me films has generated a fan frenzy, especially surrounding the main characters, likely due to the adorableness of the creatures, their comedic antics and amusing Minion language. The keyboard app comes equipped with a various range of content for users to share with friends across numerous platforms such as WeChat, Kik and Tango 

"Emoji keyboards and branded sticker campaigns across the Swyft Partner Network allow marketers and advertisers to connect with teenager and millennials in the places where they spend the most time, within messaging apps," said Evan Wray, co-founder, general manager and vice president at Swyft Media, the developer behind the Minions keyboard application. "On top of that, there is the added value of creating a marketing campaign that is centered around social sharing. 

"With every new user that downloads the Minions emoji keyboard, comes a new network of friends and family members to whom this user can share the Minions emoji," he said. "It is almost as if the advertiser is creating their own little army of minions who are promoting their message.

"The marketing ripple effect is huge. Who doesn't love the Minions, working with a hugely recognizable brand such as Minions definitely is an aspect that lends itself to a successful campaign."