Dive Brief:

• Startup Snaps has raised $6.5 million in series A funding to further its work of helping brands build custom emojis for mobile messaging. 
• Snaps has helped brands like Victoria's Secret, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Burger King—which has created its very own, very popular Chicken Fries emoji. 
• The startup helps brands build emojis for messaging apps like Kik, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp, as well as build custom apps that create an emoji keyboard for texting—like the one it built for Comedy Central's "Broad City" hat featured characters and phrases from the show. 

Dive Insight: 

Emojis have become such an integral part of digital and mobile communication that it would be foolish for brands to ignore the trend. By creating branded emojis, companies are able to insert their presence into conversations without disrupting the flow of conversation or alienating users with blatant ads.