I Almost Like Cartoon-Me Better Than I Like Me-Me [RHMS]
- Joanne Sally Mero
- Sep 28, 2017
- 2 min read
When I was younger, I would watch the TV show Lizzie McGuire with my sisters. Every so often throughout the show, a little cartoon version of Lizzie would jump into frame to narrate, do a funny bit, or emphasize an internal feeling. My sisters and I would always talk about how cool it would be to have a little cartoon versions of ourselves.
THE TIME IS NOW.
I have to really thank Bitmoji for making one of childhood wishes come true. The web app Bitstrips has been around for nearly a decade now, but recently gained more attention. In this app, you were able to create avatar of yourself and create personal comic strips. It was originally marketed towards education as a way to have fun and interactive comics without needing any artistic skills. Eventually, Bitstrips became a popular app on FaceBook. In 2014, the company released more of a cartoon sticker version called Bitmoji, which had a more successful appeal. Bitmoji gained popularity quickly as users were able to send these stickers through text messages. In July of 2016, Snapchat acquired Bitmoji and began implementing a whole Bitmoji Keyboard into the mobile Snapchat app. Today, almost everyone on my Snapchat friends list has cute little cartoon versions of themselves.
Emoticons have come a long way. From using different symbols and characters, to emojis, and now to Bitmojis. They don't replace face-to-face communication by any means, but they get pretty darn close. While I'm here in Oregon for college, a whole ocean away from my family in Hawai'i, my sister can
send me this when I'm not answering
her calls or texts.
Just as emojis are more enjoyable when both users participate, Bitmoji conversations can easily carry on without using a single word. With a variety of situations, emotions, phrases, and avatar personalization, Bitmoji creates a unique and fun intimacy in the media.
The appeal is being able to send these stickers to each other in a way that is more personal than an emoji and more entertaining than a selfie. And to be completely honest, Bitmojis are just so darn cute. It doesn't beat the real thing, but when my boyfriend sends me this from 2,565 miles away, it makes the distance just a little easier.
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