This past week, the new Peach app has taken the tech world by storm. So, what is the Peach app all about, why is it getting so much buzz, and more importantly, what does its future look like for marketers?
One reason it gained traction so quickly is that it was started by Vine founder Dom Hofmann, which instantly gives it credibility and intrigue that other new social media platforms may not be so lucky to come out of the gate with.
The Peach app takes what may be the “best” elements of many popular social platforms and combines them into one self-contained social networking app. What’s Peach like? It requires you to have someone’s username to add him or her and to view his or her feed (and vice versa) a la Snapchat. The app also takes the idea of a plain old newsfeed, like Facebook or Twitter, and spices it up with unique features of its own such as gifs, sketches, maps, and fitness results by using what they call Magic Words.
Magic Words are what gives the Peach app the opportunity to really survive and become a longtime contender in the social space. This element could differentiate Peach from the other social apps that started out hot and fizzled out quickly like Ello or Meerkat.
‘Magic Words’ are what gives the Peach app the opportunity to really survive and become a longtime contender in the social space.
What are Magic Words? Magic Words are basically quick tags that result in a special feature appearing. You type in a Magic Word such as ‘draw’, and within the app, a sketchpad temporarily replaces your keyboard and you can doodle a fun drawing and send it to your friends. That is just one example of how Magic Words work. Check out this list of other Magic Words.
So, can Peach sustain and establish itself in the upper echelon of social media relevancy? I think there are a few ways this could go:
1. Peach app somewhat fizzles out after all the hype has died down.
2. Peach app becomes a niche social media app that has a small-dedicated user base and it stays in that arena.
3. Peach app continues to gain traction and becomes socially relevant. Companies jump on the idea of having custom Magic Words of their own that are promotional and brand specific. Just imagine the possibilities. What if Pizza Hut got the rights to the magic word “Pizza” and while inside Peach you could simply order a pizza by typing in that one word. This, my friends, could open up a whole new digital realm of opportunity for brands to capitalize on and secure the Peach app as a major player in the social space. If that happens, it would only be a matter of time until Peach is bought out so that another major player (hint, hint Facebook) could use the idea of Magic Words within their own platform.
Who knows what is in store for the Peach app, but it has some really strong potential with its Magic Words. Do you think they will build on that and become a major player?
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Rob Wolford is an award-winning art director and designer.
We are a Dallas advertising agency with expertise in digital advertising.
