*By Conor White* Giphy, the internet's largest search engine for gifs, is turning its attention to advertising ー and it has a simple strategy. "We need to make ads that don't suck," said Adam Leibsohn, the company's COO. "We always say, you should entertain, not advertise." Giphy has worked on six- and seven-figure deals with major brands like [Absolut Vodka](https://giphy.com/absolutvodka) and [Dunkin' Donuts](https://giphy.com/dunkindonuts), as well as a campaign for the film ["Sorry to Bother You"](https://giphy.com/sorry2botheryou). Leibsohn said Monday in an interview on Cheddar the advertising angle is a natural approach for Giphy. "Paid search is our revenue model," he said. "So, you can basically place content in relevant searches, so that your content comes back as the first result, and then people use it a lot more." With 300 million daily active users who serve up 5 billion gifs, Leibsohn said, the platform is looking to turn a profit for the first time in its five-year history. "People really love to use \[gifs\], in messaging, in communication, in social," Leibsohn said. "What we've been starting to do is work with brands to help them get involved in those conversations." Though the company isn't openly discussing its revenue goals, Leibsohn said he expects significant growth, thanks to the new partnerships ー and he doesn't expect the public to get sick of the medium any time soon. "It's not really fatigue because every day a different piece of culture, a different piece of content is what's driving the conversation, so as long as culture remains moving, gifs remain popular." For full interview, [click here] (https://cms.cheddar.com/videos/VmlkZW8tMjE5OTQ=).

Share:
More In Technology
Rise of the Robots? More Companies Turn to Automation Amid Labor Shortage
Amid an ongoing labor shortage, more companies are turning to automation for processes like shipping and delivery in order to relieve supply chain pressures. But what does this mean for the wider labor market - will those jobs return? How will workers fare once supply chain issues ease? Sam Lurye, CEO and Founder of automation startup Kargo, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss the pros and cons of automation, how workers can adapt alongside new technology, and how the pandemic led to the perfect storm for the rise of automation.
AI Chipmaker Hailo Raises $136 Million
AI chipmaker Hailo raised $136 million in its latest funds round, representing one of the largest investments ever in the AI chip space. It comes amid the ongoing global chip shortage, and a surge in demand for the company's technology, which is used to power smart cities, cars and homes, and the next generation of retail. Hailo co-founder and CEO Orr Danon joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Examining the State of the Ride-Share Industry After Earnings From Uber and Lyft
The two biggest names in the ride-sharing industry reported earnings this week. Uber and Lyft both beat Wall Street expectations on their top and bottom lines, as the companies and the ride-sharing industry have recently faced several challenges like the pandemic, the supply chain crisis, and driver shortages. Johnson Research Group CEO Chris Johnson joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Mythical Games Raises $150 Million to Launch Playable NFT Game Platform
Gaming technology studio Mythical Games recently raised $150 million in a round led by Andreesen Horowitz, bringing Mythical's valuation to above unicorn status at $1.2 billion. Mythical Games' mission is to create a new generation of gaming with play-to-earn games that allow players to play to win actual cryptocurrency. Now the company is taking it to another level with NFT technology, allowing players to play with characters they can truly own. Mythical Games CEO John Linden joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Musk Asks Twitter Followers if He Should Sell Stock, Shares Slump
Tesla CEO Elon Musk posed a question to his Twitter followers over the weekend: 'Should I sell 10% of my Tesla shares in order to pay off a looming $15 billion tax bill?' Shares plummeted after he posed the question, and just over half of 3.5 million Twitter voters said Musk should sell a fraction of his shares. Dan Ives, Managing Director of Equity Research at Wedbush Securities, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss whether or not Musk's Twitter poll was significant amid his looming tax bill, and how investors are feeling after yet another controversial tweet from the Tesla chief.
Load More