[Update, 8/21/15: The Baltimore in a Box emoji app has officially been launched on the App Store. To download, click here.]
If you thought the Ravens emojis were cool, wait until you see what Baltimore in a Box has in store.
The local company, which ships its signature packages of emblematic Charm City items across the globe, is taking the concept a step further with a new downloadable keyboard that features a variety of hometown-themed emojis.
“I saw the Ravens app and I thought, ‘Wow this is a great execution of what they were trying to do, but there are so many other things that they could have added,’” says Baltimore in a Box owner Ross Nochumowitz, who contracted a designer from Puerto Rico that he uses frequently to create the tiny images. “We do a lot of cartoonish designs with our brand so [our designer] is really familiar with drawing things unique about our city. I gave him a list and he really hit the nail on the head.”
From a container of Old Bay and Mr. Boh to a hon with a pink beehive and a rat bumper sticker, the keyboard will highlight upwards of 60 emojis that represent the spirit of the city.
To make the deal even sweeter, the app will be free to download once it launches.
“Originally I thought about charging 99 cents, but there are a lot of different brands that are being used and I really want to use it to promote local businesses,” Nochumowitz says. “I want to keep accepting new suggestions. The best way to develop something is to get constant feedback and I’ll do everything it takes to make it usable.”
Pending approval from the App Store, the collection is slated to debut next week and, in keeping with Baltimore in a Box’s mission, Nochumowitz says he’s excited for the icons to make their way into text messages and emails around the globe.
“There are so many people out there with so much passion for this city,” he says. “Anyone who wants to send iconic things from Baltimore can do so via our website, and the emoji app is no different.”