Following a major agreement between Unis and the Emoji Company in April, Ian Eason has announced plans to create a new emojiPlanet shop and showroom in the UK, which could soon become “the future of our advertising and exhibiting.”
Ian Eason has teased plans for the UK’s first new emojiPlanet shop and showroom concept that will allow UK customers to experience the latest Unis machines, following a landmark deal with the Emoji Company.
Though Eason is yet to disclose the location of the site, plans are afoot to convert what is a former seaside arcade into the new hybrid venue, which could become “the future of our advertising and exhibiting.”
“We are basically going to emojify it,” said Eason. “We are buying the premises, refurbishing it, and filling it mainly with emoji machines, but also some other Unis stuff. We are doing this to see the strength of the emoji concept, but also to be able to use the arcade as a live working showroom and also a good test site for new machines.”
“We think a live working showroom that’s open to the public to pay and play will attract a lot of attention from our customers, and being able to see the machines in their actual working environment we think is much better than seeing them at a trade show. This may be the future of our advertising and exhibiting.”
The move comes after Unis signed an exclusive partnership with The Emoji Company in April, with the latter’s CEO and founder Marco Huesges telling the press “we are excited to create physical spaces where families can engage with the emoji brand in an interactive and fun-filled environment.”
Emojis continue to prove themselves a cultural juggernaut, thanks in part to their ability to bridge language barriers, and the phenomenon shows no signs of slowing down.
Just two months ago, YouTube channel Plush Time Wins – which counts 1.84 million followers – scored more than 54,000 views for its video sneak peak of one of the world’s first emojiPlanet locations.
Commenting on the UK project, Eason said “it’s a very exciting development. We also have accounts from the previous owners relating to their income over the past few years so we can get an idea straight away as to the difference it will make.”
