Tunepics
Iphone application that enables its users to share pictures attached to audio music files.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
$2.0m | Angel | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Tunepics was a social networking service that fused digital photography with music, allowing users to attach a song to their images to better convey a specific mood or moment. Launched in 2014 by Justin Cooke, the platform was conceived from his extensive background in high-end fashion and digital marketing. Cooke's career trajectory, which included roles as marketing chief at Topshop and a vice president at Burberry, provided him with a deep understanding of branding and digital disruption. He leveraged this experience to create a platform that capitalized on two major digital trends: photo sharing and music discovery.
The core of the Tunepics service was its mobile application, which enabled users to upload a photo, apply various filters and editing tools, and then pair it with a track from the iTunes library. A distinctive feature was the 'emotion wheel,' a multi-colored tool that allowed users to tag their posts with one of sixteen emotions, such as 'happy,' 'inspired,' or 'heartbroken.' This generated data on how music and images made people feel, which the company saw as a valuable asset for record labels and artists. The business model included an affiliate component, where users could purchase a song they discovered on the platform directly from iTunes through a 'buy' button.
The company gained significant early traction, particularly in the UK, attracting celebrities like Jamie Oliver, Will.i.am, and Paul Smith, which helped propel its user base to a reported peak of 8 million globally. This early success was marked by several milestones, including being named one of Apple's Best Apps of 2014 and launching one of the first applications for the Apple Watch, which explored concepts like sharing a user's heartbeat. Despite its initial promise and raising $2 million in funding, the app was shut down in 2016. The officially cited reason was that long-term operational costs outstripped the potential for growth.
Keywords: social music photography, photo soundtrack app, Justin Cooke, emotion wheel, digital emotion, music discovery, photo sharing app, Burberry marketing, Topshop marketing, innovate7, social network, iTunes integration, Apple Watch app, celebrity social media, visual music, photo sharing platform, social media with music, UK tech startup, digital media history, defunct social network