Hulu has introduced its search engine for GIFs called "The Perfect GIF," making it easier to find animated images from shows.
It's no secret; GIFS are a staple of the Internet and finding your favorite GIF is now a breeze because Hulu, an online video service that offers a selection of TV shows, clips and movies, introduced Monday a new Tumblr tool dubbed "The Perfect GIF."
"The Perfect GIF" is offers neverending TV-related GIFs by tag, show, reaction or action involved.
According to TechCrunch, the objective behind this project is to help seed social media with high-quality GIFs based on Hulu's own licensed and original content, and then later capitalize on the content to market the Hulu brand.
The initial library encompasses more than 1,400 clips from shows across top networks, such as Bravo, Showtime, MTV and NBC. In addition, fan favorite classic series like "The X-Files" and "Cheers" are included too and users can search them by custom tags, character's actions, reactions or titles.
Hulu GIFs are branded with the hashtag #Hulu along with the name of the show and its network's logo. The GIF content can reportedly be shared on Tumblr, Twitter, Pinterest or via email, IBNLive noted.
One major problem a meme creator may find with The Perfect GIF is that it doesn't allow them to create their own. This is a huge difference between a GIF from Hulu and one created on another site. Hulu says its GIFs can be easily browsed and shared on a mobile device.
However, the GIFs can neither be combined for revenue in a mashup à la BuzzFeed nor can be used as desktop wallpaper, according to Hulu's strict terms of service.
Basically, The Perfect GIF is reportedly a promotional vehicle for Hulu and its content partners. However, it still won't be a surprise to see these GIFs making their way through Tumblr fandoms in the near future. If Hulu plans to be a part of the TV GIF phenomenon, it will have to keep its library updated with new GIFs from Hulu shows on a regular basis.
The Perfect GIF will also serve to complement other GIF resources, like Giphy, besides other easy GIF-making tools like those from Imgur and YouTube. In order to keep its feed fresh, Hulu will add new GIFs to the site within "days or weeks" after new episodes of TV shows air.
