Kamala Harris, in bid to reach millennials, debuts bitmoji-inspired ad

First Loretta Sanchez dabbed – a late debate surprise dreamed up by a 9-year-old dancer.

Now, her U.S. Senate rival Kamala Harris is appropriating some popular culture in her first digital ad, a bitmoji-inspired animation debuting Monday.

Harris, in the ad running on digital platforms and social media, appears as “Kamoji,” part of her campaign’s effort to reach students and millennials.

The animated ad incorporates Harris’ pledge to pursue free college and university tuition for families that earn less than $140,000 a year, as well as her efforts as state attorney general to crack down on predatory for-profit education companies, most notably Corinthian Colleges.

Harris’ campaign said the animated video is the first bitmoji-inspired political ad (it’s without a doubt the first to affix “oji” to a candidate’s name).

Harris also is expected to run statewide TV ads, while it’s unclear if Sanchez will go on air in the final four weeks of the all-Democratic runoff to succeed U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer.

Bitmoji is an app that lets users customize expressive cartoons of themselves in various settings to share with their friends. Harris’ bitmoji, which a spokesman confirmed is named Kamoji, smiles widely and in every setting appears wearing a dark business suit and a string of pearls.

This story was originally published October 10, 2016 at 3:00 AM.