Happy World Emoji Day!
Yep, you read that right. Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock today, you’re already aware of today’s “Holiday” – a day to celebrate the tiny cartoon images on our devices that most of us use every day! Emojis have been in our lives for a long time. Beginning as components of chatroom conversations in the 90’s as emoticons, emoji’s have reshaped the way we communicate in 2018.
Yes, they are cute and fun and kind of addictive, but they also improve our capacity to make our intended meaning known. -Psychology Today
Whether or not you’re a fan of these little digital icons, there’s no denying that more and more successful brands are jumping on board with the trend. And the brands that are doing it right present their emojis in ways that are both impressive and memorable.
If you’re a business owner who hasn’t jumped on the bandwagon yet, keep reading for examples of brands who pulled it off flawlessly.
Deadpool’s Emoji billboard
Hilarious + creative = genius. Capturing the attention of fans, 3 simple emojis were used to spell out ‘Deadpool’ to promote the new movie. This marketing campaign reportedly played a role in Deadpool breaking box office records for an R-rated movie. An emoji that appears to be smiling poo is not something you see on a billboard every day. This campaign is proof that doing the unexpected can totally pay off!
WWF’s #EndageredEmoji Twitter campaign
In 2015, WWF developed the #EndangeredEmoji campaign with a goal to save animals from extinction. Targeting millennials by using a social platform and alternate communication method proved to be a great idea. A fresh audience flocked to this emoji campaign, leading to 559,000 mentions and 59,000 sign-ups during the first month of the launch.
McDonald’s Emoji stories
McDonald’s produced a simple and light-hearted campaign to tell a short story using only emojis. They start by acknowledging a potential bad day and showing empathy. They follow up with humor and the suggestion that visiting their business will turn your bad day around.
As businesses evolve alongside their customers, using these new technologies are vital for emotional connection with their target audience.
However, for every successful emoji campaign, there have been attempts made that were not so successful. So, before you decide to incorporate emojis into your marketing campaigns, make sure they flow with your marketing strategy.