Emojis are now part of the communication code of anyone who uses messaging apps to relate. To the point that many, if there were not (for example) the smiley face to explain that what has just been written should be taken with irony, they would not know how to express themselves.
Emojis follow the common sensibility and often place themselves in a far more modern perspective than certain politics. Consider, for example, the recent introduction of the “person” category, which combines those of “man” and “woman”.
Not only that: emojis have even been used by the dissident Russian population to communicate in code, and thus organize demonstrations bypassing censorship.
In short: emojis pervade our life. As demonstrated in Adobe’s 2022 Emoji Trend Report. Which is part of the larger Future of Creativity study, and which in an abridged version has also been published on the Adobe blog in Italian. Let’s see what it is.
L’Emoji trend report del 2022
Adobe’s report annually analyzes the role and effects of smileys in digital communication.
The popularity of emojis, we said, is now palpable. And the Adobe survey confirms it: 73% of respondents say that those who use them convey a more friendly and fun image of themselves. And he feels in a relationship of greater empathy (in 88% of cases) with the emoji users.
The positive aspects of the smileys certainly do not end there.
Emojis make communication easier
It is evident that one of the most outstanding virtues of emojis is the ability to synthesize in a symbol what would otherwise require a turn of phrase to be expressed. And since – like it or not – communication seems to be getting faster and faster, this peculiarity is a guarantee of success.
And indeed for 91% of the sample interviewed, emojis make the “conversation” quicker and lighter.
But brace yourselves: 58% of the five most popular emojis (the face crying with laughter in the straight and oblique version, the heart, the raised thumb and the kiss) even have “the ability to boost our general mental health”.
Emojis and romantic relationships
Ample space also in romantic relationships for emojis. And we’re not just referring to the cheesy smilies that certify one individual’s positive feelings towards another, but also their opposite category.
Suffice it to say that as many as 30% of Generation Z members broke off a relationship by sending an emoji.
Emoji e smart working
In the workplace, the use of emojis has intensified in parallel with the growth of smart working.
And again, smilies are welcome in this area too. Indeed 73% of respondents admitted to using emojis at work and 54% to use them “more often than a year ago”.
For 76% of the sample, smileys allow you to share ideas and projects quickly, for 61% they make decision-making processes more efficient. And for 47% they shorten the times of meetings and phone calls.
68% of respondents said they liked it when others use emojis at work. And he also stated that the use of smilies has a positive effect on the ability to please colleagues (for 72% of the interviewees) and on credibility (59%).
The inclusiveness
We’ve already talked about the “Persona” emoji category.
Those who use smileys would like age, race / ethnicity, culture and disability to be the four areas in which there was more inclusiveness.
In general, 82% of respondents argue that “emojis should aim to represent users in a more inclusive way”.
For 71% of American users, inclusive emojis can help foster positive discussions on social and cultural issues. And 75% believe they can contribute to raising awareness of diversity.
The emojis at greatest risk of misunderstanding
The old story is known for which, depending on the generation to which you belong, different meanings are given to the same emoji.
The three most misunderstood emojis are the face with the cowboy hat, the cherries and the face smiling upside down..
Recall that the cowboy hat indicates a sense of exuberance and adventure. Cherries, in addition to literal use, can refer to a couple or parts of the body: breasts or butt. The face that smiles upside down means irony, self-irony, sarcasm or a declaration of clumsiness.
E which registry category do you misunderstand the most? Surprisingly, Generation Z (in 70% of cases), against 60% of Millennials, 33% of Generation X and 27% of Boomers.