Emojis Make Brands Fun, Relatable

More brands are using emojis in their messaging than a year ago, and most mobile phone users have a positive perception of brands that do so, June 2016 research found. Indeed, many think those brands are fun and relatable.

Mobile app engagement provider Appboy surveyed mobile phone users in the UK and US about their attitudes, and separately analyzed emoji activity on its platform. Overall, most UK and US mobile phone users ages 14 and older had a positive view of brands who use emojis in messages.

For example, 39% thought that brands that did so were fun, and 13% of respondents thought they were relatable. And, even though it was a small portion, 2% of respondents said they were professional—a word that’s not always associated with the entertaining nature of emojis.

However, not every mobile phone user surveyed had a positive outlook. Indeed, 12% of respondents thought brands that used emojis were childish, and another 11% thought they were inappropriate.

Females were more likely than males to have a positive perception of brands who used emojis in their messages. In fact, more male phone users found brands who use emojis to be childish and inappropriate.

But younger mobile phone users viewed emoji use by brands as a positive thing. And compared to their older counterparts, many found the use of emojis to be normal.

According to the Appboy analysis of activity on its platform, more brands are sending mobile messages with emojis than a year prior. In June 2015, brands sent 145 million mobile messages containing emojis. A year later, Appboy reported that 814 million emoji-containing mobile messages were sent, an increase of 461%, which is not surprising since they seem to be the new “internet slang.”

Source: eMarketer

  Appboy, Brands, emojis, Engagement, fun, Marketing, Mobile, Relatable, Report, Research, Study, UK, USA