For the longest time, emojis were considered childish, but nowadays they have even found their way into B2B communication. However, when it comes to marketing on social media in foreign languages, it is important to proceed cautiously. In different cultures, emojis often convey surprisingly different meanings.
Emojis are an interesting debate topic. Some consider them the downfall of the Western civilization, while others wouldn’t dream of writing a sentence in digital communication without using them. But whether you love or hate them, the use of emojis, smileys, and emoticons has become mainstream. In social media, it is common to express emotions with a single symbol, without having to describe or explain them.
This applies not only to “young people” platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, or Reddit, but also to more “mature” media like LinkedIn. People who engage in social media marketing rarely get around using emojis. Unfortunately, this habit can quickly lead to miscommunications in other countries and cultures.
Different cultures, different meanings: Even emojis can be translated
Japanese interface designer Shigetaka Kurita is considered the inventor who created the first real pictograms in 1999 from emoticons. In other words, he turned symbols made from conventional punctuation marks like 🙂 into pictures. Interestingly, there were doubts about the cultural impact right from the start. Given the Japanese roots of the design, Shigetaka Kurita later said that he did not expect his idea to catch on in other countries.
Emojis are a good example of the significance of linguistic regionality. The belief that today’s universal language would lead to streamlined communication has proven to be at least partially mistaken. A whole series of studies has revealed that marketing in the respective national language is more effective than in English as a foreign language. For example, a study by CSA Research demonstrates that people respond much more positively to marketing campaigns in their own language, which substantially impacts brand image, social media engagement, and ultimately also sales.
Therefore, it always pays off to translate marketing measures for social media, despite the global structure of the platforms. Paying particular attention to the use of emojis can help avoid unpleasant misunderstandings.
Thumbs up! 👍
A raised thumb is a frequently used classic that is considered a symbol of approval in most European countries and the Americas. Unfortunately, emojis that depict customary gestures are particularly prone to being misunderstood. In the Middle East, Thailand, and Greece, the “thumbs up” gesture is equivalent to our extended middle finger. This is not particularly conducive to brand image.
OK 👌
A sign that has a similar meaning in most Western countries: It’s okay! It’s perfect! In countries such as Turkey or Brazil, however, the gesture refers to the end of the digestive tract, making it a tremendous insult. To make matters worse, the gesture has taken on a new politically meaning in recent years, especially in the US. The extended fingers 3 to 5 can also be interpreted as a “W” and the thumb and index finger as a “P”, so that the emoji represents “white power” in certain circles. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid this emoji altogether!
Applause
The clapping hands emoji is another sign of approval that can be misinterpreted. In Western culture, this symbol is a clear expression of praise, but in China it is an allusion to sexual intercourse.
Victory ✌️
Winston Churchill is said to have popularized the victory sign, which is also interpreted as a sign of peace. However, in the United Kingdom and in Australia, this gesture has a completely different meaning when it is presented with the back of the hand facing the other person: .
Shaka sign 🤙
The good old surfer greeting, the Shaka hand gesture (“hang loose” gesture), is often used as an “everything’s cool” gesture, particularly among young people. While the interpretation in Brazil is still fairly similar (“One more round!”), it can cause confusion in Japan, where the thumb and index finger represent the number six.
Gratitude 🙏
This ambiguous emoji can be interpreted as a sign of gratitude or as a high five. In Japan, it is most likely to be understood as a request for forgiveness, which changes the intended message quite significantly.
Waving hand 👋
The waving hand is a natural way to bid farewell. In Asian cultures, however, it can be misinterpreted as: “Thank you, I don’t want anything else to do with you.” The non-waving hand 🖐️ can have a similar effect, at least in Greece, where the moutza or mountza gesture simply means: “Get lost!”
Alcohol
When there is something to celebrate, people clink glasses. While this may be an obvious choice in Europe, it is likely to meet with displeasure in many cultures, especially those influenced by Islam. Consequently, you should think twice before using emojis like beer, wine, or champagne to celebrate!
Animals
Admittedly, animal emojis are rarely used in B2B communication. Nevertheless, it is a good idea to be aware of some cultural peculiarities. For example, dogs are considered unclean in Islamic regions. In China, the depiction of a dog can also be perceived as offensive. The significance of pigs in the context of Islam or Judaism probably does not need further elaboration. The same applies to flippant treatment of cows 🐄 in Hindu regions.
Emojis, smileys, irony: how adolescents use symbols
Anyone with teenagers is probably familiar with the following scenario: Any attempt by parents to use youth slang is immediately and rigorously punished and categorized as embarrassing. Once a word or phrase has made it onto a list of youth slang words of the year, it can be assumed that it will be strictly avoided from then on – if it was ever widely used in the first place.
Emojis are an essential part of youth communication, whether in chat rooms or on social media. And, just like language, they are subject to constant change. More often than not, this change has to do with distinguishing themselves from older generations. Companies that want to appeal to young target groups on social media must therefore understand that young people sometimes “translate” some of the most popular emojis in a very unique way. In most cases, they are used ironically:
Crying laughing 😂
The classic emoji for laughter and joy is one of the victims of adolescent irony. Gen Z now avoids it and often replaces it with the skull emoji 💀 instead. After all, you can also die laughing.
Thumbs up 👍, upside-down face 🙃, smiling face , kissy face , stars & star-eyed emoji ✨🤩
The same is happening with symbols of approval or enthusiasm in today’s online communication. Frequently, they are used ironically in chats and social media to convey sarcasm or to signal to the other person that their attempt to convince them has failed.
Sweat drop 😅
The symbol was designed as a general sign of relief or joy. Today, it is more commonly used to express that one has mastered an embarrassing situation.
Eggplant 🍆, Peach 🍑
Fruits can also trigger surprising associations. The emojis for eggplant and peach in particular are widely understood as sexual allusions due to their shapes. So, be careful which emojis you choose!
Emojis are subject to constant semantic changes. It’s not always easy to keep track of them. For internationally operating marketers, it is therefore advisable to frequently check whether the localization of their social media activities still aligns with current developments. If you would like to learn more about the development of emojis recognized by the Unicode Consortium and their meanings, you can find more information at emojipedia.
In any case, we wish you 👍 and 🤙!
In this spirit: 👋
