From endangered pandas to fast food powerhouses and presidential candidates — it seems like everyone is using emojis to win the hearts, minds, and wallets of the millennial consumer.
Skeptical? We get it.
Emojis in marketing is still a relatively new concept, and inserting a ???? into the middle of a billboard can definitely feel inappropriate to many a seasoned marketer. But there’s no denying it, emojis work — especially with millennials. Here’s why.
Say More with Less
A 2017 survey by Harris Poll found that 36% of millennials who use “visual expressions” such as emojis, GIFs and stickers believe those images communicate their thoughts and feelings better than words. That’s more than 2x the amount of people over the age of 65 who said the same.
One of the biggest reasons millennials ???? emojis is because they allow them to express themselves more deeply and accurately, without putting in any extra effort. Millennials have less face-to-face or phone-to-ear communication than any generation before them. But according to Albert Mehrabian’s 7-38-55 Rule of Personal Communication, 93% of communication comes in the form of nonverbal cues that don’t easily translate to text (38% tone of voice and 55% body language).
Emojis help keep digital convos poignant and human by helping users visualize the body language and tonal cues they would have otherwise missed in a simple text exchange.
Fast Feedback
Despite all the hype over why millennials hate big business (and diamonds, and cereal, and the list goes on…), 76% of millennials see business as a force for positive social impact. And they’re more than willing to support the brands they love.
But the truth is, no matter how much someone loves your brand, no one wants to take the time to fill out a survey telling you just how awesome you are. A simple ????, ???? or ⭐ rating lets your busiest consumers give you fast feedback without interrupting their experience.
More Fun
What could be better than tweeting a ???? and getting a fresh pie delivered to your door 30 minutes later?
Brands like Domino’s have credited up to $4.7 billion in global digital sales to the use of emojis in their marketing campaigns. Others, like Burger King have even created their own emojis to promote never before seen products, like their chicken fries. Ridiculous? Maybe. But also pretty fun.
Millennials love brands that feel authentic as opposed to buttoned up. Using emojis in your marketing shows your audience you’ve got a sense of humor, and that can go a long way in making a brand feel human and relatable.
Of course, as with most “millennial” topics, these rules don’t just apply to millennials. In fact, according to a 2015 report, 92% of the online population uses emojis. So if you’re thinking about adding emojis to your next marketing campaign, why not go for it?
Did you know you can use Zight (formerly CloudApp) to create your own awesome GIFs and visuals to rock your next marketing campaign? Ask us for more info about it or go ahead and take the Zight (formerly CloudApp) GIF Maker for a spin? It’s free!
