A generational divide. That emoji doesn’t mean what you think

In a business dedicated to branded merchandise, custom print, supplies and technology, something like understanding emojis can feel trivial and unimportant to the bottom line. However, what we sell is only one element of our value-proposition to customers. Most salespeople in this industry would also likely define themselves as professional relationship builders who establish deep trust, understanding and communication with their buyer network.  

Enter…the wild and fascinating study of emoji literacy. 

How this can benefit you: 

• Avoid miscommunication when working with people outside your generation. 

• Exemplify a learning and growth mindset. It’s okay (and often helpful) to poke fun at yourself for not staying updated on every trend. What’s important is showing you’re open to learn in attempt to better connect. 

• Freak out your kids.

Before we dive in too deep, it’s important to note that context is an extremely important factor in all communication. In fact, a double edge sword for much of this study is that peer-to-peer communication is perceived differently, and that just because you use the “cool” emoji’s doesn’t automatically buy you in-crowd passage. However, if you’re interested, here are some of the most popular emojis disliked by Gen Z: 👍👌💩😂🙈👏💋🙂… Let’s break some of these down and add a few other commonly used emojis with varying meanings. 

Thumbs Up 👍 

A seemingly universal signal for “good”, amongst millennial+ generations, many GEN Z find this to be a passive aggressive signal. Millennials, this is akin to someone responding “k.” instead of “okay”. (I’ve been saying this for years - if you don’t believe me, check out the video below). 

Smiling 🙂 

A smile is so friendly. However, it’s becoming a symbol for the opposite among Gen Z. This teacher and TikTok creator speaks on this beautifully: 

Laughing 😂

This has been one of the most popular emojis in the world as a sign of laughter. To the younger generation, it might just mean you’re old.

Red Heart ❤️

Personally, I LOVE this one (lol), but among many Gen Z, it can be commonly used to soften the blow of a negative or sarcastic comment. 

Fire 🔥 

Slang for “lit” or “hot”, this is probably the least contested between the generations. Use for positive inflection that you like something. 

Skull 💀 and Crying 😭

“ I’m literally dying of laughter.” / “Crying from laughter” are simple and straightforward, often used as the replacements for other laughing options.

 Open Mouth Cold Sweat 😅 

I love how this one is derived from iterations of internet culture, inspired by the “This is fine” meme, which ironically communicates that you’re doing fine, even though it feels like the house is burning down around you. (How fitting for those days you have multiple orders go south.) 

Here’s another creator on TikTok who does a fantastic job breaking down this language barrier: 

The purpose of this article is not to tell you to stop using certain emojis (because I certainly won’t!). Rather, I hope to help add awareness to our everyday conversations so that we can better connect with peers and prospects. As an industry, we’re constantly asking how we can attract more talented youth. What better way than to create environments prepared to navigate the subtle barriers that divide us from the next generation of professionals? Not to mention, position ourselves as the most adaptive, likable option for young buyers who know how to access unlimited knowledge online. Good luck out there 🔥.