Secret Behind Our Favourite and Most Misunderstood Emoji Trend

By Mary Grace
on 20 September 2022

Adobe Study Reveals our favourite and most misunderstood Emoji ahead of Unicode 15.0 

Emoji trend
Latest Emoji Trend

Adobe has just released a new report titled “Future of Creativity: 2022 Global Emoji Trend Report” in readiness for the introduction of new emoji in Unicode 15.0 later this month.

The survey indicates our preferred emoji, the emoji that is most likely to be misunderstood, the significance and impact of inclusive emoji for the purpose of self-expression, how the use of emoji can make or break a connection, and the remarkable benefits of using emoji at work, and a number of other findings.

Adobe Future of Creativity: Emoji Trend report reveals we are happier than last year

The Secret Behind Our Favourite and Most Misunderstood Emoji
  • Despite the prolific use of emojis, there is a strong consumer desire to see more diverse and inclusive emojis on the keyboard.
  • Nearly two-thirds of us use emojis to make conversations more fun, they are also used as a powerful emotional tool
  • 70% of emoji users believe using an emoji in conversation is a must when flirting
  • The majority of users are open to new ways of using emojis, such as confirming attendance at an event, sending or receiving payments and communicating with a doctor.

More than half of ua have upped their emoji use in the last year, and the vast majority of users send up to fifty emoji every day through text or online chat.

The results also highlighted the value of new inclusive emoji in Unicode 15.0’s September release, such as the maracas, flute, khanda, hair pick, and folding hand fan.

“Emojis have become a favourite form of creative self-expression for people everywhere,” said Kamile Demir, a computer scientist at Adobe and Adobe representative on the Unicode Emoji Subcommittee. “As the creative industry leader and a member of the Unicode Consortium, we recognize the potential for emojis to promote inclusivity, spark cultural conversations and even positively impact mental health.”

Among the report’s additional findingsemojis don’t always mean what users think they do and are always changing; emojis have become a hallmark of dating culture; and emoji use at work improves efficiency, boosts creativity, and builds stronger relationships.

“Our findings reveal the importance of emojis across all of our digital conversations,” said Paul D. Hunt, typeface designer and font developer at Adobe. “As a visual form of communication, emoji help fill the emotional gaps when representing ourselves online and help us communicate our personal identities, thoughts and feelings in ways words often cannot.”

The research studied when, why, and how we use emoji for self-expression, identity, diversity, equality, inclusion, dating, relationships, and professional interactions. This fun, quick, and engaging form of digital communication has altered the way we express themselves and continues to push the frontiers of how they bridge discussions across age, ethnicity, and culture.

Our Favourite Emoji

The top five most used emojis are a lot happier in comparison to last year:

This was last year’s top five emoji trends:

Emoji are most used to make conversations more fun, and more than half use emojis to better communicate their thoughts and feeling than words do alone. Less than half of us use emojis to quickly respond to text or online messages and more than half are more likely to respond to a message if it contains an emoji.

Emoji are most used by Australians to communicate with friends, significant other/partner and siblings.

Emotions And Emoji

We use emoji to make interactions more entertaining and as an emotive tool. Most of us use emoji to lighten the atmosphere and express support. Over half of us utilise emoji when we can’t express ourselves verbally. Emoji users express love and pleasure. Most of us feel more compassionate when someone uses an emoji.

Emoji Users Continue To Want More Inclusive And Representative Emoji

Despite widespread usage, consumers want more diverse and inclusive emoji. 82% of Australian emoji users say emoji should aim for a more inclusive portrayal of individuals, with 55% believing their identity is appropriately represented in existing emoji variations.

Over half (53%) of Australians are inclined to edit an emoji to better represent their own features, while 52% wish they had more emoji customizing choices to better reflect themselves. When asked what alterations users would want to see, haircut or colour (41%), eye colour (34%), accessories and body type (33%) are the top customizing choices people request.

Australian users are most excited about three new emoji that are more inclusive:

Decoding The Emoji Language

Nearly eighty-one percent of Aussies think that you should only use emoji when you completely understand them, and more than three-quarters (77%) are confident in their knowledge of the meanings of the newest emoji and their ability to use them appropriately.

In Australia, the top three most misunderstood emojis are:

This was in comparison to last year’s findings:

Emoji Role In Romantic Impression

Emojis leave a lasting romantic impact. Emoji usage is considered as a sign of relationship success and impacts a second or third date. 70% of Australian emoji users are interested in flirting or dating someone they’re chatting to feel employing an emoji in conversation is a necessity when flirting. 58% feel more comfortable expressing their sentiments with emojis to someone they adore.

In Australia, the emoji that makes dating apps users more likeable when flirting or dating is:

Whereas the emoji that makes dating app users in Australia less likable when flirting or dating is:

The Future Of Emoji

Emojis are being used in new and imaginative ways, from buying items to establishing internet identities and websites. Half of Australian emoji users (50%) are more ready to purchase an item utilizing an emoji. Most Australians are amenable to using emoji to confirm event attendance (60%), transmit or receive money (36%), and discuss things with a doctor (32%).

In Australia, products most likely to be purchased via an emoji are:

To unlock creativity for everybody, and to enable millions of artists around the globe to express themselves every day, Creative Cloud provides the most complete range of products and services throughout every creative category, including image, photography, design, video, and 3D and immersive.

Adobe Express, a web and mobile-based program that enables anybody to quickly and simply generate distinctive content from thousands of stunning templates, is the latest addition to our roster of available products.

About The Future of Creativity: 2022 Australian Emoji Trend Report

Adobe’s Future of Creativity: 2022 Australia Trend Report aims to clarify the significance and role of emojis in modern media. The relevance of emojis in many contexts is explored, from personal expression and identity to diversity, equality, and inclusion to dating and relationships to professional communications and beyond. It’s a part of Adobe’s Future of Creativity series, which explores the global evolution of the creative process.


Related News


More WLT News