Emojis have evolved into a powerful marketing language, especially for Gen Z, who read and respond to visual cues far quicker than traditional copy. As World Emoji Day approaches, brands are experimenting with how emojis, digital shorthand, and playful symbols can make their messaging feel authentic and culturally fluent. We asked industry leaders: how are brands speaking the language of Gen Z on World Emoji Day, and what creative approaches are resonating most?
Aatika Ansari, Head of Media-Digital, Pernod Ricard India
Emojis today are a language of their own. In some ways they are both a universal and yet local. For example the angel or halo emoji (😇)is regarded as threatening and a symbol of death in China, while in our cultures, it is used as a symbol of innocence.
A language taken up by the youth of today to express themselves over the written or the spoken word.
Following which a lot of brands have incorporated them in their content, social media posts, subject lines and even some brand communication.
What we really need to understand is that emojis are a tool to reach of to our consumers and create memory structures for our brands.
The whole point is to be able to connect and engage with your consumers by understanding what works for them, testing the emojis X platform mix. This in itself will ensure greater brand awareness, love and engagement.
Chinmay Chandratre, Senior Vice President – Media at FCB/SIX India.
For Gen Z, emojis aren’t just decorative—they’re a full-blown language. Fast, emotional, ironic, and layered, emojis help Gen Z express tone, humor, and identity in ways plain text can’t. As World Emoji Day approaches, brands looking to stay culturally relevant are embracing this visual shorthand to connect with India’s youngest (and noisiest) digital generation.
🎯 Why Emojis Matter to Gen Z:
But it’s not just about throwing emojis around. The best brands are using them fluently—as cultural cues, not gimmicks.
🔥 Top Indian Brands Nailing Emoji-Led Storytelling
🍕 Zomato
From hilarious push notifications (“Your ex is thinking about you. Just kidding. But your biryani is here 🍛”) to emoji-rich Instagram captions, Zomato plays on hunger and humor with perfect emoji timing. It’s not just witty—it’s emotionally on point for Gen Z.
🛵 Swiggy
Swiggy’s use of emojis goes beyond aesthetics. They decode cravings, moods, and late-night hunger pangs through emoji-based Story templates and UGC. “Feeling 🫠 at 2 AM?” or “Your 🍫 just landed” hits home for India’s young urban crowd.
🎬 Netflix India
Known for its emoji-only show teasers, quizzes, and meme replies (💀💅🔥), Netflix India communicates like a Gen Z fan account. They use emojis not just for drama—but as punchlines and reactions, matching internet humor perfectly.
🎧 boAt
boAt brings energy to its social campaigns with emoji-first design. From 🎵 and 🔊 to 💥 and 🔥, the brand builds product hype with emoji-packed reels, tapping into Gen Z’s love for music, fitness, and creator culture.
❤️ Tinder India
Tinder leans into emoji-coded flirting with bold, cheeky content like “He said he doesn’t like pani puri 🍛🚩.” It uses 🍆, 🥵, 💬 in a clever, culturally aware way—staying edgy without being off-brand.
✅ Key Takeaways for Brands:
💡 Final Word:
On World Emoji Day, it’s not about being cool—it’s about being fluent. Emojis are Gen Z’s cultural code. Brands that get it? Instantly more relatable, scroll-stopping, and share-worthy.
Jainendrra Kumar, CEO, Animmoov Digital Media. Pvt. Ltd
I’ve seen firsthand how brands—especially in the FMCG and CPG space—are evolving to meet Gen Z where they are. This generation isn’t just digital-first; they’re visual-first, and emojis have become their native language. Smart marketers are adapting by weaving emojis and expressive cues into campaign narratives—turning messages into moments that feel personal, fun, and meme-worthy. We’re partnering with brands on conversational ad formats that include emoji quizzes, polls, and AR filters. The goal? To keep communication playful yet purposeful, and build authentic connections through Gen Z’s everyday shorthand.
Dhanya Mohan – Lead – Strategy, TheSmallBigIdea.
Emojis have become the native language of digital natives. For Gen Z, it’s not just about adding drama to a text; it is, in fact, part of their digital identity. Rarely used literally, emojis are coded for a whole vibe and layered messaging. A lot of brands today try to ride this wave on social using memes, jokes, and the right sprinkle of emojis to talk to Gen Z in their own language.
What works? Look at food delivery, quick commerce, content creators- what clicks isn’t just witty captions or using the right amount and kind of emoji that lands the emotion, but tapping into what all of this means to Gen Z: better self-expression. Emojis let this generation express like never before. And let’s face it, few things say ‘I rest my case’ better than a sarcastic thumbs up. When brands speak this language well, they appear young, relatable, and real, like a friend who gets them. Where does it go wrong? When brands slap emojis on boring, functional, hard-selling content. It feels like a 50-year-old desperately trying to fit into a 20-year-old’s gang- forced, out of place, and anything but authentic. They miss the point: emojis are just one of the many ways this generation keeps conversations honest, authentic, and always sprinkled with a bit of drama. In a world that feels uncertain, Gen Z has found ways to uncomplicate things- using humor, sarcasm, and emojis. Brands that get this truly connect with their Gen Z audience.
Upasana Dua, Executive Strategy Director, Landor India
Brands are embracing emojis as a vibrant language to resonate with Gen Z’s digital fluency and playful communication style. Emojis convey emotion, tone, and relatability in seconds to an audience that no longer believes in long format anything. By integrating this shared dialect, brands seem culturally in tune.
That said, the key is relevance. Forced use of emoji or slang can feel “cringe” rather than “fire” to this ‘quite unforgiving’ generation. Brands need to focus most on authenticity and consistency. Otherwise, they’re trying too hard, and that fire is harder to put out.
