Mixed Signals: The Impact of Emoji Use on Consumer Understanding

Emojis may be seen as fun and colorful, but they’ve become a serious tool in consumer marketing strategy. New research by a Fairfield Dolan professor of marketing explores how a deep understanding of emojis—and their varying interpretations across generations—can significantly impact marketing effectiveness.

Rajasree Rajamma, PhD, the Thomas Fitzgerald Endowed Chair of Marketing and a professor of marketing at the Charles F. Dolan School of Business, defines consumer confusion as “the mismatch between a company’s intended meaning for an emoji and the consumer’s actual interpretation.”

Whether it’s a laughing face, a crying face, or a heart or heartbreak symbol, the meaning of an emoji often depends on the receiver’s interpretation—and that interpretation is often shaped by culture.

In her latest research, titled “Consumer Confusion: Examining Emoji use in Online Communication,” Dr. Rajamma and her co-authors examine how differences between a company’s intended use of an emoji and consumers’ interpretations can lead to confusion—and even have the potential to pose “significant risk for brand communication.”

Take the skull emoji, for example. According to Dr. Rajamma, this emoji is traditionally associated with death or horror by older generations, whereas Generation Z uses it to express being “dead” from laughing. That distinction, she said, is one of the reasons she and her colleagues urge companies and managers to remain alert to consumers’ shifting emoji usage in order to proactively mitigate misunderstandings.

Dr. Rajamma noted that when companies use emojis such as the “disappointed face” in promotions, consumers often interpret the message differently—and may even view it as unprofessional—creating a marketing risk and missing the mark with the intended audience.

“When a brand attempts to use this emoji to connect with Gen Z, other consumers may become confused, potentially causing the message to backfire,” Dr. Rajamma said. Messages that are “lost in translation” can pose serious financial risks for companies.

A study by Adobe found that 71 percent of Gen Z consumers are more likely to buy from brands that use emojis in their messaging. However, the research highlights that it’s not just about using emojis, it’s about using the right ones for your company’s audience.

Published in the Internet Research journal, the “Consumer Confusion” research article was authored by Dr. Rajamma alongside Lin Lu, PhD, assistant professor of analytics in the Dolan School of Business, and Qin Sun, PhD, associate professor of marketing at California State University. The Dolan School of Business designated the study a top publication. Internet Research carries an "A" ranking in the Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC) Journal Quality List, a widely recognized benchmark for evaluating business scholarship, and one used to measure research quality within Fairfield Dolan.

Dr. Rajamma, an expert in consumer behavior, summarized their research findings simply: “Successful communication means consistently seeing things from your audience’s perspective to keep your message clear.'"

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