Hospitality Herald

A Brief History of Emojis

The story of emojis began in Japan in the late 1990s, when Shigetaka Kurita¹, working for NTT DoCoMo², created a set of 176 pixelated icons to simplify communication on limited character screens.

The term “emoji” is a Japanese word:

• E (絵) = picture
• Moji (文字) = character

In 2010, emojis were officially adopted into Unicode, enabling cross-platform use — from Apple to Android, Facebook to WhatsApp.

Today, over 3,600 emojis exist, evolving from simple smileys 😊 to inclusive icons representing skin tones, professions, gender identities, flags, foods, and more.

---

Types of Emojis

Emojis fall into various categories, such as:

• Smileys & People 😊👨‍🍳🙋‍♀️
• Animals & Nature 🐶🌴🌞
• Food & Drink 🍽️🍕🥂
• Travel & Places ✈️🏨🌅
• Activities 🎉⚽🎶
• Objects 💡📱🛏️
• Symbols ❤️✔️💬
• Flags 🇮🇳🇬🇧🇫🇷

New emojis are added every year by the Unicode Consortium, reflecting evolving cultural, social, and communication needs.

---

Emojis in the Hospitality Industry

1. Guest Communication

• Emojis can enhance tone in reservation confirmations:
  “We look forward to hosting you! 🏖️🍹”
• Responding to reviews or feedback with warmth:
  “Thank you for the kind words! 😊💐”

2. Marketing & Branding

• Boost social media reach by using trending emojis
  e.g., “Weekend Brunch is back! 🥐☕ #FoodieFridays”
• Use themed emojis for festivals, events, or promotions

3. Internal Team Communication

• Managers use emojis for motivation:
  “Great job on banquet setup today! 🙌🔥”
• Emojis in shift updates, group chats make info easier to skim

4. Customer Feedback Tools

• Feedback buttons use emoji scales for quick ratings
  e.g., 😊 😐 😞

---

Emojis + Technology = Scalable Personalization

In an AI-powered world:

• Chatbots use emojis to simulate human warmth
• Automated emails/texts use emojis to drive click-throughs
• Digital signage and QR menu cards can integrate emojis for intuitive UI

Even luxury hotels, once emoji-averse, now subtly incorporate them for younger audiences without compromising elegance.

---

Emoji Etiquette in Hospitality

✅ Do:

• Keep it brand-appropriate
• Match tone to the guest’s style
• Use emojis sparingly for clarity and visual appeal

❌ Don’t:

• Overuse or replace all text
• Use emojis in formal/legal documents
• Assume all guests will understand slang or cultural emojis

---

What Can We Learn?

• Emojis are not just cute icons — they are cultural tools
• In hospitality, they bridge emotion and communication
• When used wisely, emojis can boost engagement, personalize service, and make digital experiences feel more human

---

Final Thought

On World Emoji Day, let’s celebrate these tiny powerhouses that speak the universal language of emotion, bringing warmth and personality to an industry built on human connection.

After all, hospitality is about smiles — real and digital! 😊

#WorldEmojiDay #HospitalityWithEmotion #EmojiInHospitality #GuestExperience #HotelMarketing #HospitalityTech #DigitalGuestEngagement #HumanTouchInService #HospitalityInnovation #HospitalityHerald #GuestCommunication #EmojisMatter #BrandVoice #HotelLife #SmileyService

1. Who is Shigetaka Kurita?
   Born in 1972 in Japan.
   Worked for NTT DoCoMo, a major Japanese mobile phone operator.
   In 1999, while working on the company’s i-mode mobile internet platform, he designed the first set of 176 emojis.
   
   Why Did He Create Emojis?
   To help users communicate more effectively in short, limited text formats.
   Inspired by:
   Manga (Japanese comics) expressions.
   Street signs and Chinese characters (kanji).
   Simple icons in weather forecasts and comic books.
   
   Fun Facts:
   His original emojis were 12×12 pixels, and included basic icons like ❤️, ☀️, ☔, 📱, and 🎵.
   These original emojis are now considered design history and are part of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) collection in New York.
   
   Impact:
   Emojis have become a universal language used across cultures.
   His creation paved the way for today’s Unicode Standard emojis, which now include thousands of icons ↩︎
2. What is NTT DoCoMo?
   Full name: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
   “DoCoMo” is short for “Do Communications Over the Mobile Network” — and in Japanese, it also sounds like dokomo (どこも), meaning “everywhere.”
   Founded in 1991 as a subsidiary of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT).
   
   Key Innovations:
   i-mode (1999)
   One of the world’s first mobile internet services.
   Enabled email, weather updates, news, and more on mobile phones.
   This is where Shigetaka Kurita created the first emoji set.
   
   Early 3G Technology
   Launched one of the first commercial 3G networks in 2001.
   Helped set the standard for high-speed mobile internet worldwide.
   
   Mobile Wallet & QR Payments
   Introduced Osaifu-Keitai, the “wallet phone,” allowing tap-to-pay years before Apple Pay.
   
   Global Influence:
   Though it tried expanding internationally in the early 2000s, most of its success and operations remain centered in Japan.
   NTT DoCoMo has played a major role in shaping how we use mobile devices today, especially in the areas of mobile web, content delivery, and personalization.
   
   Trivia:
   Their i-mode service once had over 50 million users in Japan.
   The first emojis created at DoCoMo were just 12×12 pixels, designed for text clarity on small screens. ↩︎