• by Ray Schultz , March 18, 2021

Emojis are deemed unprofessional when used in workplace emails, but not in marketing messages, according to a report by Clutch.  

This contradicts studies by Worldata showing that emojis are overused in marketing emails. But Clutch argues in a blog post that emojis can become “part of a company’s brand.”

“Along with that extra nudge, emojis can also become part of a company’s brand,” it states. “You know a weekly promo sale from your favorite clothing store is coming when the fire emoji hits your inbox.”

Sonya Schwartz, founder of relationship advice blog Her Norm, believes emojis are useful in a marketing context. 

“Since emojis are a visual element, it helps retain a consumer’s attention,” Schwartz writes, according to Clutch. "It also makes it easier for consumers to understand your email’s message."

“The use of emojis is a great way to show that brevity in getting your point across while grabbing the attention of a younger and up-to-date crowd,” Joshua C. Moon, an accountant at Sunshine Accounting & Bookkeeping.

All that is strange, given that emojis used in emails at work are considered unprofessional by 60% of employees, while 33% utilize them. 

Only 9% of employees believe emojis are professional in emails, although they say it depends on the audience. 

At the same time, 22% of employees age 45 and older have misunderstood an emoji they have received at work. The study notes that “translation mistakes are likely to occur between age groups.” 

However, only 12% of workers in the 18-34 cohort have experienced such misunderstandings. 

Overall, 31% of employees use emojis when dealing with peer colleagues. Only 20% have dared to include them when dealing with their CEO or direct manager. 

As to why they bother with emojis at all, they list these benefits:

Conveying tone without words — 17%

Expressing emotions virtually — 14% 

Cultivating informal work culture — 11%

Responding quickly to messages — 7%

Clutch surveyed 500 Americans in October and November 2020.