Exploring the Opportunities of the Emojis in Brand Communication: The Case of the Beer Industry

This study shows that emojis are a significant element in brand communications, which still requires attention from researchers. Specifically, it describes the use of emojis by the four companies with the largest audiences on Twitter in the Spanish beer industry. Through a correspondence analysis, we found that those emojis were not a mere occasional resource within a message but rather a differentiating element for brand positioning. Likewise, we analyzed the existing relationship between the way in which they were used and the engagement generated. In this regard, we concluded that communications using emojis aimed at customer service and care, as well as those used in positive contexts and for emphasis, were the ones related to higher user engagement. We discuss herein the practical implications of these findings for businesses.