Today, smileys and emojis are used by absolutely everyone. However, there is still plenty of debate about who actually came up with the idea first. While modern digital emojis were invented in Japan in 1999, the history of the classic smiley face goes back much further. Some researchers even argue that proto-smileys existed as far back as the 19th century.
For instance, in a transcript of one of Abraham Lincoln’s 1862 speeches, a wink 😉 was discovered right after the phrase “applause and laughter.” While most historians believe it was just a simple typographical error by a newspaper typesetter, it still sparks curiosity. AdmiGram.com decided to delve into this question and trace the true origin of the iconic smiley face.
Origin of the “Smiley”: History of the Internet
As of today, the most reliably known historical facts about the smiley face are as follows:
Early Cinema Prototypes: The first stylized image of a human face used to express emotions on screen appeared in director Ingmar Bergman’s 1948 film Port of Call, though it conveyed suffering rather than joy. Later in the 1950s, happy faces were featured on promotional posters for the movies Lili (1953) and Gigi (1958).
The WMCA Sweatshirts (1962): The happy face officially entered American popular culture in 1962, thanks to the New York radio station WMCA. During the station’s “Good Guys” promotion, listeners who answered phone quizzes were awarded yellow sweatshirts featuring a happy face design. Thousands of these sweatshirts were distributed in the early 1960s.
Harvey Ball’s Iconic Design (1963): In 1963, American commercial artist Harvey Ball was commissioned by a life insurance company to create a visual that would boost employee morale. In just 10 minutes, he designed the bright yellow circle with dark oval eyes and a grinning mouth. This became the most recognizable and definitive version of the smiley face worldwide.
Vladimir Nabokov’s Vision (1969): In a historic first for literature, celebrated author Vladimir Nabokov anticipated the modern text emoticon :). During a 1969 interview with The New York Times, he remarked: “I often think there should exist a special typographical sign for a smile — some sort of concave mark, a supine round bracket, which I would now like to trace in reply to your question.”
