Just a year after the Oxford Dictionary named the 'crying with laughter emoji' 2015's word of the year, we may have reached peak emoji – or brands have, at least. Research shows that over half of Brits think brands are trying too hard with their use of heart eyes, winky faces and poop emojis.

Emojis may be everywhere in digital communications, but next to stickers, they’re starting to look dull and dated. Brands and celebrities, including Kim Kardashian West, are cashing in on the craze with their own sticker apps, simultaneously embedding themselves in people’s mobile lives.

Private messaging is an ideal medium to do the obvious – open a dialogue and conduct a conversation. In fact, 59% of all US social sharing now occurs in private channels. But while people are happy to chat to their mates on platforms like Facebook Messenger, how can brands get involved?

The English language is constantly shifting, with merging communities and tech making it evolve faster than ever; 86% of British parents think teens speak a different language on social media. So how can brands use words, emoticons and colloquialisms to better communicate with their audiences?