Dictionary.com has added definitions for emojis, complete with examples of usage, highlighting just how much technology has changed our relationship to language. But as emojis get the okay for official use, people are closely scrutinising the ways that brands harness them.

TikTok’s challenges and tutorials have become an integral part of digital life for Gen Zers, inspiring many of them to recreate intricate dance routines in their bedrooms or out in public spaces. But why is this form of expression so popular on the platform? And how can brands get involved?

The period emoji has finally arrived thanks to the efforts of Plan International UK, a non-profit children's rights organisation. People are calling for the destigmatisation of menstruation, with the recent extension of the worlds digital vocabulary marking a wider push for gender parity.

Emojis have become ubiquitous in digital communications, but their use in marketing campaigns hasn’t always been successful. Canvas8 spoke to Dr. Sara Kim, an associate professor at the University of Hong Kong, to learn how people interpret and react to brands that use these symbols.