Emoji Misfires: How Misunderstood Icons Are Scrambling Work and Brand Messages Around the World

Emojis were meant to add color, tone, and personality to text. Somewhere along the way, though, the meaning behind those little icons started getting lost, and in some cases, dangerously misinterpreted. Now, what was once a handy tool to add emotion to dry messages is fast becoming a source of confusion, embarrassment, and workplace tension.

According to a new study by Lokalise ^[1] , emojis are no longer the digital universal language many assumed they were. The research highlights how workers and consumers interpret emojis wildly differently across cultures, generations, and platforms. The gap isn’t just awkward, it’s affecting brand perception and team communication in real, measurable ways.

Emojis Aren’t as Universal as We Thought

Despite their cheerful appearance, emojis don’t carry consistent meaning from one person, or one region, to the next. What feels like a friendly nudge in one country might come across as flirtation or even disrespect elsewhere.

Take the 💦 emoji. In Mexico, 76% of workers viewed it as flirtatious or sexual. In Germany, only 50% felt the same way. In the U.S., it was close, about 52% read it as suggestive. So while some see it as a joke or casual shorthand, others may interpret it far more seriously.

Another stark example? The 💀 emoji. Among Gen Z in the U.S., it often signals something hilarious, like saying “I’m dead” after a good joke. But only 11% of Germans and 9% of Mexican respondents shared that interpretation. Many in those regions associated it more with stress or burnout.

Even the 👀 emoji (just a pair of eyes) wasn’t safe. In Mexico, most respondents said it meant paying attention. In the U.K., over a third said it felt like gossip or silent judgment.

These aren’t just minor translation hiccups. They’re affecting how people work together and how consumers connect (or disconnect) with brands.

Workplace Messages Gone Wrong

Inside companies, where communication already walks a fine line, emoji misuse can seriously mess with the message.

Roughly one-third of workers admitted to using emojis in messages about negative or sensitive news. That includes layoffs, policy shifts, or difficult performance feedback. For younger employees, especially millennials and Gen Z, dropping in an emoji is a way to soften the blow. But that doesn’t always land.

27% of employees say they’ve felt offended by an emoji in a workplace message
47% believe emojis have no place in formal communications at all
65% have avoided emojis completely, worried they’d be misread

That’s a lot of hesitation for something that’s supposed to make communication easier.

Some Platforms Make It Worse

Part of the problem? Emojis don’t act the same everywhere. Different platforms render them slightly differently, or promote different emoji cultures. The Lokalise study asked workers which platform causes the most confusion around emoji use. WhatsApp topped the list.

82% of Mexican workers pointed to WhatsApp as the most confusing
66% in Germany said the same
In the U.K., it was 57%
U.S. workers found Instagram even more confusing than WhatsApp

Even workplace tools vary. Microsoft Teams users were 71% more likely than Slack users to say emojis are often misunderstood on their platform.

That means a harmless thumbs-up on one tool might land differently elsewhere, depending on who’s reading it, where they’re from, and what platform they’re on.

The Red List: What Not to Send at Work

Some emojis are almost universally considered unprofessional, or worse, inappropriate, in the workplace.

According to Lokalise:

🍆 (eggplant) got a 91% disapproval rating, the highest globally
💩 (poop) was flagged by 83% of Mexican workers and 82% in the U.K.
🍑 (peach), often read as sexual or informal, was seen as inappropriate by over 80% across all surveyed countries

Different generations disapproved of different icons, too. Gen Z was most likely to object to 🍆, while Gen X was especially put off by 💩.

Even emojis that seem harmless, like 😭, caused misunderstandings. In Mexico, many used it to show stress or emotional overwhelm. Elsewhere, it was read as melodramatic or flippant.

Consumers Aren’t Amused Either

Brands love emojis because they seem relatable, casual, and modern. But poor usage can backfire, badly.

22% of consumers have muted or unfollowed a brand because of cringeworthy emoji use
38% say brands don’t understand how emojis are interpreted across cultures
81% believe emojis carry deeper cultural meaning beyond their surface appearance

In Mexico and the U.K., nearly 90% of consumers believe emoji use can feel culturally tone-deaf. In the U.S., 79% agreed.

The message: don’t assume the same emoji hits the same way everywhere. Localization applies to tone, language, and emojis too.

Generational Gaps Add to the Confusion

It’s not just about geography. Age plays a huge role in how emojis are used and received.

74% of Gen Z employees have hesitated to use an emoji at work for fear it would be misread
65% of millennials feel the same
64% of Gen X also tread carefully

While Gen Z may use emojis more often, they’re also more cautious about how they’re perceived. They’re emoji fluent, but not emoji fearless.

Most Accepted (and Most Hated) Emojis at Work

Lokalise’s study ranked the most workplace-friendly emojis too.

Most Approved Emojis:

👍 Thumbs up (82%)
👏 Clapping hands (64%)
🤝 Handshake (62%)
🤔 Thinking face (54%)

Most Disapproved Emojis:

🍆 Eggplant (91%)
💩 Poop (82%)
🍑 Peach (81%)
💋 Kiss mark (78%)

If you’re writing to a coworker or customer, it’s probably safe to skip the fruit and stick to the basics.

Why This All Matters More Than You Think

At first glance, this might seem like a small thing. Just emojis, right?

But miscommunication, especially in remote or global teams, adds friction. It creates misunderstandings, stress, and missed connections. Brands, meanwhile, risk sounding out-of-touch or inappropriate, especially across cultures.

Etgar Bonar, localization expert at Lokalise, put it simply: “When consumers mute or unfollow a brand over cringey emoji use, it shows just how fragile digital trust can be.”

And the same goes for internal messages. Emojis aren’t just visual clutter, they’re tone indicators. But if that tone gets misread, the damage can be subtle but lasting.

Moving Forward: Smarter Emoji Use Starts With Awareness

We’re not saying to delete emojis from your messages forever. They’re not the enemy. But like slang or humor, they require context. Cultural, generational, even platform-specific context.

A few smart takeaways:

Add emoji etiquette to brand and internal style guides
Train global teams on localization, including non-verbal symbols
Be mindful of how emojis appear across devices and platforms
Think twice before using emojis in sensitive or formal messages

Ultimately, emojis are just one part of digital communication, but they pack more meaning than we often realize. Used well, they build connection. Used carelessly, they drive people away.

The key is knowing your audience. Because sometimes, that tiny icon says a lot more than you meant it to.