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World Smile Day

Bring smiles to the faces of others through acts of kindness, community work, and of course offering your own lovely smile to brighten anyone’s day.

Life & Living45
Marketing angleinferred

Leverage the smiley face's universal symbolism to drive feel-good brand storytelling and community engagement campaigns that emphasize kindness and social connection.

Relevance 45low intent
  • Share customer/employee smile stories and acts of kindness tied to your brand
  • Create limited-edition smiley-themed products or packaging to celebrate the day
  • Host a community kindness challenge or volunteer event on World Smile Day
  • Partner with local nonprofits to amplify messages of joy and mental wellness

History

It was a simple thing, a circle with a few dots and an upturned curve, but put together Harvey Ball created one of the most iconic symbols the world had ever seen, and it would quickly come to infect everything from graffiti to modern day emoji’s.

We are, of course, talking about the smiley face, arguably the first emoji to enter the world. Harvey would later express concern that the sheer commercialization of his little symbol would strip it of its original intent and meaning.

It was out of this concern that he created World Smile Day, a day devoted to the spreading of simple joy and love to everyone, regardless of race, gender, or geographic location.

Harvey sadly passed from this world in 2001, but the foundation he helped create, the Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation, has carried forth his message of simple peace and love as the sponsor of World Smile Day every year.

Whether you’re simply expressing a bit of silliness or doing a small act of kindness to help someone smile, World Smile Day is your opportunity to help brighten the world and make the world a better place through the simple power of the smile.


FAQ
Are smiles contagious?
Many studies show that smiling is probably contagious in that the brain releases happy hormones, which makes the recipient of a smile want to smile back.[1]
Is smiling good for you?
Emphatically yes! Smiling releases good hormones, helps with work productivity, promotes healthy relationships, relieves stress and may even help people live longer.[1]
Do smiles cause wrinkles?
Wrinkles shouldn’t be blamed on smiling as they can be caused just as much by frowning, due to diminishing elasticity in the skin.[1]
When do babies smile?
Newborns may smile in their sleep, but babies are typically between 6-8 weeks when they first begin with social smiles.[1]
Who invented the smiley face emoticon?
Harvey Ross Ball was hired to create the iconic yellow smiley face in 1963. It took him 10 minutes and he was paid $45 for his work.[1]