'Afro Emoji' Helps Africans Culturally Express Themselves in the Digital Age
Malika Renee Butss — February 8, 2016 — Tech
Emojis have become a little more cultural with the launch of Afro Emoji. This collection of niche emoticons feature a variety of emojis depicting West African culture.
The app was birthed in Nigeria, though it is available worldwide. Afro Emoji consists of a very diverse set of emojis that focus on West African characters dressed in their traditional garments. Each character is accompanied by a familiar pan-African phrase in pidgin English. Some of these phrases include the iconic "abeg no vex," "e make brain" and "chai!"
Afro Emoji is plugging into a key demographic that is usually ignored by the technology industry, while allowing African Millennials to decorate their messages with a taste of their own culture.
The app was birthed in Nigeria, though it is available worldwide. Afro Emoji consists of a very diverse set of emojis that focus on West African characters dressed in their traditional garments. Each character is accompanied by a familiar pan-African phrase in pidgin English. Some of these phrases include the iconic "abeg no vex," "e make brain" and "chai!"
Afro Emoji is plugging into a key demographic that is usually ignored by the technology industry, while allowing African Millennials to decorate their messages with a taste of their own culture.
Trend Themes
1. Cultural Emojis - The rise of niche emojis tailored to specific cultures presents an opportunity for developers to create diverse and inclusive digital communication tools.
2. Localization of Emojis - The development of emojis depicting specific cultural traditions and languages opens up possibilities for localized communication platforms that cater to different communities around the world.
3. Representation in Technology - The demand for emojis that reflect a wider range of cultures highlights the need for greater diversity and representation in the tech industry, offering opportunities for companies to create more inclusive products and services.
Industry Implications
1. Mobile App - Developing mobile apps centered around cultural emojis can tap into the growing demand for personalized and culturally relevant digital communication tools.
2. Language Technology - Advancements in language technology can enhance the development of localized emojis and communication platforms that cater to specific linguistic communities.
3. Social Media Platforms - Social media platforms can integrate culturally diverse emojis to foster inclusivity and enable users to express themselves more authentically within their communities.
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