Smiley Face Business Now Reached $500m

In 1971, a journalist named Franklin Loughrany 'invented' the modern smiley face.

[{"selector":"#anim-5444554a-24d9-4c36-8dea-350828d56d0e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(25%, -0.000008932038774389639%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c0e38f52-c7c8-4fb3-8890-5ddd9ce9486f","keyframes":[{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":0},{"transform":"scale(1.5)","offset":0.33},{"transform":"scale(0.95)","offset":0.66},{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] His son Nicholas turned Da Ni into a multi-million dollar cash cow.

[{"selector":"#anim-4992deff-083b-4f18-a092-fa6e93478c0d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7eaeb17d-d7e7-4b1a-b188-2419b7f3568e","keyframes":[{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":0},{"transform":"scale(1.5)","offset":0.33},{"transform":"scale(0.95)","offset":0.66},{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] In 1996, Loufranis founded the Smiley Company in London, England.

[{"selector":"#anim-36424db2-66aa-448f-9ebe-d724185e3571 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(25%, -0.00030339806395573987%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ea24499a-2a97-41e5-841b-04e36473f857","keyframes":[{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":0},{"transform":"scale(1.5)","offset":0.33},{"transform":"scale(0.95)","offset":0.66},{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] In 1997, Nicholas created hundreds of emoticons, including the 3D smiley logo.

[{"selector":"#anim-3b87f3f3-486d-409f-86b0-d22be844cc5d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(21.874999829338595%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cc006c81-5c86-4bdd-afb0-756fd696f807","keyframes":[{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":0},{"transform":"scale(1.5)","offset":0.33},{"transform":"scale(0.95)","offset":0.66},{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] First published as GIF files on the Internet in 1998, they became the first graphical emoticons used in technology.

[{"selector":"#anim-693d87bf-a340-4e99-92ef-a4e5f7d2d346 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(12.514648210040342%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9ab170a2-f0ef-4a61-8471-4c62acc4c602","keyframes":[{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":0},{"transform":"scale(1.5)","offset":0.33},{"transform":"scale(0.95)","offset":0.66},{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] After some time he launched Smileyworld brand.

[{"selector":"#anim-ee764bf2-7aef-4919-8a18-e4d7c9c0844a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(3.219220821663691%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-94d2eef8-176d-4512-a6fd-6b3a6b89f6a6","keyframes":[{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":0},{"transform":"scale(1.5)","offset":0.33},{"transform":"scale(0.95)","offset":0.66},{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] The company has licensed the rights to their emoticons to other companies.

[{"selector":"#anim-70df23d3-eeed-4673-a837-d9f29cc123de [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(23.444383098773447%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c323d3ef-a6c6-46f1-ae6b-95a397ee163a","keyframes":[{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":0},{"transform":"scale(1.5)","offset":0.33},{"transform":"scale(0.95)","offset":0.66},{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] The Smiley Company has a global licensing empire worth more than $500m a year.