According to Petra Theman, Director of Public Diplomacy “the Finland emojis were designed with a tongue-in-cheek approach, but I hope that they will tell the world not only about our special features but also something about our strengths”. The first three to be unveiled depict a man and woman enjoying a sauna, a Nokia 3310 – beloved by many who remember the pre-smartphone era – and a headbanger, reflecting Finns’ affection for hard rock.
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“Hopefully they will open up not only our weirdness but also our strengths of which unarming honesty is one example”.
The full collection of emojis will be gradually revealed starting on 1 December as part of a Christmas calendar. Doesn’t need introducing. Sauna is as Finnish as it gets. “The Headbanger” is described thusly: “It is dark in Finland and so is the music”.
Were you recently on holiday in Finland, unable to express your happiness about the Nokia to all your tween friends through the medium of Snapchatted emoji?
“The Unbreakable. The legendary Nokia 3310 is one of the highest selling mobile phones of all times”.
The other two emojis are a naked couple in a sauna and a heavy metal fan that represents how there’s “a small headbanger living inside of each Finn”.
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The emojis were designed by Bruno Leo Ribeiro of the marketing communications agency hasan&partners together with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
