It all began here…Paris, France – A young journalist named Franklin Loufrani had a stroke of invention. Loufrani had foregone college and joined his first newspaper at 19, and, in 1971, while working for the newspaper France-Soir, he became tired of the constant stream of negative news and decided to design a campaign that would highlight positive stories to readers. His idea? A smiling yellow face next to all positive news and on fun products to spread the campaign in every home and public space.
This simple trademark — a yellow circle, two dots, a smile — retained relevancy through 50 years of cultural movements, from free love to raves to the digital revolution thanks to the creative efforts and networking ability of Franklin and his son Nicolas who joined him in 1997, surrounded by all the amazing people working at the Smiley company and its partners.
Over the decades, it has evolved into a cultural symbol of positivity, collaborating with leading fashion houses, artists, and retailers worldwide. With over 90 countries of presence and more than 300 brand licensees, Smiley continues to fuse happiness with pop culture through bold, playful design and cross-generational appeal.
