Smiley Face

or

A smiley face is used to express one's joyful emotions on the emotionless medium we know as the Internet. You normally tilt your head to the left to see these critters. Here are some examples:

:), =), :], =], 8), 8] are your basic smilies.
;), =>, :> is used when you've made a flirtatious or sarcastic remark.
>:) is a mischievous grin.
(: is a left-handed smiley. (Tilt head to the right).
:D is a big-toothed grin or laughter.
:O is also laughter.
B) is a sun-glassed smiley.

Please note that variants use a -, o, or something else between the : (eyes) and ) (mouth) to make a cute little nose. Happy smiling.

                      ,,ggddY""""Ybbgg,,
                 ,agd""'              `""bg,
              ,gdP"                       "Ybg,
            ,dP"                             "Yb,
          ,dP"                                 "Yb,
         ,8"                                     "8,
        ,8'           ,db,         ,db,           `8,
       ,8'            8.88         8.88            `8,
       d'             8888         8888             `b
       8              8888         8888              8
       8              `YP'         `YP'              8
       8          ,                       .          8
       8        .9,                       ,P.        8
       Y,      '" Ya                     aP "'      ,P
       `8,         "Ya                 aP"         ,8'
        `8,          "Yb,_         _,dP"          ,8'
         `8a           `""YbbgggddP""'           a8'
          `Yba                                 adP'
            "Yba                             adY"
              `"Yba,                     ,adP"'
                 `"Y8ba,             ,ad8P"'
                      ``""YYbaaadPP""''

Its popularity grew over the years, helped along by the fact that Ball never registered a trademark for it. By the 1970's it was plastered over almost everything imaginable - buttons, posters, underwear, and illicit drugs. In 1999, the United States Postal Service issued a smiley face stamp to commemorate the 1970's.

However, Franklin Loufrani, a Frenchman, registered a trademark for the symbol in 1971 and now holds the trademark in most of the world. Through his company, London-based Smiley Licensing Corp., he has threatened to sue to enforce the trademark. Ball never initiated legal action against Loufrani, but was upset that Loufrani claimed to be the symbol's inventor. Ball died on April 12, 2001 at the age of 79, after having initiated World Smile Day^TM (yes, it's trademarked) in 1999 to restore its message of spreading good will.

That may certainly be the original intent, but the ubiquitous symbol's simplicity creates a polysemy. Taken in its original 1960's meaning, it would be goofily campy today. Through time it has morphed into a dispassionate "duh." It tells us to find happiness, be happy. What an utterly mindless, if not cheery, message. As a tautology it certainly fits in with pop culture.