Starting this month, Australians in the state of Queensland can include emojis on their car license plates. Drivers can choose one of five emojis, including ‘cool sunglasses’ and ‘heart eyes’, to add to the end of their state-issued plate. The government-owned Personalized Plates is offering the new service, which costs between ASD 160 and 500 (that’s around USD 115 and 350). The new service has been promoted via a campaign on Instagram, and the revenue it generates will support Queensland Government initiatives, including road safety.

Emojis on car license plates! 😲😲👏. But this is more than just 😂😂😂. Read on...

Niche to mainstream. Emojis used to be the stuff of tween text messages, and nothing more. Now we all (okay, almost all) use them, and artists, tech-heads and linguists hold conferences in Brooklyn to discuss their significance. The underlying message here? Today’s niche or fringe cultures, behaviours and mindsets can become tomorrow’s mainstream. Want a glimpse of the future? Look to the fringes.

OFF=ON. Even as emojis became a mainstream part of online culture, it was easy to believe they had little relevance beyond that. But this example is yet another demonstration of how online behaviors and expectations transfer into the physical world too. What new expectations are consumers cultivating online right now that they’ll soon be bringing into the real world – and to your door?