The Smiley Company is living an intense phase, marked by a major licensing deal with Rovio Entertainment and marketing initiatives through 2026. 

These moves show the brand’s push to stay relevant across digital and physical touchpoints.

Angry Birds and SmileyWorld Join Forces

Announced in April 2026, SmileyWorld and Rovio Entertainment‘s Angry Birds have entered a global licensing partnership scheduled to come to life in 2027. The collaboration, presented under the banner Emotions Unleashed, ties directly into the Smiley Company’s celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Smiley icons and its year-long Express Your World campaign.

The two brands share a notable origin: both emerged from the digital world and became a global cultural phenomenon. SmileyWorld redefined how people communicate emotions online, while Angry Birds became one of the most downloaded mobile game franchises in history, with Rovio titles collectively surpassing five billion downloads. The partnership positions emotion as the common thread, framing expressive play as a shared value across both properties.

Nicolas Loufrani, CEO of The Smiley Company, described the collaboration as both natural and symbolic. He noted that both brands started in the digital space and went on to shape how people interact and communicate globally. Hanna Valkeapää-Nokkala, VP of Transmedia at Rovio Entertainment, described it as an invitation for fans to connect through expressive play. She encouraged people to embrace the full emotional spectrum as a source of energy and connection.

On the digital side, SmileyWorld icons will be integrated for a limited period into Rovio’s free-to-play titles Angry Birds 2 and Angry Birds Dream Blast. The campaign will be supported by influencer content, YouTube collaborations, a global PR campaign, and paid media. Beyond digital, a consumer products programme will produce co-branded collections and limited-edition drops across key retail categories, guided by exclusive style guides built around the “Emotions Unleashed” concept — defined by bold visuals, a blend of playful energy and positivity, and a youth-driven design language.

The timing is deliberate. The Angry Birds Movie 3 is set for cinema release on 23 December 2026, aligning with the start of Smiley’s broader anniversary celebrations. Throughout 2027, the brand plans major collaborations, retail pop-ups, and art trails visiting cities worldwide. All initiatives will be anchored by the “Express Your World” campaign.

2026 Brand Activations: Originality and Nostalgia

In addition to the Rovio partnership, The Smiley Company has two major 2026 activations: the We Are All Original content initiative and the latest installment of its lifestyle series, House of Smiley: Spring Break. Each aims to strengthen brand identity and cultural relevance.

We Are All Original is a global content series that spotlights bold, emerging creative voices. Launching this spring, it opens with artist and model Charlotte Rose, whose work sits at the intersection of high fashion and contemporary art, followed by Goldie, the artist and cultural figure known for his boundary-pushing creative legacy. Further subjects will be announced throughout 2026. Each participant will be featured through short film portraits, social media takeovers, and live conversations. Lorna Milliken, CMO at The Smiley Company, described the initiative as a move beyond the brand icon itself, towards celebrating the individuals who use their craft to spark dialogue.

In April, the brand’s experiential format House of Smiley brought its Spring Break edition to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The event was timed to coincide with the Tortuga Music Festival (10–12 April). The activation gathered a curated group of influencers for a series of partner product launches and social content creation. Hero partners for the occasion included American Eagle & Aerie, bags-and-accessories label Kipling, and athleisure brand Halara. A broader product showcase also featured Market, Barefoot Dreams, Moschino, and several other lifestyle brands.

The event drew on nineties surf and longboard culture for its visual identity, with a social-first campaign shoot designed to reflect Smiley’s nostalgic roots. Content produced on-site — spanning images, video, and trend-driven social formats — was tailored for TikTok and Instagram distribution, aiming to reach millions of users across both platforms.

Together, these initiatives reflect the direction The Smiley Company is pursuing ahead of its anniversary year: combining high-profile commercial partnerships with culturally grounded content to sustain relevance across mainstream retail, digital audiences, and the broader licensing landscape.