Franklin Loufrani is widely recognised as the smiley face owner and creator, having developed the Smiley logo as an emblem of hope and positivity. Franklin Loufrani’s son, Nicolas Loufrani, took the concept one step further when he joined the Smiley Company, which he serves as CEO today. Nicolas Loufrani created different versions of the Smiley logo, each with different facial expressions, paving the way for the globally recognised visual language we know as emoticons today.
The Smiley Company’s connection with music dates back to the 1980s, when Smiley was embraced as a logo of emerging music subcultures, particularly the electronic music movement. Partnering with Music Declares Emergency, the Smiley Company recently licensed use of the Smiley logo in the ‘No Music on a Dead Planet’ t-shirt range, featuring two designs by the UK-based artist Raissa Pardini.
Harnessing the power of music to drive the climate action necessary for a better future, the ‘No Music on a Dead Planet’ campaign has been endorsed by numerous world-renowned artists, including the likes of Radiohead, Napalm Death, The LSO, Brian Eno, Arlo Parks and Billie Eilish. Fay Milton, creative director of Music Declares Emergency, cited the campaign as a way of enabling music fans to express their concerns about the climate, as well as allowing them to find allies and spark debate that otherwise may not occur.
Having sold more than 40,000 t-shirts across over 40 countries over the last three years, Music Declares Emergency hopes to continue to provide an inclusive and cultural way for people to share their values. Ultimately, the organisation hopes to express consensus for urgent climate action to force those in power to start taking notice.
The ‘No Music on a Dead Planet’ campaign invites people to stand together on the climate and ecological emergency, lobbying for immediate action from governments all around the world to protect all life. Using all-natural materials rather than plastic, the t-shirts are designed to be recycled once worn out. In addition, all campaign products are shipped in plastic-free packaging, with products manufactured using renewable energy and made in real time, seconds after being ordered to avoid waste.
In its recent Peoples’ Climate Vote, the University of Oxford established that there is significant public support for transitioning towards clean, renewable energy, a green economy, and the conservation of forests and land. Voters across the G20 have shown a preference for new regulations forcing businesses to be more transparent and pay levies for pollution they produce. The move to support legislation forcing businesses to pay for their pollution received majority support in 7 out of 12 high-income countries, led by the UK at 72% followed by Canada at 69%. In addition, the survey also revealed significant public support for cleaning up the world’s oceans and waterways. With 71% of the Earth’s surface covered by water, in addition to absorbing a third of all greenhouse gas emissions, the world’s oceans are home to millions of species, serving as a vital life-support system for the planet.
The ‘No Music on a Dead Planet’ movement calls for media institutions and governments alike to tell the truth about the climate and ecological emergency, pressing governments for immediate action to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 at the latest. Recognising that the emergency has arisen from global injustices, the movement is committed to working towards systematic change to protect biodiversity. ‘No Music on a Dead Planet’ recognises the environmental impact of music industry practices on the planet and is committed to taking urgent action.
Having pledged to speak up about the climate and ecological emergency, the ‘No Music on a Dead Planet’ campaign works unilaterally, sharing expertise as a community and collective. The movement’s overriding objective is to ensure that the music industry and all businesses operating within it are ecologically sustainable and regenerative.
