On the first Friday of October each year, people around the world are invited to exchange smiles and carry out small acts of kindness. The observance was conceived by Harvey Ball, the American graphic designer who created the smiley face, after he became increasingly worried about the over-commercialisation of his symbol and the loss of its original meaning in the marketplace. This year, the day falls on 2 October.
Who was Harvey Ball
Harvey Ross Ball was born on 10 July 1921 in Worcester, Massachusetts, and died on 12 April 2001. He served in the US Army during the Second World War, and afterwards worked for a local advertising firm until he started his own business, Harvey Ball Advertising, in 1959.
A commission from an insurance company
In 1963, Ball was approached by Joy Young, marketing director of the State Mutual Life Assurance Company, with instructions to design "a little smile". The aim was to remind employees to smile while using the phone, selling insurance and working around the office. Ball produced the design in about ten minutes, and it was used on badges, cards and posters in the workplace. He charged the company $45 for his work.
From symbol to annual observance
The smiley face quickly became one of the best-known symbols in the world. Ball's view was that the symbol recognised no politics, geography or religion, and that for at least one day a year neither should people. He therefore declared that the first Friday of October each year would be recognised as World Smile Day.
The first World Smile Day was held in 1999, and it has since been celebrated every year in Ball's hometown of Worcester and around the world.
The foundation behind the day
Following Ball's death in 2001, the Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation was established to honour his name and legacy, and it remains the official sponsor of World Smile Day. The foundation directs attention to small, grassroots charitable efforts that would otherwise receive little attention or funding.
A message of kindness
The official slogan of World Smile Day is: "Do an act of kindness. Help one person smile."
People are encouraged to share smiles with one another in order to create, even if only for one day, a pleasant atmosphere across the planet.
