The mate emoji turns six: what's the new campaign that's now aiming to have its own World Day?

Among the thousands of emojis circulating daily on messaging platforms and social media , there's one that stands out for its strong symbolic meaning in Argentina and other countries in the region: the "mate ." July 17th is World Emoji Day , a date that highlights the digital language used to communicate daily across all types of platforms.

Its incorporation into the global emoji catalog was not a coincidence, but the result of a campaign driven from Argentina by the company CBSé , in collaboration with a digital community that set out to make this traditional infusion visible in the language of screens.

The initiative emerged in 2015, at the height of the rise of emojis as a form of expression. The proposal, dubbed #UnEmojiParaElMate , included a petition drive on Change.org, social media campaigns, and public events, in addition to a formal submission to the Unicode Consortium , the international organization responsible for approving and standardizing emojis globally.

Four years later, in 2019, the emoji was finally approved and became available on major operating systems and messaging apps.

The inclusion of mate in the digital world was celebrated not only in Argentina, but also in countries where the beverage is beginning to gain popularity, such as Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, and some consumer communities in Europe and the United States.

Its adoption was immediate, and different versions of the icon soon appeared depending on the platform: Apple, Google, Samsung, Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, JoyPixels, and OpenMoji all developed their own visual representations of the mate. Some opted for a more realistic design, others for a minimalist or even cartoonish aesthetic, as can be seen in the case of OpenMoji.

"From that moment on, we can celebrate International Emoji Day with an icon that represents us culturally," said Carolina Valeria, head of Marketing and Communications at Establecimiento Santa Ana, the firm behind the proposal.

Beyond the symbol, the phenomenon reflects how local customs can find representation in globalized digital environments.

Since its inception, the mate emoji has been used to talk about moments of relaxation, healthy habits, intimate conversations, and shared routines. Its use transcends the strictly geographical and is integrated into a form of communication that knows no borders.

CBSé is currently promoting a new proposal: to establish World Mate Day , with the intention of turning the national holiday—currently celebrated on November 30—into a commemoration of global reach. To this end, it has launched a new Change.org campaign seeking to garner international support for the cause.