A green background with dark blue text at the top of the image. At the bottom is a Mamiya EZ Quartz camera with a smiley face on the lens.

Mamiya Digital Imaging Co., Ltd. is a Japanese company founded in 1940 by camera designer Seiichi Mamiya and financial backer Tsunejiro Sugawara. Mamiya's headquarters are located in Tokyo, and the company employs over 200 people. Mamiya's last 35mm cameras produced were the Z-series cameras, including the Mamiya ZE, which was introduced in July, 1980. It was sometimes called the ZE Quartz because of its quartz-controlled focal-plane metal shutter. "Smile and say Mamiya" is a play on the saying, "Smile and say cheese", often used by people taking a picture of people. 

Traditional smiley face design in white on a bright pink background with white text around the outer edge

When Amtrak introduced its new TurboTrain in the 1970s, it was meant to update train travel with faster, more modern trains. It was dubbed "the train of the future", equipped with airplane-like gas turbine engines. Unfortunately, there were several problems with the operation of the trains, and they were very costly to maintain and operate. The TurboTrains were soon retired from the tracks in the 1980s. Amtrak often handed out promotional buttons and brochures on the TurboTrains first runs, with slogans like, "Smile a While on the TurboTrain" and, "We're Making the Trains Worth Traveling Again."

This button is a variation on the classic yellow smiley face that is comprised of a yellow circle, two black dots for eyes and a black arc ending in serifs for a mouth. It  was designed in 1963 by by commercial artist, Harvey Ross Ball. Ball was commissioned by The State Mutual Life Insurance Company to create a happy face to raise the morale of their employees. His version was created in 10 minutes. The design was printed onto more than 50 million buttons. Neither Ball nor the company copyrighted this smiley, so it was continually used by other businesses in their promotions.

The design and concept is quite simple and was definitely used before Ball’s 1963 version. However his has become the most iconic. Variations have been used for advertising campaigns and in popular culture ever since.

Traditional yellow smiley face design but with an upsidedown smile with tongue sticking out and black text under the face

This button is a variation on the classic yellow smiley face that is comprised of a yellow circle, two black dots for eyes and a black arc ending in serifs for a mouth. It  was designed in 1963 by by commercial artist, Harvey Ross Ball. Ball was commissioned by The State Mutual Life Insurance Company to create a happy face to raise the morale of their employees. His version was created in 10 minutes. The design was printed onto more than 50 million buttons. Neither Ball nor the company copyrighted this smiley, so it was continually used by other businesses in their promotions.

The design and concept is quite simple and was definitely used before Ball’s 1963 version. However his has become the most iconic. Variations have been used for advertising campaigns and in popular culture ever since.

A traditional smiley face wearing a red and white Santa hat with a red circle around the outer edge. An orange ribbon with bell attached at the bottom.©

The is a Santa Clause variation of the classic yellow smiley face which which is is comprised of a yellow circle, two black dots for eyes and a black arc ending in serifs for a mouth. It  was designed in 1963 by by commercial artist, Harvey Ross Ball. Ball was commissioned by The State Mutual Life Insurance Company to create a happy face to raise the morale of their employees. His version was created in 10 minutes. The design was printed onto more than 50 million buttons. Neither Ball nor the company copyrighted this smiley, so it was continually used by other businesses in their promotions. 

The design and concept is quite simple and was definitely used before Ball’s 1963 version. However his has become the most iconic. Variations have been used for advertising campaigns and in popular culture ever since.

Traditional smiley face design with a red background

The classic yellow smiley face is comprised of a yellow circle, two black dots for eyes and a black arc ending in serifs for a mouth. It  was designed in 1963 by by commercial artist, Harvey Ross Ball. Ball was commissioned by The State Mutual Life Insurance Company to create a happy face to raise the morale of their employees. His version was created in 10 minutes. The design was printed onto more than 50 million buttons. Neither Ball nor the company copyrighted this smiley, so it was continually used by other businesses in their promotions.

The design and concept is quite simple and was definitely used before Ball’s 1963 version. However his has become the most iconic. Variations have been used for advertising campaigns and in popular culture ever since.

Purple background with white smiley face.

The classic yellow smiley face is comprised of a yellow circle, two black dots for eyes and a black arc ending in serifs for a mouth. It  was designed in 1963 by by commercial artist, Harvey Ross Ball. Ball was commissioned by The State Mutual Life Insurance Company to create a happy face to raise the morale of their employees. His version was created in 10 minutes. The design was printed onto more than 50 million buttons. Neither Ball nor the company copyrighted this smiley, so it was continually used by other businesses in their promotions.

The design and concept is quite simple and was definitely used before Ball’s 1963 version. However his has become the most iconic. Variations have been used for advertising campaigns and in popular culture ever since.

White background with a thin red circle along outer edge. Blue text reading 'HAVE A NICE DAY' arching around the top of the button. Red smiley face is in the center with 'play world' in red text above the mouth.
 

Have a Nice Day is a colloquial expression when saying goodbye. It is often used in customer service in the USA with the consumer and the seller parting ways by telling each other to have a nice rest of their day. The first use of the phrase appeared in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales in 1387. The phrase gained wider use in the 1920s and has continued on into present day. 

Play World is a company that makes playground equipment for children. Any equipment for children to play in is often referred to as a “play world.”

The classic yellow smiley face is comprised of a yellow circle, two black dots for eyes, and a black arc ending in serifs for a mouth. It was designed in 1963 by commercial artist, Harvey Ross Ball. Ball was commissioned by The State Mutual Life Insurance Company to create a happy face to raise the morale of their employees. His version was created in 10 minutes. The design was printed onto more than 50 million buttons. Neither Ball nor the company copyrighted this smiley, so it was continually used by other businesses in their promotions.
The design and concept is quite simple and was definitely used before Ball’s 1963 version. However, his has become the most iconic. Variations have been used for advertising campaigns and in popular culture ever since.

Illustration of a traditional smiley face design but with a patch over one eye and on a white background

The classic yellow smiley face is comprised of a yellow circle, two black dots for eyes, and a black arc ending in serifs for a mouth. It was designed in 1963 by commercial artist, Harvey Ross Ball. Ball was commissioned by The State Mutual Life Insurance Company to create a happy face to raise the morale of their employees. His version was created in 10 minutes. The design was printed onto more than 50 million buttons. Neither Ball nor the company copyrighted this smiley, so it was continually used by other businesses in their promotions.
The design and concept is quite simple and was definitely used before Ball’s 1963 version. However, his has become the most iconic. Variations have been used for advertising campaigns and in popular culture ever since.

A pirate is someone who commits illegal crimes and acts of violence at sea or near the shores of the sea often involving theft. Pirates are often depicted with missing limbs as indicated with a peg leg or a large hook replacing a hand or a missing eye covered with an eye patch to show the violence that ensues upon robbing shores and other ships. The Jolly Roger refers to the design of the flag with skull and crossbones.

Black and white illustration of a sad face with black text around the outer edge of the button on a white background .

The Vietnam war which raged on for almost twenty years between 1955 and 1975 took countless lives on both sides. Apart from the high death count, many soldiers also went missing in action, never to be found. In addition, during the course of the war, prisoners were taken on both sides. These prisoners of war had to endure terrible conditions and often lacked a proper source of food. Many would endure torture for information, and many tragically perished as a result of their conditions.

The war effort increasingly grew unpopular as the toll became greater, especially in the United States. Several protests took place by citizens to show their displeasure and force the United States to cease the war. One of these methods was this button that would help to convey that POWs never had a good day. They would endure horrific conditions, and these buttons helped to remind people of what they were going through. 

Traditional smiley face design on an orange background

The classic yellow smiley face is comprised of a yellow circle, two black dots for eyes and a black arc ending in serifs for a mouth. It  was designed in 1963 by by commercial artist, Harvey Ross Ball. Ball was commissioned by The State Mutual Life Insurance Company to create a happy face to raise the morale of their employees. His version was created in 10 minutes. The design was printed onto more than 50 million buttons. Neither Ball nor the company copyrighted this smiley, so it was continually used by other businesses in their promotions.

The design and concept is quite simple and was definitely used before Ball’s 1963 version. However his has become the most iconic. Variations have been used for advertising campaigns and in popular culture ever since.