Apple hid a heartfelt letter to ‘misfits’ inside its paper emoji. Users just uncovered it
It was found that John Appleseed had a strange message for a lady named Katie.
Emojis, used to express emotions through text, have become an integral part of digital communication. Emojis are such a big deal now that Gen Z may feel offended if you don't use one while texting them. Despite almost everybody using emojis all the time, only a few take the effort to understand their real meanings. Ella (@el_michelle1), for example, has gone viral for sharing a thought-provoking detail about the paper emoji for all Apple users. While most of us have either used or at least seen the emoji, not many know that the letter has an actual message for someone named Katie. Ella posted the video on Instagram on December 10, which went viral with over five million views within 24 hours.
When Ella zoomed in on the "paper" emoji, she realized someone called John Appleseed had a strange message for a lady named Katie. "Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes," the letter read. Appleseed's letter celebrated creativity, boldness, and visionary thinking. It seemed like a motivational message for those who refuse to accept limitations and are brave enough to change the world. He explained that the people who see things differently are those who are least bothered about the rules. "You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things; they push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius," the letter added.
Interestingly, researchers have found that emojis do far more than decorate a message. A study in Computers in Human Behavior shows that emojis directly influence how people interpret emotional tone and intention in digital communication, which explains why something as small as a hidden message inside a paper emoji can spark such strong reactions. The study noted that readers often assign warmth, meaning, or even narrative depth based on tiny visual cues.
The letter appears to be a strange interaction between a couple, but in reality, it's part of the "Think Different" campaign by Apple in 1997. At the time, the company was going through a tough time amidst Steve Jobs' return after leaving in 1985 following a power struggle with the board, and then-CEO John Sculley. Through the campaign, Apple told people that they're all about creativity, bold ideas, and challenging the outdated norms. To regain people's trust in the company, they published several ads featuring historical figures like Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, Picasso, and Amelia Earhart — real "crazy ones" who changed the world.
But wait, who is John Appleseed? He is a pioneer often credited with introducing apple trees across the US, especially in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. When Apple Inc. was founded in 1976, the company was striving for acceptability. So, it is assumed that Apple started using his name to gain recognition. Meanwhile, Ella's video garnered a lot of discussion, and some netizens couldn't believe that they had been using the paper emoji without knowing the secret text; others revealed different assumptions related to it. For instance, @bopoing commented, "This is also the text in the retro MacBook moving wallpapers in the new iOS. I believe it’s a Steve Jobs quote."
@snflwrcoded wrote, "Each paper emoji has something understandable written on it. WTH." @ctyri.rohliky said, "The more I read about emoji lore, the more interesting it is." @majestikatt wrote, "They used that name because of the gardener who planted apples. That’s kinda cute because, like, the company is named Apple, and they put an apple farmer’s name." Similarly, @_.ashit._ wrote, "Johnny Appleseed was an eccentric American gardener in the early days of European settlement of America. He roamed the wilderness with apple seeds and planted huge apple orchards (with a pet wolf, notably). This seems like a clever Easter egg by Apple, given their namesake."
You can follow Ella (@el_michelle1) on Instagram for lifestyle content.
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