The classic yellow smiley was created by graphic artist Harvey Ball for the State Mutual Life Assurance Company. He was paid just $45 for the design, which was meant to boost employee morale.
As rave culture grew, the smiley became inextricably linked with ecstasy use in the media. UK tabloids like the Daily Mirror used the icon to brand the scene as a "moral panic," which only served to make the symbol more popular among youth. Cultural Significance smiling_acid
The (often simply called the "Acid Smiley") is the definitive icon of the Acid House music movement and 1980s rave culture. While originally a corporate logo, its adoption by London club scenes in 1987 transformed it into a global symbol for hedonism, unity, and psychedelic dance music. The Evolution of an Icon The classic yellow smiley was created by graphic
