Games, the largest entertainment sector in the world, surpassing even the turnover of the music and cinema sectors. But despite this, the depiction of Black hair in gaming is often still inaccurate, highly stereotypical, and ultimately, racist. In fact, 85% of Black Gamers feel that Black hair is poorly represented in video games.
Authored entirely by Black creatives, The Dove: Code My Crown guide is a complete resource for the creation of authentic representations of Black hair in videogames.
This 250+ page guide features full 360 reference photos, step by step tutorials of different hairstyles, downloadable working files and cultural insights, all free for any one to download and use.
Giving the games industry the tools to better represent the millions of Black Gamers who play their games. And making sure that everyone sees their real beauty realised with respect, care and accuracy.
The campaign resonated deeply with the gaming community, generating over 1.8 billion impressions with 100% positive or neutral sentiment. In addition to being included in Activision’s library, we are actively collaborating with various gaming studios to integrate the guide into their development processes.
The campaign’s impact is evident, with 95% of Black gamers agreeing that “the initiative has a positive impact on the gaming industry.” Furthermore, 81% of Black gamers felt more connected with Dove, and there was a 32% increase in brand loyalty within the Black community.
Credits:
Agency: Edelman
CCO: Judy John, Mattias Ronge, Stefan Ronge
Co-CCO: Melle Hock
ECD: Jamie Cordwell, Andrew Simon
ACD: Thiago Campos, John Wilds
Art Directors: Albert Botelho, Thiago Campos
Designers: Albert Botelho, Izzi Mordini
Writers: Shareina Chandler, Olivia Thomas, John Wilds
Project Director: Sarah Brooks
Production: Byron Clear, Lucie Hackman, Mimi Inglis
Production Coordinator: Cynthia Corbett
Executive Producer: Jenny Read
Awards:
Cannes Lions 2024 (Creative Strategy - Market Disruption) - Gold
Cannes Lions 2024 ( Excellence in PR Craft - Sponsorship & Partnership) - Silver
Cannes Lions 2024 ( Entertainment for Gaming > Diversity & Inclusion in Gaming) - Silver
Cannes Lions 2024 (Digital Craft - Personalised Storytelling & Experience) - Bronze
Cannes Lions 2024 (Gaming-Led Brand Experience) - Shortlisted
Cannes Lions 2024 (Culture & Context > Corporate Purpose & Social Responsibility) - Shortlisted
Cannes Lions 2024 (Challenges & Breakthroughs > Corporate Purpose & Social Responsibility) - Shortlisted
Eurobest 2024 (Digital Craft > Digital Illustration & Image Design) - Gold
Eurobest 2024 (Entertainment > Diversity & Inclusion in Gaming) - Gold
Gerety Awards 2024 (Entertainment > Alternative) - Silver
Gerety Awards 2024 (B2B > Alternative) - Silver
Gerety Awards 2024 (Work for Good > Strategy) - Silver
Creativepool 2024 (B2B) - Grand Prix
Creativepool 2024 (PR) - Gold
LIA 2024 (Creativity in B2B - Corporate Purpose & Social Responsibility) - Silver
LIA 2024 (Creativity in PR - Beauty) - Silver
Cresta Awards 2024 (The OMG Award): Gold
Cresta Awards 2024 (B2B - Games/VR/AR): Gold
Cresta Awards 2024: *Jury Chair Award*
The Lovie Awards 2024 (Best Social Impact Campaign) - Silver
The Drum Awards 2024 (Social Purpose > B2B for Good) - Gold
The Luum Awards 2024 - Essence of the Message>Diversity & Inclusion/PR - Gold
The Luum Awards 2024 - Essence of the Message>Diversity & Inclusion/PR - Grand Prix
PR Week UK 2024 - Highly Commended in B2B Campaigns
The Shorty Impact Awards 2024 - Cause > Diversity, Equity & Inclusion - Gold
The Shorty Impact Awards 2024 - By Industry > B2B - Grand Prix
The Shorty Impact Awards 2024 - By Industry > B2B - Audience Honour
The Anthem Awards 2024 - Diversity, Equity & Inclusion - Silver
