Dove: Code My Crown
Dove wanted to expand its 'Campaign for Real Beauty' into the digital realm. Edelman was tasked with addressing the systemic lack of authentic Black hair representation in video games, which left Black gamers feeling excluded. The goal was to move beyond awareness and provide a practical solution that would encourage major gaming studios to adopt more inclusive standards for avatar customization.
Creative Idea
Dove published a free open-source coding guide to help developers render realistic Black hairstyles.
Dove addressed the lack of authentic representation in gaming by creating 'Code My Crown,' a free, open-source technical guide that empowers developers to accurately code diverse Black hair textures, turning a beauty brand's advocacy into a functional industry tool.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
A legacy beauty brand with deep expertise in hair advocacy and the CROWN Act.
Category
Gaming studios that prioritize monster graphics while neglecting realistic textures for diverse human avatars.
Customer
Black gamers who feel like an afterthought due to limited and stereotypical avatar customization options.
Culture
The rise of the metaverse and digital identity as a primary form of self-expression for Gen Z.
Company
A legacy beauty brand with deep expertise in hair advocacy and the CROWN Act.
Category
Gaming studios that prioritize monster graphics while neglecting realistic textures for diverse human avatars.
Strategy:
Provide the missing technical infrastructure to turn a systemic exclusion into an industry-wide standard for inclusion.
Customer
Black gamers who feel like an afterthought due to limited and stereotypical avatar customization options.
Culture
The rise of the metaverse and digital identity as a primary form of self-expression for Gen Z.
Strategy:
Provide the missing technical infrastructure to turn a systemic exclusion into an industry-wide standard for inclusion.
Results
The 'Code My Crown' campaign achieved significant impact, garnering 1.8 billion impressions across major media outlets like Forbes, Rolling Stone, and Vogue Business. The initiative led to an 85% increase in Black gamers feeling better represented and a +32% boost in brand loyalty within the Black community. The guide, which includes over 200 pages of detailed 3D models and open-source code, was shared at GDC, the world's largest industry event. It has since been integrated into Activision's developer library and embraced by leading game development studios worldwide.
1.8B
impressions
85%
Black gamers feel better represented
+32%
brand loyalty amongst Black community
Strategy Technique
Build an Utility, Not an Ad
Instead of just pointing out the problem, Dove built a 200-page coding manual that became an essential industry resource, proving their commitment to beauty through utility.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Unexpected Utility
Dove moved beyond awareness by providing a tangible technical tool that solved a production barrier for developers, making inclusion a functional reality rather than just a marketing message.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
The campaign's excellence lies in its technical rigor and commitment to authentic representation, bridging the gap between social advocacy and practical software development.
The level of detail in the hair sculpts—from individual strands to complex braiding patterns—is technically superior to standard industry assets.
The messaging effectively frames a technical solution as a powerful act of social inclusion and brand purpose.
The visual contrast between the 'before' caricatures and the 'after' realistic models clearly demonstrates the campaign's value proposition.
Providing open-source code and a comprehensive developer guide ensures the campaign has a lasting, practical impact on the industry.
The synergy between high-end 3D artistry and open-source technology turns a brand message into a functional tool for the entire gaming industry.
Coding the CROWN Act into the Metaverse
1.8 Billion Impressions and Industry Adoption
The campaign achieved a staggering 1.8 billion impressions and 2 billion social media views, far exceeding the initial 900 million benchmark. More importantly, it drove a 32% increase in brand loyalty within the Black community. The initiative moved beyond marketing into utility, with major studios like Ubisoft, Activision, and Undead Labs integrating the guide into their workflows. This adoption reached 34,000 employees who serve an estimated 229 million gamers globally.
360 Degree Photo Mapping and Coiled Strands
Production involved a year of collaboration between Edelman, the Open Source Afro Hair Library (OSAHL), and a global team of Black 3D artists. To ensure authenticity, the team used 360-degree photo-mapping of real people to create 15 original hair sculpts. These base models can be adapted into hundreds of unique styles. Technically, the team had to innovate within existing software limitations, specifically manipulating the clump modifier tool to accurately render the physics of coiled and textured hair.
A 200 Page Technical Manifesto
The resulting 200+ page technical manual is unique for being half cultural celebration and half coding tutorial. Lead contributor A.M. Darke, a professor at UC Santa Cruz, worked alongside celebrity stylist Nai’Vasha Grace to bridge the gap between high-fashion hair artistry and digital rendering. Despite the immense production cost, Dove released the guide for free at the Game Developers Conference (GDC). This strategic move shifted Dove’s long-standing advocacy for the CROWN Act from legal policy into the digital infrastructure of the gaming world.
