Gillette Venus, which broke new ground with its “My Skin. My Way” campaign from Grey New York celebrating all types of women’s skin, has launched a new gaming activation from the agency. Gillette Venus’ custom designed “skinclusive summer line” lets players of the popular simulations game Animal Crossing add a wide array of skin types, from freckles to tattoos to stretch marks, to their characters as well as clothing. The game is most popular among women ages 19-24.
Venus partnered with famed digital artist Nicole Cuddihy to co-create new avatar designs on Animal Crossing to serve as the largest offering of skin-inclusive designs to ever be available in the game. An all-woman team across all departments at Grey created the communications.
“In a world where there are so many explicit and implicit rules on how women should show or feel about their skin, skin-inclusivity and positive representation matters,” said Anthony van Dijk, sr. brand director of Venus North America. “The purpose of our My Skin. My Way campaign is to ensure that we’re putting out responsible imagery that represents reality and celebrates all types of skin, while also spotlighting the diverse skin stories of women all around the world. With Animal Crossing, we saw a unique opportunity to meet women where they are this summer by providing new ways to make gaming a more inclusive space, while also enabling them to gather virtually, safely on a beach to celebrate summer and skin inclusivity.”
On the inspiration and heartfelt purpose behind the designs, Cuddihy said, “While momentum for diversity in design is building, there are many areas where progress feels slow. The fact that I could add scars and wrinkles to warriors or outlaws, but not characters in less combat-driven games felt discouraging. With these designs, I hope that all women in Animal Crossing can find comfort and representation in this carefully developed collection. I drew inspiration from those in my own life to ensure the designs I was creating accurately represented their skin stories in a way that feels real, celebratory and beautiful.”
CreditsClient Procter & Gamble/Gillette Venus Agency Grey New York Javier Bonilla, global executive creative director; Amanda Brencys, Rebecca Flinn, creative directors; Eileen Matthews, associate creative director/copywriter; Anuar Morad, sr. copywriter; Jhanell Biggs, sr. planner; Shelby Issersohn, project manager; Amanda Davis, project director, special projects & innovation; Marie Kelly, SVP, experiential; Kenny Gold, SVP, director, social media; Kait Pearse, associate director, influencer; Ish Traore, content architect. Production Agency Townhouse/GPS Keira Rosenthal, VP, executive integrated producer; Victoria Najmy, assistant integrated producer; Dominick Martimucci, sr. video editor; Michaela Moriarty, post producer; Natasha Howell, VP, head of talent. Design Nicole Cuddihy, digital designer
Top Spot of the Week: Morrisons, Leo Burnett UK, Director Michael Gracey Present “The Greatest Show at Home” For Christmas
Morrisons, the U.K. supermarket and convenience store chain, has released its new Christmas ad, which presents โThe Greatest Show at Home,โ paying tribute to the hosts who put on the feasts which are the centerpiece of family get-togethers. Created by Leo Burnett UK and directed by Michael Gracey via production house Partizan, this :60 opens on a snowy evening, with a Morrisons delivery van arriving at a home. Inside, a lone oven glove catches a spotlight and springs to life, beginning to sing the opening line of โGive a Little Love.โ As the ad progresses, we are taken on a journey through a series of festive kitchens, where the gloves provide moral support to hosts preparing for the big day.
The much-loved singing gloves, of course, have been a staple of Morrisons holiday cheer. And their new performance is set to the soundtrack of the aforementioned โGive a Little Loveโ from Bugsy Malone, recorded by a choir of 26 Morrisons colleagues at Abbey Road Studios--with talent spotted from across Morrisons stores, manufacturing sites and support office. The soundtrack sets the tone with the feel-good energy and celebratory warmth of a big โmusicalโ production finale.
The gloves, now fully animated with distinct voices, sing their support for the nationโs family chefs--encouraging them as they prepare an array of indulgent Christmas dishes. From British turkeys and beautifully presented whole salmon, to party food from The Bestrange and indulgent desserts, the ad places Morrisons food front and center, offering a feast for the eyes as well as the table.
Gracey--who directed the feature The Greatest Showman--combines the playful charm of the oven gloves with a theatrical flair, giving the commercial a sense of... Read More