17612: On Celebrating Inclusive Beauty.

  

From The Drum…

What Notting Hill carnival teaches us about beauty’s inclusivity problem

By Manish Tiwari, Chairman & Founder Here&Now365

Notting Hill Carnival is a masterclass in what inclusive beauty really looks like. Here&Now 365’s Preet Khanna argues that brands need to go beyond diverse casting and prove their credentials through product, presence and genuine participation in culture.

Every August, Notting Hill Carnival showcases the same beauty truth: the haircare industry still hasn’t caught up with the people it serves. Locs, coils, braids, twists and afros filled the streets, worn loud, proud and completely unfiltered. But most of the products lining supermarket shelves were designed with none of that texture in mind.

So, what better test of a haircare brand than Notting Hill Carnival, where hours of dancing, heat and humidity leave a product that doesn’t perform with nowhere to hide?

At Vatika Naturals, over 140 years have gone into building a brand around one belief: no hair type should be left behind by generic haircare standards. This year, that belief met its truest test at Notting Hill Carnival. The result was #CarnivalOfStrands, a campaign built not simply as a marketing exercise, but as a genuine attempt to meet the community where it already was.

As Roshni Singh, head of marketing at Vatika Naturals, put it: “Our ethos has always been to embrace your natural self, and that belief sits at the heart of everything we create for our multi-ethnic audiences. #CarnivalOfStrands was a genuine attempt to cater to every hair type and celebrate the unique rhythm of every strand, part of a wider journey to build a brand that speaks to the full diversity of hair textures across our communities.”

What did this year’s Carnival tell us about building an inclusive beauty brand?

The gap is about presence, not awareness

Most ‘inclusive’ haircare campaigns stop at representation in imagery: a wider range of models, a more diverse casting brief. That’s necessary, but it’s not sufficient. What became clear early on was that the real gap was physical. Brands simply weren't showing up in the spaces where textured hair is most visibly, joyfully on display. So instead of running the campaign purely through digital media, Vatika went to where the hair was, taking over key spaces at Paddington Station to greet Carnival-goers the moment they stepped off the train.

That decision reshaped how the campaign was thought about as a whole. A poster can say a brand is inclusive but simply meeting someone where they are already celebrating says it more convincingly than any headline could.

Culture-first doesn’t mean culture-adjacent

There’s a difference between borrowing a moment and actually contributing to it. Partnering with Sundivas, a London-based music duo, let Vatika carry its brand ethos, ‘own your story, let them know’, through sound rather than just signage. It’s a small distinction, but an important one: Carnival’s invitation to show up exactly as you are works best when a brand adds something to that spirit rather than simply attaching itself to it.

Product credibility still must do the work

None of this lands without the product actually performing. Vatika’s Aquaboost and Curls Oil ranges exist because curl patterns behave differently under heat, humidity and hours of movement, the exact conditions Carnival puts hair through. But the bigger lesson for the industry isn’t about any single formula. It’s that inclusivity claims collapse quickly if the product itself was never built with textured hair as the standard, rather than an addition to an existing range. Carnival is where that promise was put to the test and proven right.

It’s more than just one campaign message

The haircare industry’s ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach has rarely reflected what Carnival looks like on the streets, and that mismatch isn’t unique to one event. It shows up every time a brand treats textured hair as a niche rather than a norm.

What #CarnivalOfStrands reinforced is that closing that gap takes more than a campaign message; it takes formulation built for the full range of textures, and a willingness to show up physically in the communities a brand says it's serving.

Vatika doesn’t claim to have solved that. But the brand came away from this Carnival with a sharper sense of what “inclusive” has to mean in practice: not a wider casting call, but a wider standard, for what counts as normal hair, and for where a brand is willing to turn up and prove it.

16818: TGIFried Hair Day.

 

Clickbait from ambulance chasers positioning themselves as defenders of justice—ready to take legal action against hair relaxer manufacturers?! Straight up.

10634: BHM 2023—Sally Beauty.

 

Digiday Media’s Glossy spotlighted the BHM campaign from Sally Beauty that celebrates Black hair and joy. Maybe BHM stands for Black Hair Month…?

 

Sally Beauty celebrates textured hair in Black History Month campaign

 

By Emma Sandler

 

In honor of Black History Month, Sally Beauty is celebrating Black hair and joy.

 

The month-long campaign, launched on February 1 and called We See You, celebrates inclusivity through founder spotlights on social media, in-store signage and dedicated space on e-commerce. The campaign video features multiple BIPOC models with different hair textures, curls and colors, in various moments of repose and joy, styling their hair or showing off their hair style. Overlaying these images is text that reads, “We see you. If you have textured hair, you’ve heard. Supporting Black-owned brands and pro-quality products for 20 years.” Additionally, the ad includes audio snippets of questions often posed to people with textured hair, like “Is your hair real?” or “Can I touch it?” Those are followed by responses like, “That’s my hair business,” and “Like a work of art, no touching.”

 

“The sense of community, love and acceptance is a big component of this campaign. It also highlights our authority in the space, as Sally Beauty has cultivated and brought different texture brands to market for over 20 years,” said Carolyne Guss, CMO of Sally Beauty.

 

Guss pointed out that Sally Beauty retails over 100 textured hair brands, 54% of which are Black-owned and founded. It was also the first retail partner for buzzy textured hair brands like Eden Bodyworks and Mielle Organics, the latter of which sold to P&G in late 2022 for an undisclosed sum. Sally Beauty’s core customers are typically women of color. In 2019, at least 30% of its hair-care sales were textured-hair products, according to previous Glossy reporting.

 

In addition to the video, Sally Beauty asked campaign models and influencers to write love letters to their own hair, which are being shared on the Sally Beauty e-commerce site and social media. For paid media, Sally Beauty is concentrating on Instagram and Facebook ads, and unpaid media placements on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. Guss declined to share investment figures but called the campaign an important, full-funnel marketing initiative. QR codes in-store will drive consumers to a SallyBeauty.com landing page spotlighting Black founders, which will have rotating information on founders, products and love letters. Founders and brands include Monique Rodriguez from Mielle Organics, Janelle Stevens from Camille Rose, and Jesseca Dupart from Kaleidoscope, among others.

 

Sally Beauty Holdings net sales for the first quarter of fiscal year 2023 were $957 million, a decrease of 2.4% year-over-year, driven by 350 store closures and unfavorable foreign exchange impact. However, e-commerce sales increased 14% to $91 million, representing 9.5% of net sales.

 

“We’re focused on our loyal customers, as well as acquiring new customers through our marketing program, differentiated product offerings in professional color and care, and strategic initiatives,” said Denise Paulonis, CEO of Sally Beauty Holdings, on the company’s first-quarter 2023 earnings call Thursday. Sally Beauty maintains 17 million active loyalty members across U.S. and Canada, representing 77% of first-quarter sales.

 

Since 2020, numerous brands and retailers have increased their investment in BIPOC-owned or -founded brands. Some retailers, like Ulta Beauty and Sephora, committed to the 15 Percent Pledge to increase such brand representation on shelves. Others, like Urban Decay, have sought to amplify Black beauty experiences, sometimes without any direct product-tie-in. Digiday reported that companies, including beauty subscription box Ipsy, are extending their Black History Month marketing efforts beyond February.

 

As part of Sally Beauty’s campaign, the company will host a series of in-store and online promotions for textured hair products to drive top-line sales. On the earnings call, Paulonis said the company has not increased promotions in any meaningful way, but that Sally Beauty is leaning more into promotions when it can and that customers are looking for and taking advantage of promotions. According to Guss, to gauge the success of the “We See You” campaign, the company will measure the media impact and the extent to which its drives store and e-commerce traffic.

 

“[Our dedication to Black customers] isn’t something that we do and then walk away from after a short period of time. It’s an ongoing part of Sally Beauty,” said Guss.

15703: BHM 2022—Madam C.J. Walker.

Just in time for Black History Month, Advertising Age reported on the relaunch of the iconic Madam C.J. Walker brand, acquired by Unilever—yes, Unilever—when the mega-advertiser picked up Sundial Brands in 2017. Hey, Jimmie “JJ” Walker is available for advertising opportunities. Expect a “When C.J. Met JJ” promotional video soon.

 

Black Beauty Brand Madam C.J. Walker Relaunches In Bid To Reach Younger Buyers

 

After being acquired by Unilever, the historic Black haircare brand is reaching out to Gen Z while reminding customers of its roots

 

By Jade Yan

 

More than 100 years after it was founded, Black beauty brand Madam C.J. Walker is relaunching with new products and a brand overhaul that includes a new name: Madam by Madam C.J. Walker. The brand, created in the early 1900s by Black entrepreneur and self-made millionaire Madam C.J. Walker, is supporting the overhaul with a campaign that mixes the brand’s traditional focus on quality with an appeal to the diverse needs of a younger customer.

 

The brand, acquired by Unilever under Sundial Brands five years ago, is targeting Gen Z consumers with the new ads. Agencies involved in the campaign include Black-owned The Kitchen Table, and Black-owned Team Epiphany.

 

The campaign promotes 11 new products, which focus on scalp care and hair growth. While seeking to appeal to new audiences, the brand is also pointing towards its heritage—and there is plenty of history behind the brand. It began when Sarah Breedlove, who changed her name to Madam C.J. Walker, founded a beauty company in 1910. Walker, who had been a farmworker and laundrywoman, was inspired to start her business after trying to find remedies for her own scalp problems.

 

According to Walker’s great-great granddaughter and brand spokesperson A’Lelia Bundles, Walker’s reputation when she founded her company was based on high-quality products and hair health. She was also an activist, donating time and money to causes such as anti-lynching legislation, according to a website created by Bundles. Her story inspired a Netflix series called “Self Made,” which debuted in 2020 and stared Octavia Spencer, Tiffany Haddish, Carmen Ejogo.

 

The brand today is showing that it is staying true to these roots. “We wanted to honor that legacy and also have a remix on it,” said Cara Sabin, CEO of Sundial Brands, which includes Madam C.J. Walker, along with SheaMoisture, Nubian Heritage and Nyakio.

 

According to Sabin, the brand is going after consumers who value quality but also are interested in experimenting with their hair.

 

The campaign includes a spot showing women rocking a variety of hairstyles, from flicking their braids around to touching their new curls—“Let’s stop asking: did you change your hair?” says a voiceover. “And no—you know you can’t touch it.” Sabin called these questions “a wink to our consumer, because we know that often she gets asked that question.”

 

The spot brings in the brand’s history by switching to shots of women reading a book bearing an image of Madam C.J. Walker. “We’re locking down the legacy,” says the voiceover.

 

The brand sees the Gen Z consumer as more diverse and more willing to experiment with their hair, said Sabin, partly because of social media offering more opportunities for learning. The pandemic has also prompted consumers to become more involved with their haircare.

 

Wil Shelton, CEO of Wil Power Integrated Marketing, which specializes in marketing ethnic personal care products, said one challenge is navigating how Unilever’s acquisition of Sundial Brands might have changed consumer perceptions. Acquisitions can cause people to think that the brand has changed, said Shelton, even when this isn’t the case. As a result, the brand should focus on transparency and letting customers know that they “still have the same mission, the same authenticity,” said Shelton, who isn't affiliated with the brand.

 

The acquisition could also continue to prompt conversations among consumers about the pros and cons of supporting Black-led versus Black-owned companies, said Shelton. When big conglomerates acquire a Black-owned brand, consumers can “feel like you’re diluting the brand’s authenticity,” he said.

 

Unilever has a history with moves towards racial justice, but the company has also dealt with some controversy after releasing an ad for Dove in 2017 that was criticized as racist because it showed a Black woman taking off a brown shirt to reveal a white woman.

 

Sundial Brands was also perceived by some as moving away from its African-American base after producing a commercial in 2017 for Shea Moisture that showed white women using its haircare products.

 

The new campaign is digital-only, which is what Sundial usually focuses on, and includes spots on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, as well as specific partnerships with Black-owned media such as Afropunk. The products will only be sold at Walmart, which partnered with Sundial brands for the campaign.

 

The Walmart partnership has the potential to put these products in close “proximity to where their consumers are,” said Shelton.

 

This campaign will be the brand’s biggest campaign, said Sabin; it hasn’t had a campaign since Sundial Brands was acquired by Unilever in 2017. “It really just feels like a brand new launch,” said Sabin.

15696: Unilever And Dove Cry, “Black Hair Matters!”

 

Advertising Age spotlighted the latest patronizing propaganda from Dove—and the report’s opening paragraph underscored the ignorance and hypocrisy:

 

“A new study from Unilever’s Dove has uncovered startling findings with respect to Black girls—from as early as the age of five, they experience hair-based discrimination at schools. That statistic comes to life in a heart-tugging new spot from Ogilvy and Swift.”

 

Okay, here’s a breakdown of the ignorance and hypocrisy.

 

First, why conduct a study to uncover common knowledge? Answer: Because Unilever and Dove are culturally clueless.

 

Second, why label the findings as “startling”? Answer: Because Unilever, Dove and Advertising Age are culturally clueless.

 

Third, why assign such a project to White advertising agency Ogilvy? Answer: Because Unilever and Dove are hypocritical piles of shit.

 

Fourth, why did White advertising agency Ogilvy partner with Swift? Answer: Because Unilever, Dove and Ogilvy (having abandoned OgilvyCulture long ago) are culturally clueless and hypocritical piles of shit.

 

Fifth, why does Swift boast about being female-founded and female-run with women comprising 80% of leadership, staffed by BIPOC-identifying workers comprising 40% of the team and certified by The 3% Movement? Answer: Because the Portland-based shop can leverage such data points to land gigs with Unilever, Dove and Ogilvy—plus, get promotional PR from Ad Age.

 

Sixth, this blog has been unimpressed by Dove since it launched the Real Beauty campaign—for reasons detailed in this 2005 post. If anyone needs further evidence that Dove’s campaign is thoroughly unoriginal, check this out. No, really, check this out now.

 

Finally, there’s no doubt that Unilever, Dove, Ogilvy and Swift will take full advantage of pumping the pathetic poop during Black History Month.

 

Dove Study Finds That Girls As Young As Five Experience Race-Based Hair Discrimination

 

Brand’s latest Crown Coalition effort includes emotional ad from Ogilvy and Swift following one girl’s disheartening hair journey

 

By Ann-Christine Diaz

 

A new study from Unilever’s Dove has uncovered startling findings with respect to Black girls—from as early as the age of five, they experience hair-based discrimination at schools. That statistic comes to life in a heart-tugging new spot from Ogilvy and Swift.

 

The ad follows one young woman’s hair journey through the years, opening on a scene of her as a girl. Her father lovingly spends time styling her hair in braids, only to see her turned away at school because her hairstyle doesn’t fit into the “strict hair policy.” In high school, her teacher cautions her against wearing braids during graduation, and as a young adult, she bolts out of a job interview when she sees that her bantu knots fall into the “banned” hairstyles at the company.

 

It ends on an uplifting note, however, with the young girl’s voiceover saying, “My dad always told me I should fight for my hair. So I am.”

 

The spot is the latest in Dove’s efforts supporting The Crown Coalition, the organization it established in 2019 alongside National Urban League, Color of Change and the Center of Western Law and Poverty in an effort to end race-based hair discrimination.

 

The new research, “Dove 2021 Crown Research Study for Girls,” found that 53% of Black mothers said their daughters experienced hair discrimination. Some of those experiences began as early as the age of five. The study also found that approximately 86% of Black teens who endured hair discrimination did so by the age of 12, while 100% of Black elementary school girls in majority-white schools who said they experienced hair bias said they did so by the age of 10.

 

Dove had co-founded The Crown Coalition following its previous research that uncovered how Black women are 1.5 times more likely to be sent home from work because of their hairstyles. It also found that Black women were 80% more likely to change their natural hair to “fit” into their workplace.

 

Since its founding, The Crown Coalition has been fighting to pass The Crown Act, local and federal legislation demanding protection against such discrimination at work and in schools. Currently, only 14 states (CA, CT, CO, DE, IL, MD, NE, NM, OR, NY, NJ, NV, VA, WA) and 34 municipalities have laws against race-based hair discrimination.

 

As part of its inclusive hair efforts, Dove also recently debuted its new “Hair Love” line of products. It was inspired by the Oscar-winning and Dove-backed short created by filmmaker Matthew Cherry, a Crown Act advocate.

 

“This new body of research illuminates the pervasive nature and deep impact hair discrimination has on Black girls highlighting the horrific multi-generational impact of narrow beauty standards in America,” said Esi Eggleston Bracey, EVP and chief operating officer Unilever North America, in a statement. “These biases continue to perpetuate unfair scrutiny and discrimination against Black women and girls for wearing hairstyles inherent to our culture. This is unacceptable and why it is imperative that everyone join the movement to make hair discrimination illegal nationwide through the passage of The Crown Act.”

 

Consumers can sign a petition and see more information on The Crown Act at Dove.com/Crown.

15178: Hair-Raising Hypocrisy From Campbell Ewald.

Business Wire published PR from Campbell Ewald that hypes the White advertising agency’s campaign to fight race-based hair discrimination in Michigan. Ironically, Campbell Ewald is run by a bald White man who managed to evade the infamous Ghetto Days incident. The press release includes the following:

 

“Based in Detroit, Campbell Ewald is a nationally recognized ad agency that is committed to a culture of inclusion and true belonging — not just in our offices, but across our home state. Built on a foundation of 100 years of experience, we’re a full-service shop that’s been custom built for the 21st century. From coast to coast, we’re committed to solving seemingly impossible problems, reflecting the diverse population of our country and changing the culture of America — all while working and playing well with others.”

 

It’s enough to make you want to pull your hair out.

 

The Campbell Ewald website certainly reflects the culture of inclusion and true belonging…

 

Michiganders Invited to Fight Race-Based Hair Discrimination With New MiCROWN Campaign From Campbell Ewald — Natural Hair Shouldn’t Hold People Back From a Better Future

 

Detroit-Based Campbell Ewald Launches Statewide Campaign for Michiganders and Allies to Show Their Support and Change Discriminatory Legislation

 

DETROIT--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Campbell Ewald introduces MiCROWN, a statewide campaign to abolish race-based hair discrimination that disproportionately affects the Black community. The current law disqualifies people from job opportunities and career advancements as well as interferes with children’s ability to get a proper education or participate in sports — all because of their hair.

 

The agency is asking Michiganders to support Michigan House Bill 4811, which is currently stuck in the Government Operations committee. MiCROWN.com is collecting signatures that will be shared with their respective state legislators encouraging them to bring the bill forward.

 

“Coming from a childhood of processed hairstyles used to tame my natural texture, I lost sight of the beauty in my natural curls. Now, as an adult, I’ve taken a stance to embrace my authentic self and natural beauty as this is a part of what makes me who I am,” said Asia Tennille, Account Executive, Campbell Ewald. “I support MiCROWN because I think everyone should have the opportunity to show their true selves without the pressure of not being accepted due to their natural hair texture — both in the office and in the classrooms.”

 

State Rep. Sarah Anthony introduced Michigan State House Bill 4811 on July 17, 2019. Nationally, other states have passed this legislation to end race-based hair discrimination, also known as The CROWN Act, including California, which was the first state to pass it, as well as six others, including New York and New Jersey. Many allies are working to support this legislation that will prevent students from being suspended, athletes stopped from competing, and employees fired.

 

“When one of our creative teams brought this idea forward noting that The CROWN Act was already passed where we have offices, but not in our home state, I knew we had to support it. We recognize freedom from race-based hair discrimination in our company and feel strongly it should be the same across our state — and nationwide,” said Kevin Wertz, CEO, Campbell Ewald. “I’m grateful that the creative team felt they could bring this idea forward, and proud of this important work that can have a significant impact in peoples’ lives.

 

The campaign launches with “My Natural Hair Shouldn’t,” which calls attention to this form of hair discrimination and directs people to the MiCROWN website, where they are invited to sign their support, share it on social, and then show it via a poster for windows and lawns. Campbell Ewald shot the video in collaboration with Detroit-based photographer Jason Walker, who took photos of different Michiganders representing people of color, who are most affected by the law.

 

About Campbell Ewald

 

Based in Detroit, Campbell Ewald is a nationally recognized ad agency that is committed to a culture of inclusion and true belonging — not just in our offices, but across our home state. Built on a foundation of 100 years of experience, we’re a full-service shop that’s been custom built for the 21st century. From coast to coast, we’re committed to solving seemingly impossible problems, reflecting the diverse population of our country and changing the culture of America — all while working and playing well with others.

13908: Unilever In The Black.

Advertising Age reported Unilever is acquiring Sundial Brands. In branding terms, it means Dove and SheaMoisture will be sharing the same dressing room. To check the culturally clueless scorecards, Unilever and Dove have been offending for years, while SheaMoisture only recently offended the masses. Still, the move makes Unilever the home of bizarro diversity, where beauty standards will now range from Black to skin-whitening and everything between.

Risking New Backlash, Dove Acquires SheaMoisture

By Jack Neff

Two marketers that faced racially charged social-media smackdowns this year over their ads are joining forces: Unilever, marketer of Dove, announced Monday that it’s agreed to acquire Sundial Brands, marketer of SheaMoisture.

Dove faced a wave of social-media criticism last month over a Facebook video for its body wash that appeared to show a black woman turning into a white woman. Sundial faced a similar backlash over ads in April that showed SheaMoisture hair-care products being used by white women, which was seen by many on social media as moving the brand away from its core African-American consumers.

The companies didn’t address those controversies in announcing the deal, but did reveal steps that could help thwart more backlash. This includes a $50 million New Voices Fund to back women-of-color entrepreneurs, with a goal of attracting an additional $50 milliion from outside investors.

Sundial will continue as a standalone unit within the global packaged-goods behemoth, led by founder and CEO Richelieu Dennis.

The companies didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Bonin Bough, who became chief growth and marketing officer of Sundial last month, will remain in that role. Bough is a prominent African-American marketing executive, alum of Mondelez and PepsiCo, and host of the Cleveland Hustles show on CNBC. Reached by phone Monday, Bough declined to comment.

In announcing the deal, Unilever did say that Esi Eggleston Bracey, one of the most prominent African-American executives in the beauty business over the past decade, would join the company in January as executive VP and chief operating officer of Unilever’s North American personal care business. Bracey left Coty last year, where she was president of the consumer beauty business, and previously headed Procter & Gamble Co.’s global cosmetics business. She’ll succeed Tamara Rogers in that role. Unilever and Rogers didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment on her next move.

In reporting the news on Monday, Essence said the deal raises “questions about how big general-market brands influence black-owned companies. Similar sentiments were felt when L’Oreal USA bought Lisa Price’s Carol’s Daughter in 2014.” But the site said Dennis remaining at the helm of Sundial brings “promise that the company will positively influence Unilever’s venture into the multicultural space.”

The deal so far hasn’t stoked any major social-media backlash.

The companies didn’t disclose terms or sales. Essence reported Sundial is expected to generate $240 million in sales this year. Besides SheaMoisture, Sundial also markets the Nubian Heritage, Madam C.J. Walker and Nyakio brands.

“The Sundial team has built differentiated and on-trend premium brands serving multicultural and millennial consumers,” said Unilever President, North America Kees Kruythoff in a statement, where he likened Sundial to a portfolio of “purpose-driven” companies that includes Ben & Jerry’s and Seventh Generation.

It was general-market brands like Dove and P&G’s Pantene, which in recent years launched products that go after SheaMoisture’s base by better addressing hair-care needs of women of color, that appeared to prompt SheaMoisture to respond by reaching out to white women with its April campaign from VaynerMedia. Those ads were widely criticized on social media and pulled the same day.

“We should make sure our core African-American consumer always feels represented in everything we do,” Dennis said at the time, “because we are not moving away from her.”

Dove’s controversial Facebook ad was meant to show Dove body wash is for every type of skin. It was decried as racist due to a 3-second snippet showing a black woman taking off her top to reveal a white woman underneath. Unilever apologized and dropped the ad.

Dove found a defender in Brad Jakeman, the outgoing PepsiCo executive who faced his own social-media thrashing in April over an ad featuring Kendall Jenner. Speaking at the Ad Age Next conference earlier this month, Jakeman cited Dove’s years of doing things to promote positive self-images for women.

“Somebody extracts just a few seconds out of a much longer piece of content, and suddenly the world is prepared to believe, ‘Ah ha! Now we have a penetrating insight into the darker soul of Dove.’ That is terrible that we live in a society that does that,” he said.

13905: Hairy Truth Revealed…?

Campaign spotlighted a game—rooted in hair-related issues experienced by Black women—created by Wieden+Kennedy Art Director Momo Pixel. The article presented an amazing exposé worth noting. According to Campaign, Pixel and one production department worker make up the only Black women “amongst W+K’s 600-plus employees.” Hopefully, the reporter wasn’t thorough in checking the facts for the story. (Note: the reference was quietly updated by Campaign, revising the original sentence that appears below—bolded by MultiCultClassics—to now state that W+K’s creative department is 19% multicultural.) Because if it’s true that the White advertising agency has just two Black women on staff, that’s fucked up beyond belief. Where are Kat Gordon and Cindy Gallop when you need them? Dan Wieden should have his ADCOLOR® trophy revoked. Hell, W+K has a long way to go before receiving certification from The 3% Conference. It’s a truly hair-raising revelation.

Tired of being touched, a Wieden+Kennedy AD creates a game about black hair

By Zoë Beery

Momo Pixel’s latest project blew up online. If other agencies want the same, she said, they need real diversity.

Wieden+Kennedy art director Momo Pixel spends a lot of her time in Portland warding off white women who try to touch her hair. After a conversation with a coworker who was baffled by the phenomenon, she decided to make a game about it.

Nine months later, she had Hair Nah, an 8-bit-style video game where players try to help a black women travel to three different destinations while continuously swatting away pale hands reaching for her hair. Pixel tweeted out a link to her game last Wednesday. Within a day, it had gone viral.

“PR was trying to figure out how to launch it, and I told them, ‘Literally, I’m just gonna make a status and it’s gonna go viral,’” Pixel told Campaign US. “And the game went viral. I told you it was dope, is it not dope? It is the dopest.”

Dope to the tune of over 25,000 retweets and 105,000 game plays, with 16 percent of users (and counting) returning to play more than once. Dope to the tune of widespread earned media, from CNN to Buzzfeed to Fast Company, not to mention international publications in other languages. “Black Twitter is the reason a lot of things go viral, and I knew [the game] would go viral because I’m a black woman, this is an issue I face. And what I go through, others like me go through,” said Pixel.

The art director has been with Wieden since last year, arriving as a copywriter before transitioning to creative this March. She’s been a pixel artist since 2011, crafting physical objects that mimic the look of 1980s-era graphics. This was an opportunity to further develop her self-taught digital pixel art skills, while also trying out game design for the first time.

She took particular inspiration from Leo’s Red Carpet Rampage, a 2016 title riffing on Leonardo DiCaprio’s lack of an Oscar, which she said showed her the value of simplicity and humor in getting a message across. There was never a question of whether this was the right medium for communicating her experiences, she said. “Play is one of the first places you learn things as a child, and that doesn’t go away,” she said. “As adults, people still like the escapism of games, so it was a no-brainer for me.”

This is not the first time W+K has hosted a discussion about black hair. Since this spring the agency has run On She Goes, a travel site by and for women of color, whose most-shared post is also about the frequency with which black female travelers have to defend themselves from hair-grabbers. The platform is part of an ongoing effort at the agency, of which Hair Nah is a part, to experiment with audience development through employee passion projects. In the last year, they’ve also released a politically-tinged food truck, an empathy robot, and a book commenting on America’s gun violence crisis.

The small team that created Hair Nah included six other designers, animators and developers. But Pixel was the only black woman on the team, because the other black woman amongst W+K’s 600-plus employees is in the production department. This mismatch, between her company’s commitment to supporting diversity and its lack of diverse employees, is something Pixel hopes the game will help to change. “I just made a viral game, and I think more things like that would happen if more people of color were employed,” she said. “Advertising needs to get its shit together, because it’s missing out on money [by] going the traditional route of hiring from schools where people like me don’t be.” (Pixel is a graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design.)

She hopes the game will also attract more creatives of color to the industry. W+K talks frequently of its commitment to diversity, and by supporting this vision, said Pixel, the agency has proven itself a place that such talent can thrive.

“This is the blackest thing to happen to this place,” she said. “They just let a black girl put out a game about white women touching black girls’ hair. That’s a really black thing to do.”

13902: Soul Power Of Diversity…?

Is this Brazilian Black hair care products video pulling a Shea Moisture move?