Blog

The Skinclusive Summer Line from Gillette Venus brings more than 250 different skin representations to life in Animal Crossing. This allows players to bring their skin into play and celebrate more of their identity in the world of gaming

A digital island Deer crossing, a social simulation video game, is not the beach we expected, but it is the beach we have this summer amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Well thanks to Gillette Venus With the launch of the Venus brand's new Skinclusive Summer Line, women everywhere can virtually enjoy the sensations of summer in Animal Crossing with characters that represent the diversity of their skin in real life.

It is important to ensure that all women and all skin are represented and celebrated. All over. That's why Gillette Venus worked with digital designer Nicole Cuddihy to create new avatar designs within Animal Crossing that serve as the largest range of skin-inclusive designs ever available in the game.

This collection expands Animal Crossing from just a few depictions of skin to 19 different skin types in 8 skin tones in the game. The result is over 250 designs that incorporate common skin realities such as freckles, acne, hair, cellulite, scars and stretch marks. and more unique and underrepresented skin like vitiligo, tattoos, psoriasis and bodies with different abilities.

The introduction of the Summer Skinclusive Line from Gillette Venus is the latest activation of the Venus “My Skin. My Way ”campaign, which represents the brand's commitment to advocating the right of every woman to feel good and live freely in their own skin. But this summer, living comfortably and freely – and even enjoying the sun and the beach – has taken on a whole new meaning.

Now, women all over the world and their individuality are expressing themselves at Animal Crossing, which has quickly become number one during quarantine and is most popular with women ages 19-24. With the increased representation of Animal Crossing, Gillette Venus enables players to see and celebrate more of their natural identity in the world of gaming.

"In a world where there are so many explicit and implicit rules about how women should show or feel their skin, skin inclusiveness and positive representation are important," said Anthony van Dijk, Senior Brand Director, Venus North America.

“The purpose of our My Skin. My "Away" campaign aims to ensure we post responsible images that depict reality and celebrate all skin types, while highlighting the different skin stories of women around the world. With Animal Crossing, we saw the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet women where they are this summer by creating new ways to make gaming a more inclusive place while giving them the opportunity to be virtual and to gather safely on a beach to celebrate summer and the inclusiveness of the skin. "

Commenting on the inspiration and heartfelt purpose of the designs, Cuddihy says, “As the momentum for diversity in design increases, there are many areas where progress feels slow. The fact that I could add scars and wrinkles to warriors or outlaws, but no characters in less combat-driven games, felt daunting. With these designs, I hope all women in Animal Crossing can find comfort and representation in this carefully designed collection. I took inspiration from those in my own life to ensure that the designs I create accurately reflect their skin stories in a way that feels real, solemn, and beautiful. "

To celebrate the launch of the Gillette Venus Skinclusive Summer Line and National Beach Day, Gillette Venus will host an Animal Crossing Skinclusive Summer Social event on YouTube Live on Monday, August 31, 2020.