Acne Campaign

A social movement that turns beauty standards on its head.

Project Type

Brand Strategy
Tone of Voice
Brand Identity
Art Direction
Web Design

Role

Graphic Designer

↳ Brand Book

As a semester-long project under the direction of Margarita Barrios-Ponce, I was challenged to design a social campaign that included 2d and 3d applications of the graphic system that I developed. This system, empowered by typography, color, and image was encouraged to be boldly recognizable as a piece of a cohesive brand.

I worked to create a brand for a campaign that I named “The Skin You’re In” which is focused on raising awareness and providing resources for folks dealing with acne. The project allowed me to dive into a brand strategy, curating and implementing a cohesive design as well as providing a look into how the campaign would appear in the world and online.

The mission was clear: some skin just isn't.

With the main goal of acne normalization through inclusive imagery and language, I approached this project with bold and unforgiving visuals, promoting confidence and personality. This sense of passion and life within the design system I created allows the brand to stand out, contrary to the way people with acne might try to just fit in.

Photo Booth Installation

The photo booth installation I created for the campaign was intended to raise awareness and spread positivity about acne. It allowed all people to celebrate their skin, no matter what it may look like or how they felt about it through a zoomed-in photo of people's faces. Creating a visual with all different unfiltered examples of skin helped to poke holes in the fantasy of perfect skin. Additionally, the photo booth encouraged people to be vulnerable and to show off their skin in its natural state. People were encouraged to come as they were, without the use of makeup or filters to hide their acne. This pushed people to be open and honest about their acne and to express themselves without fear of judgment. By creating a safe and judgment-free space, people were given the opportunity to pin their image up on a wall with others, to raise awareness and showcase skin in all its beauty.

The campaign's brand book collects the strategy and design of the idea. Fundamentals such as the typographic system and color palette are explained such that the brand can be built on and expanded as the campaign takes off. This book also features the brand in physical spaces and visualizes how these experiences will stay within the branding that has been established.

The website for the campaign was designed to be an interactive platform for people to join the movement and pledge to accept everyone's real skin. The website featured an online pledge form where people could sign up and commit to the movement. The website also showcased the photobooth installation, with images of people proudly showing off their skin without makeup or filters. Through the website, users could learn more about the campaign, access resources, and join the conversation about acne normalization.

Campaign Application in Public Restrooms

The campaign's visual system can be reduced to a few notable elements that contribute to the design's success. Color, type and photography all play a part in the cohesion of the brand across various forms and applications. The photography for this campaign is comprised of real people with unfiltered and unretouched skin in order to make this campaign applicable to everyone with all different skin types. 

Making a Splash.

This campaign's radical embrace of skin that isn't filtered or retouched can send a powerful message in itself. Through billboards and banners, the campaign is captivating and empowering to all people. Showcasing these images is a powerful visual to turn beauty standards on its head. The campaign's visual system can be reduced to a few notable elements that contribute to the design's success. Color, type, and photography all play a part in the cohesion of the brand across various forms and applications. The photography for this campaign is comprised of real people with unfiltered and unretouched skin in order to make this campaign applicable to everyone with all different skin types.