Airbnb 'Your Face Here'
Airbnb have revamped their visual identity to make it more inclusive
#age; #disability; #ethnicity; #sizeandshape
Airbnb have revamped their visual identity to make it more inclusive and this article by Jennifer Hom explains the evolution of Airbnb’s illustration style as part of their Design Language System (DLS) to be more authentically representative.
When designing for inclusivity it’s important to plan and research and the article is a great case study for that. Jennifer goes on to give 3 tips for creating diverse illustrations for a global community.
Embrace differences. Accurately represent different races, ages, abilities, and body types.
Keep it real. Cast characters who aren’t all white men, and reference photos for every person drawn.
Reflect everyone. Consider all types of diversity, including the disability community who makes up 15% of the world’s population
The post highlights the importance of reflecting different races, ages, abilities, body types, and disabilities in the illustrations to celebrate the global Airbnb community and promote inclusivity.
“When a person appears as an outlined white space while their hair and clothing have color, it’s easy to assume they’re caucasian.”
The ultimate goal is to break away from outdated norms and create a more diverse and authentic visual brand identity.
”“Normal” is diverse. My goal is to move the needle of representation in tech, but it’s not a responsibility I or Airbnb can carry alone. The tech community must consider the fabric of who makes up their companies, and how that identity is presented to the world. It’s time to be radically honest about our differences.”