The Face of the City campaign by United Colors of Benetton, Milan The Face of the City campaign by United Colors of Benetton, Milan
The Face of the City campaign by United Colors of Benetton, Milan The Face of the City campaign by United Colors of Benetton, Milan
The Face of the City campaign by United Colors of Benetton, Milan The Face of the City campaign by United Colors of Benetton, Milan
The Face of the City campaign by United Colors of Benetton, Milan The Face of the City campaign by United Colors of Benetton, Milan

Data models

09 : 02 : 2016 United Colors Of Benetton : 180 Amsterdam : Ethnic Diversity

Milan – United Colors of Benetton has used an algorithm to create the faces of its latest worldwide advertising campaign.

  • All six models have been rendered from statistical data about the ethnic diversity of each city
  • Benetton has celebrated diversity since the days of photographer Oliviero Toscani

Algorithms are already used in everything from keeping planes in the sky to dating, and now the fashion industry is turning to the power of big data with agency 180 Amsterdam

Using demographic data from six cities, including Tokyo, Berlin and New York, its algorithm was able to generate faces that reflect each city’s ethnicity through features including skin tone, hair type and the overall shape of the face.

‘The six final faces are stunning portraits born in a world in which the melting pot of society has become the norm and reflect United Colors of Benetton’s long history of embracing the power of diversity,’ said a spokesperson for the label.

The Big Picture

Retail brands are some of the best at using data in creative ways. In 2015 e-commerce site Lyst used its customer data to reveal the shopping habits of London and New York.

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