Personal care and beauty brand Dove has partnered with Rise 365 and Crown Coalition to call for greater representation of black hairstyles within the universal emoji library.

The campaign will urge the Unicode Consortium, the decision-makers behind the universal emoji library, to introduce four new emojis that accurately depict black hairstyles: afros, dreadlocks, braids, and cornrows.

Working with community-focused charity Rise 365 and action group Crown Coalition, Dove’s push for change is inspired by research that indicates that as many as eight in ten black people in the UK struggle to find emojis that accurately reflect their hair.

To drive change, the Unilever-owned brand’s campaign will urge people to comment #CodeMyCrown on its latest Instagram post by 10 April to raise awareness, as Unicode doesn’t accept petitions.

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“Emojis are not just symbols – they influence how we see ourselves and each other. For too long, black people have been excluded from digital representation, reinforcing the idea that our features and identities are an afterthought,” said Joycelyn Buffong, founder and CEO of Rise 365.

“This movement is about more than emojis – it’s about recognition, inclusion, and ensuring that black and mixed race hairstyles are seen, valued, and celebrated everywhere, including in digital spaces.”

Out-of-home executions surrounding Unicode’s California HQ and concerted influencer activity will further support the campaign, ahead of an official submission to the emoji regulator next month.