Pantone partnered with apparel brand Fuzzed Up Bear for a project called the Human Being Initiative, created to raise funds for the Black Lives Matter movement, the ACLU and Campaign Zero.
“The Human Being Initiative was created to engage, educate and empower the public to support social change and the fight against racial inequality and injustice in the United States and beyond,” Fuzzed Up Bear said on the website.
The line includes a T-shirt, onesie and face mask, each with a design featuring the familiar Pantone color square, but over a person’s arm with the shade’s name listed as “Human Being.”
https://twitter.com/ifourdesign/status/1277512468047237121
In efforts to combat racial inequity and injustice, @pantone teamed up with designer, Fuzzed Up Bear, for an impactful collection to raise funds for the #BlackLivesMatter movement ✊🏿🖤 pic.twitter.com/LmgNOZzt49
— Creative Nerds (@CreativeNerdsUK) June 25, 2020
Pantone even tied the message of the product line in with its decision to name Classic Blue the 2020 Color of the Year, citing the need to “expand our thinking” and challenge ourselves to look at things with new perspectives and open communication.
Pantone and @fuzzedupbear are collaborating to raise funds for Black Lives Matter, ACLU and Campaign Zero through a limited edition collection featuring his iconic racial justice image. 100% of the proceeds will go to the above organizations. https://t.co/khoMKynWKy pic.twitter.com/ZBkOO0vfYu
— PANTONE (@pantone) June 23, 2020
This is a clever line that communicates a message but with minimal wording. It’s effective, recognizable and a thoughtful collaboration between two brands.