Benetton, the Italian retailer, started using shock advertisements in its campaigns during the 90’s which lead to public outrages and consumer complaints. Benetton turned to the crudest reality to start a new “dialogue” with its consumers that had never seen before in corporate history.
This image of a black soldier who, taken from behind with a Kalashnikov slung over his shoulder, grabs a human bone rises questions about the genocides that took place in Africa, racism, colonialism… The only wording it contains is the slogan and firm name “United Colors of Benetton”. It doesn´t contain any request to buy a Benetton product and the image is not related to any product produced or marketed by Benetton. There is no connection between the ad and the company and its products. It can be argued that by shocking the spectator the company was trying to get attention of the public and keep the name “Benetton” in people´s minds.
With this campaign, Benetton marked the beginning of a new era of advertisement in which conflict and pain were taken to the extreme. While it is true that portraying a more “real world” was welcome, we have to wonder if rising awareness of significant social issues such as war has to be done by clothing retailer.
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