United Colors of Benetton: Lost Cause?
An ad campaign that’s gotten a lot of buzz recently is (unsurprisingly) one from the United Colors Benetton.
It’s a message that promotes “Unhate” among people of different cultural backgrounds, which I think is important, but does the execution reach the audience it needs to or further polarizes the ones that need to hear this message the most?
A Huffinington Post article states:
The stunning (albeit photoshopped) images are part of a new campaign by the United Colors of Benetton. Alessandro Benetton, executive deputy chairman, who presented the ads in Paris on Wednesday, said they were meant to promote the idea of “unhate,” The Times Of India writes. “The images are very strong, but we have to send a strong message. We are not wanting to be disrespectful of the leaders … we consider them “conception figures” making a statement of brotherhood with a kiss,” he reportedly said.
Benetton hopes the campaign will contribute to the creation of a culture of tolerance and combat hatred, the group writes. It plans a series of live actions in which young people will post the images of the smooching world leaders “on the walls of locations symbolic of the desperately-needed peace process: Tel Aviv, New York, Rome, Milan, Paris.”
I personally don’t care for these ads. I recognize an important issue needs a campaign that gets people’s attention, but does this get the right attention? Would this ad really affect the way people think? Or does this ad further cement people’s thoughts regarding this subject?
Also, given that it’s Benetton, the “shock” value is expected. Thus, it takes away some of the power of the advertisement, because while it is shocking, it’s really not that all surprising given the company behind the message.
