Advertising has become the single largest source of visual imagery in our society
today. No matter where we look, we see advertisements trying to sell us things. We
see images of youthful, beautiful people enticing us to spend our money on products
we think we need, hoping that by purchasing the product we too may reap the benefits
of owning it. At the beginning of the 1990s however, the Italian clothing company
Benetton changed the face of advertising forever. Instead of showing the company’s
products in its advertisements, they have chosen to show images related to important
world issues in a claimed attempt to raise awareness (http://www.courses.psu.edu/
art/art122w_jlh18/student/knepper/Intro.htm). Between 1990 and 1994, and then
again in 2000, Benetton attracted attention because of its especially provocative
advertising campaigns. Diverse pictures of these campaigns showed situations of
adversity, distress, suffering and death. Oliviero Toscani, the creator of the
advertisements asserts that it is not his function to increase sales of Benetton products.
Toscani claims he uses advertising to raise awareness concerning the issues addressed
and his intention is “to promote peace, tolerance, multiculturalism and to challenge
stereotypes” (http://www.xs4all.nl/~conflic1/pbp/7/5_benett.htm). However, despite
claims by Luciano Benetton and Toscani that profit was never a motive and raising
social conscience was their single goal, Benetton advertisements have been widely
criticised and banned worldwide (http://www.courses.psu.edu/art/art122w_jlh18/
student/knepper/Benetton.htm). This might have resulted anyhow, not only from their
approach of attempting to raise awareness of real problems, but from the means with
which they did it. Everything that diverges from well known, generally accepted
norms appears provocative for the recipient who is used to certain standards.
Nevertheless, the different interpretation of its advertising images in diverse cultures
caused resistance and problems for the Benetton company. Contrary to other
international operating conglomerates that use the same advertising internationally but
modify it in consideration of the cultural context, Benetton advertisements are not
tailored regionally. The company uses the same images and campaigns worldwide
(http://www.karlsruhe.de/Schulen/Ludwig-Erhard-Schule/Projwer/wer4.htm), and
does not consider cultural and moral conceptual differences. [...]
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Corporate strategy
- 3. Art and strategy: Toscani and his advertising campaigns for Benetton
- 3.1 Benetton's (controversy) advertising history: Selections
- 3.1.1 Children with tongues
- 3.1.2 Newborn baby
- 3.1.3 Dying Aids Victim
- 3.1.4 Death row
- 3.1 Benetton's (controversy) advertising history: Selections
- 4. Diverse receptions (in various cultural areas)
- 4.1 Resistance
- 5. Loss of profits
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper analyzes Benetton's advertising campaigns from the 1990s and 2000s, focusing on their objectives, receptions, and the legitimacy of using advertising to raise global awareness about social issues. The study examines the strategies employed by Benetton and Oliviero Toscani, the creative director, to generate attention and provoke discussion. It also investigates the diverse reactions to these campaigns across various cultural contexts.
- The use of controversial imagery in advertising to raise social awareness.
- The relationship between corporate strategy and artistic expression in advertising.
- The diverse and often conflicting receptions of Benetton's campaigns in different cultural settings.
- The impact of controversial advertising on brand image and profitability.
- The ethical considerations of using sensitive social issues in commercial advertising.
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the pervasive nature of advertising in modern society and how Benetton's campaigns, by departing from typical advertising norms, significantly altered the landscape of visual imagery. It highlights Benetton's controversial use of images related to global issues, contrasting their stated aim of raising awareness with the widespread criticism and bans their campaigns faced. The introduction lays the groundwork for exploring the tensions between social responsibility and commercial motives in advertising, particularly within a global context, emphasizing the diverse interpretations of Benetton's campaigns across different cultures.
2. Corporate strategy: This chapter delves into Benetton's corporate strategy, focusing on their pursuit of pervasive brand presence and name recognition. It analyzes how Oliviero Toscani's unconventional advertising campaigns, which deliberately avoided showcasing the clothing itself, contributed to this goal. The chapter highlights the paradoxical success of Toscani's controversial work in achieving widespread brand recognition, juxtaposed with the subsequent decline in attention following his departure from the company, effectively demonstrating the delicate balance between risk and reward in using provocative advertising. The reference to the BusinessWeek ranking underscores the tangible consequences of their advertising approach on the company's market position.
3. Art and strategy: Toscani and his advertising campaigns for Benetton: This chapter examines the interplay between art and strategy in Toscani's work for Benetton. It contrasts Toscani's approach with conventional advertising, which aims to build identification between consumer and product. Toscani instead created a disconnect, associating the brand not with tangible products but with abstract ideas and social issues. The chapter analyzes the shocking nature of Toscani's images, their stark presentation, and the evolution of his campaigns from multi-racial themes to increasingly dark and controversial depictions of suffering and death.
4. Diverse receptions (in various cultural areas): This chapter explores the diverse reactions to Benetton's campaigns across different cultures. It highlights the resistance generated by the provocative imagery and its deployment within an advertising context. While the chapter acknowledges the complexity and diversity of cultural interpretations, preventing a sweeping generalization, it hints at shared responses and the difficulties Benetton faced in navigating differing moral and cultural standards. The section suggests that the company's unified global approach, while possibly reflecting their aim of promoting unity and understanding, directly contributed to their conflict with diverse cultural contexts and local sensitivities.
Keywords
Benetton, advertising, controversial imagery, social awareness, Oliviero Toscani, corporate strategy, cultural reception, global issues, brand image, profitability, ethics.
Benetton Advertising Campaigns: A Comprehensive Analysis - FAQ
What is this document about?
This document provides a comprehensive overview of a study analyzing Benetton's advertising campaigns from the 1990s and 2000s. It examines the campaigns' objectives, their reception across various cultures, and the ethical implications of using advertising to raise awareness about social issues. The analysis focuses on the strategies employed by Benetton and its creative director, Oliviero Toscani, and the resulting impact on brand image and profitability.
What are the key themes explored in the analysis?
The analysis explores several key themes, including: the use of controversial imagery in advertising to raise social awareness; the relationship between corporate strategy and artistic expression; the diverse and often conflicting receptions of the campaigns in different cultural settings; the impact of controversial advertising on brand image and profitability; and the ethical considerations of using sensitive social issues in commercial advertising.
What specific Benetton campaigns are discussed?
While the analysis covers a range of Benetton campaigns from the 1990s and 2000s, it specifically mentions several controversial advertisements featuring images such as children with tongues, a newborn baby, a dying AIDS victim, and death row inmates. These examples serve to illustrate the provocative nature of Toscani's approach.
What was Benetton's corporate strategy behind these campaigns?
Benetton aimed for pervasive brand presence and name recognition. Oliviero Toscani's unconventional campaigns, deliberately avoiding showcasing the clothing itself, contributed to this goal. The strategy involved generating attention and provoking discussion, even if it meant facing criticism and bans. The document highlights the paradoxical success of this approach, juxtaposed with the subsequent decline in attention after Toscani's departure.
How did different cultures react to Benetton's advertising?
The analysis explores the diverse and often conflicting reactions to Benetton's campaigns across various cultural contexts. It highlights the resistance generated by the provocative imagery and the difficulties Benetton faced in navigating differing moral and cultural standards. The document suggests that the company's unified global approach sometimes clashed with local sensitivities.
What was the impact of these campaigns on Benetton's brand image and profitability?
The document examines the impact of the controversial advertising on Benetton's brand image and profitability. While the campaigns initially generated significant attention and brand recognition, they also led to criticism and boycotts. The analysis explores the complex relationship between risk-taking advertising and long-term financial success. The decline in attention following Toscani's departure is presented as evidence of the delicate balance between provocative advertising and sustained profitability.
What are the ethical considerations discussed in the analysis?
The analysis raises ethical questions regarding the use of sensitive social issues in commercial advertising. It explores the tension between using advertising to raise social awareness and the potential for exploiting or trivializing serious issues for commercial gain. The diverse and often conflicting interpretations of Benetton's campaigns across different cultural contexts highlight the complexity of these ethical considerations.
What are the key takeaways from this analysis?
The analysis offers several key takeaways, including the inherent complexities of using controversial imagery in advertising, the crucial role of cultural context in interpreting advertising messages, and the delicate balance between risk and reward in developing a bold and attention-grabbing advertising campaign. It highlights the need to consider ethical implications and the potential for unforeseen consequences when employing provocative strategies.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2003, The Benetton advertising campaigns: Intentions, receptions and the legitimacy of raising global issues in advertising, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/17210
