When I was looking for some images for my essay I found this page about all Benetton campaigns (Casper it could be interesting for your essay as well). Benetton is an italian fashion brand that has created controversy all around the world for its advertising. These are not related to any product sold by Benetton and consist of images of human suffering, violence, illness, or of images with political, religious or sexual subjects. The brand assert that the aim of this campaigns is to take a position, to represent real world instead of factitious one and to make people become more aware of social issues. Detractors reply that it is shameful to use human suffering in order to sell jumpers. Whatever your opinion is have a look to the Benetton's campaigns page.
I had a quick look at the website and as far as I can see Benneton does very little in terms of monetary/profit donation to any charities. They claim that their ad campaigns are 'promoting awareness' 'creating cultural diversity' but at the end of the day they are ad campaigns for a jumper company, not for a charity.
ReplyDeleteAm I correct in saying this or have I not looked into it enough?
In these late years Benetton has been cooperating with the UN Volunteers (2001), the World Food Programme (2003), the Natural History Museum of London and the Jane Goodall Institute (2004) and involved in a microcredit project for Africa (2008).
ReplyDeleteI don't know if it is a lot or not, but Benetton is a fashion brand, therefore it has to sell, and it seems to me that instead of simply find any other appealing way to promote its products it takes a risk compromising itself. Personally I find quite difficult to have a adverse position but I understand than some people can feel outraged.
I think that, although they take advantage of these campaigns, they report real problems. In relation to one of their most famous picture, the one of the man dying of AIDS (1991), the mother of the guy said that she had not the impression of being used by Benetton, but on the contrary of using Benetton, because thanks to the campaign the voice of David (her son) could be heard much more louder than when he was alive.
I think there are always pros and cons sides of a company, Benetton cannot escape the shadow of profit gaining too. Speaking as the person who worked in Fabrica (the creative workshop of United colour of Benetton in Treviso, Italy), as far as i know, this creative center is actually running under very tight budget but provide a free workspace for the young creative talents around the world. People get funding to shoot controversial documentary, taking photos for promoting social awareness and world fairness.
ReplyDeleteWithout profit gaining, none of these are possible. So i think as long as a company is advocating some goodwill already is a rare virtue in such commercial world.
I'm interested in the latest campaign this year, "It's my time." You can see the trend is different from before, I mean the concept of the campaign. I think Benetton had those issue with historical reasons. As I know they firstly started from racial issue because of the brand name "united colors of benetton," and then they just kept focusing on public issue. But I found out like the new campaign gives a very different feeling...they might change the position...
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