We’ve all by now at least heard about the Benetton Spring 2000 catalog. This issue has been plastered all over the news and popular media for months since the issue, entitled "We, On Death Row", was released in January. To recap, the entire catalog is composed of graphic photographs of prison inmates depicting them in their prison environment. The catalog also contains quotes from such world leaders as Pope John Paul II and Martin Luther King Jr. The only thing missing is any reference to clothes or other Benetton products.
Many are wondering why Benetton chose to use this unique form of advertising and marketing to sell their products. To answer this public concern Benetton issued a press release on January 7, 2000. This press release explains why Benetton chose to market their products in this way. Basically, it is Benetton’s feeling that the point of the catalog was to raise public awareness about the death penalty. Benetton as a company, following in the footsteps of its Founder/CEO, is against capitol punishment and used this catalog to get the point across. Here is an excerpt from the press release itself:
"...this project aims at showing to the public the reality of capitol punishment, so that no one around the world, will consider the death penalty neither as a distant problem nor as news that occasionally appear on TV."
In order to drive the whole point to make capitol punishment a reality home, the catalog also contains a series of interviews of the inmates that discuss their experiences in prison and the experience that got them there.
This use of "shock advertising" isn’t the first try for Benetton. The company has tackled social issues by means of their catalog for years including: AIDS; war; and discrimination.
Shannon Maybie
Link to Press Release: www.benetton.com/wws/aboutus/ourcomms/file4012.html
Benetton’s Communication Policy:
To sell clothing or ideas?
This controversial Spring/Summer catalog from Benetton isn’t very surprising after considering the Benetton communication policy. In this policy, Benetton makes it clear that Benetton believes companies should use their advertising budget on taking a real-world stance on a major social issue instead of marketing their products in a mythical way, making people believe they will be "happy" when their using the Benetton product (this is the basic advertising strategy). The company is also up-front about their strategy to let issues be the main focus of their advertising, not their clothes.
Benetton argues they are merely trying to raise awareness of social issues. They are forcing people to deal with issues they might skip over if produced in any other medium. The company is well aware of the controversy their advertising raises, but they take it with a grain of salt and accept that it as an expectation. The Benetton Communication Policy ends with the noble statement that they, "…hope to become to vehicle for discussion and not its focus."
Link to policy: www.benetton.com/wws/aboutus/ourcomms/file1946.html