Embracing Diversity's Blanket
Embracing Diversity’s Blanket
“The company founded on the mission of bringing color to a world filled with black and white has also found a way to enliven world images” through its unique marketing strategy (Barela 9). United Colors of Benetton is known for their controversial publicity campaigns using social issues and diverse models that would appeal to many races, cultures, lifestyles, and religions. In this multi-ethnic photograph the global fashion brand depicts another metaphor for its multi-national audience.
A white woman, a black woman, and an Asian baby are the focus of this image. These subjects are depicted on a white background. The baby is between the two women and held by their joint black and white hands. Both the women are nude and show no emotion. Encompassing the three bodies is a green blanket. To the right there is a green box with white text depicting the company name, United Colors of Benetton.
In this advertisement created by the United Colors of Benetton, the clothing company portrays an image of their brand that spans race and sexual differences and whose purpose is to promote diversity using symbols, people, and photographic elements.
One of the most prominent aspects of the image is the green and purple blanket embracing the three bodies. This warm covering surrounding them symbolizes a bringing together and a unification of the people it is encompassing: white, black, and yellow. The blanket ultimately suggests different races coming together in unity and equality. The color green symbolizes growth and is trying to encourage the audience to accept diversity and others. In addition to the blanket, the black and white hands clasped together have great symbolic meaning. Hands on top of each other and together are a symbol of strength and unity.
Critics may say that these images have no symbolic meaning, although, according to the Benetton website this campaign “consists of highly symbolic posters to mark the concept of equality in
“The company founded on the mission of bringing color to a world filled with black and white has also found a way to enliven world images” through its unique marketing strategy (Barela 9). United Colors of Benetton is known for their controversial publicity campaigns using social issues and diverse models that would appeal to many races, cultures, lifestyles, and religions. In this multi-ethnic photograph the global fashion brand depicts another metaphor for its multi-national audience.
A white woman, a black woman, and an Asian baby are the focus of this image. These subjects are depicted on a white background. The baby is between the two women and held by their joint black and white hands. Both the women are nude and show no emotion. Encompassing the three bodies is a green blanket. To the right there is a green box with white text depicting the company name, United Colors of Benetton.
In this advertisement created by the United Colors of Benetton, the clothing company portrays an image of their brand that spans race and sexual differences and whose purpose is to promote diversity using symbols, people, and photographic elements.
One of the most prominent aspects of the image is the green and purple blanket embracing the three bodies. This warm covering surrounding them symbolizes a bringing together and a unification of the people it is encompassing: white, black, and yellow. The blanket ultimately suggests different races coming together in unity and equality. The color green symbolizes growth and is trying to encourage the audience to accept diversity and others. In addition to the blanket, the black and white hands clasped together have great symbolic meaning. Hands on top of each other and together are a symbol of strength and unity.
Critics may say that these images have no symbolic meaning, although, according to the Benetton website this campaign “consists of highly symbolic posters to mark the concept of equality in
Cited: Barela, Mark J. “Executive Insights: United Colors of Benetton -- From Sweaters to Success: An Examination of the Triumphs and Controversies of a Multinational Clothing Company." Journal of International Marketing. Vol. 11 Issue 4 (2003): 113-128. Business Source Premier EBSCOhost Web. 13 July 2009 Benetton Group. “Benetton Institutional Campaigns.” 12 July 2009