The United Colors of Benetton- Case Study
The United Colors of Benetton- Case Study
The Bennoton case is very original. Their ad campaigns use what they refer to as “shock value” in order to attract customers, not only to their product but to help people focus on global problems. It is a very unconventional method, though I believe it has achieved its goals. Many people have been paying attention to such advertisements and won’t soon forget the Benetton brand. As Toscani said in the case study “Most good ads are forgotten after six months, but who still remembers the Benetton ad with the priest kissing the nun? Ten years later and people remember! That’s mortality!” It makes one wonder as to what was the true goal in advertising, getting their global message across, or selling their brand or their clothes.
This raises an interesting question. Why did Benetton try this route in their advertising slogans? One could say that this approach was a large step forward in promoting global awareness about such issues as racism, poverty and diseases such as AIDS, but what about their clothing? I think the real question which this case study provokes is what is in it for the company. What does Benetton hope to gain from such shocking advertisements?
In a bold move such as this Toscani can be seen as innovative and creative or perhaps careless. As the case study suggests, Toscani did seem to overstep his bounds several times, eventually enough to force himself to resign.
That aside, in a serious business aspect, Toscani, in my opinion went about this advertising slogan in a peculiar and interesting way though maybe not the best way for the company. Many people were actually offended by these advertisements and therefore would not be even considered to be potential clients. Though the case study seems to suggest that Benetton was hesitant to be conventional, using their clothes in the advertisements, in the end of the day they may want to focus on their actual products. Though the controversial ads made a
The Bennoton case is very original. Their ad campaigns use what they refer to as “shock value” in order to attract customers, not only to their product but to help people focus on global problems. It is a very unconventional method, though I believe it has achieved its goals. Many people have been paying attention to such advertisements and won’t soon forget the Benetton brand. As Toscani said in the case study “Most good ads are forgotten after six months, but who still remembers the Benetton ad with the priest kissing the nun? Ten years later and people remember! That’s mortality!” It makes one wonder as to what was the true goal in advertising, getting their global message across, or selling their brand or their clothes.
This raises an interesting question. Why did Benetton try this route in their advertising slogans? One could say that this approach was a large step forward in promoting global awareness about such issues as racism, poverty and diseases such as AIDS, but what about their clothing? I think the real question which this case study provokes is what is in it for the company. What does Benetton hope to gain from such shocking advertisements?
In a bold move such as this Toscani can be seen as innovative and creative or perhaps careless. As the case study suggests, Toscani did seem to overstep his bounds several times, eventually enough to force himself to resign.
That aside, in a serious business aspect, Toscani, in my opinion went about this advertising slogan in a peculiar and interesting way though maybe not the best way for the company. Many people were actually offended by these advertisements and therefore would not be even considered to be potential clients. Though the case study seems to suggest that Benetton was hesitant to be conventional, using their clothes in the advertisements, in the end of the day they may want to focus on their actual products. Though the controversial ads made a
Bibliography: The United Colors of Benetton. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 June 2010. . Osbourne, David. "Benetton Death Row Ads Outrage America." The Independent. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 June 2010.