Running head: CASE STUDY: BENETTON1

Case Study: Benetton

Michelle Darby, Janeth Guadiana, Lindsey Hamilton,
Eunice Hurh, Anita Manji, Brenda Ruiz
University of North Texas

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Case Study: Benetton

1. What are the basic objectives of advertising? What are the advertising objectives of
Benetton?
a. According to Kundan Pandey (2011), there are six basic objectives of advertising:
basic goals, information, persuasive, reminders, advertising message, and
communication. The basic objectives of advertising are to secure, develop,
innovate, and create advertisements to sell a product (Pandey, 2011). Informing
the consumers about products and its developments create a sort of transparency
for the company (Pandey, 2011). In a highly competitive market, companies will
need to persuade potential customers that their products are better than the leading
competitors (Pandey, 2011). The reminding objective keeps the company and
product at the top-of-mind for the consumers. Due to the immense overload of
advertisements one may see in a day, it is crucial for advertisement messages to
be striking and impressing to its consumers (Pandey, 2011). Lastly, an emotional
connection must be communicated for a consumer. With the use of these basic
objectives, advertising agencies and departments will continue to thrive in the
tough competition and impress the client (Pandey, 2011).
b. Benettons advertising objectives differ from the basic objectives of advertising in
that its advertisements are provocative and controversial. They cross barriers that
most companies are too afraid to cross. Benettons advertising goals are to inform
and make the consumers aware of social causes going on worldwide through the
use of shock value. Famous advertisements during the late 1980s included a
black hand and a white hand linked by a handcuff and a black woman breastfeeding a white baby (Ganesan & Thota, 2003). Such ads have created for

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Benetton stronger brand awareness, although maybe not so positive. Oliviero

Toscani and Luciano decided to create for Benetton a lifestyle brand image to its
consumers (Ganesan & Thota, 2003). Then campaigns were launched with
advertisements that engaged its consumers and sparked controversy. A blending of
cultures was created with new advertisements featuring Adam and Eve, Joan of
Arc and Marilyn Monroe, Leonardo de Vinci and Julius Caesar (Ganesan &
Thota, 2003). Benetton was proud of its shock advertisements and Oliviero stated
that the companys images dont show a fictitious reality in which consumers will
be irresistible if they use Benettons products (Ganesan & Thota, 2003).
Benettons main advertising objectives at the time were focused on promoting
discussions about issues which people normally glide over, but needed to be
widely discussed (Ganesan & Thota, 2003).
2. Discuss the pros and cons of the shock advertising campaign that Benetton used for
many years.
a. Pros:
i. The shock advertising campaigns brought brand awareness to Benetton.
Attention was immediately gained in the news and these advertising
campaigns spurred much controversy. Moreover, these ads gave Benetton
a sense of social responsibility in the consumers eyes. The most
influential pro of the shock advertising campaigns would be Benettons
ability to remain as a subject of conversation for its consumers.
b. Cons:
i. Unfortunately, Benettons shock advertising campaigns had negative
impact on many of its loyal customers. Customers with young children
would not want to expose them to such graphic images. Additionally, there

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was a major disconnect with the physical stores with a clean layout, and its
advertisements. There needed to be a better flow of a unified brand image.
3. Oliviero Toscani defended Benettons use of shock advertising by noting that it
constitutes nothing less than a debate between advertising and art. He argues that
potentially offensive images are acceptable in the world of art and journalism while
in other realms such as advertising they are not. Do you agree with Toscanis
position?
a. Oliviero Toscani is correct in that offensive images are acceptable, or rather
necessary in the world of art and journalism. In the world of art and journalism,
there is a sense of freedom and is a source of creative outlets. Everyone relates or
sees art differently and that is what makes it so great. Additionally, consumers can
decide what is or isnt offensive in correlation to their beliefs and morals.
Different parts of the world have different standards as to what is acceptable in art
and journalism. Benettons shocking advertisements differentiated them from
other brands. They became recognized as a company that cared and was not just
about selling clothes to the consumer. However, why is Toscani supporting
Benettons use of shock advertising, but not okay with offensive advertising in the
broad sense? Perhaps this was so because he felt emotionally connected with
Benetton and not with other advertising agencies. Nevertheless, Toscani should
not state that he agrees with Benettons shock advertising, then say otherwise for
other advertisers.
4. Can you think of any other companies that use shock advertising? For what type of
companies might this type of advertising be effective?
a. Many fashion retailers use shock advertising to gain brand awareness and/or seek
publicity. Companies like American Apparel, Dolce & Gabbana, Levis, Calvin

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Klein, Victorias Secret, and many more are on the list of companies that resorted
to using shock advertising. Also, companies that are not doing well and want to
get back in the news or gain new brand awareness may want to use shock
advertising. Then there are companies whose sole purpose of existence is to bring
awareness to a particular social cause. Campaigns like Dont text and drive.
Look before you cross the road and PETA, are a few examples of these social
awareness organizations. Here is a link to the Look Before you Cross ad
campaign video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oUW0DTg7uY
5. Do you agree with Benettons decision to drop the use of shock ads and return to the
use of more conventional ads?
a. There are two sides to Benettons decision to drop the use of shock advertising
and returning to using conventional advertisements. Dropping the ads gave the
previously loyal customers a reason to come back. They were no longer afraid
that their children would be exposed to these offensive campaigns. However, if
the ads remained, Benetton remain a brand that stood for its beliefs in what was
vital for the world to know. Most importantly, Benetton would need to cautiously
decide if dropping the ads would hurt its brand image of beings socially
responsible. Currently Benetton runs an UNHATE campaign, which brings
attention to social causes and events. Furthermore, its Colors magazine is still
circulating online and available for purchase and subscription worldwide.

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References

Ganesan, S & Thota, V. (2003). Benetton group: Evolution of communication strategy. ICRAI
Knowledge Center. Retrieved from https://learn.unt.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-338319-dtcontent-rid-1517317_1/courses/MDSE_4660_001_11235W2/Benetton%20Group%20%20Evolution%20of%20Communication%20Strategy.pdf