Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1. What are the basic objectives of advertising? What are the advertising
objectives of Benetton?
Advantages
2|Page
Overexposure to shock advertising will result in a public that is “desensitized” to
advertisements that employ shock tactics, particularly those with overtly sexual and
violent images, some advertisements promoted homosexuality.
4. Can you think of any other companies that use shock advertising? For what
type of companies might this type of advertising be effective?
Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein of Calvin Klein Jeans has also received media attention for its controversial
advertisements in the mid-1990s. Several of Calvin Klein's advertisements featured images of
teenage models, some "who were reportedly as young as 15" in overly sexual and provocative
poses. Although Klein insisted that these advertisements were not pornographic, some
considered the campaign as a form of "soft porn" that was exploitative, shocking, and
suggestive. In 1999, Calvin Klein was the subject of more controversy when it aired
advertisements of young children who were only wearing the brand's underwear. This "kiddie
underwear ad campaign" was pulled only one day after it aired as a result of public out lash. A
3|Page
spokesperson from Calvin Klein insisted that these ads were intended "to capture the same
warmth and spontaneity that you find in a family snapshot."
U.K government used shock advertising for the promotion of no cancer campaign
throughout the country by using the images of cancer effected patients. Later many countries
followed U.K and made compulsory that those images should be printed on the products of
tobacco.
This kind of advertising is also used by different N.G.O’s for promoting their activities;
especially N.G.O’s who work for the conservation of wild life used these kind of advertising.
This kind of advertising can be used for Diesel, killer in garments, axe in deodorant segment
etc.
5. Do you agree with Benetton’s decision to drop the use of shock ads and
return to the use of more conventional ads?
From the year 1982 Benetton was projected as the company which is known for
Its quality, style of promotion and responsibility it has towards society. Continuously it
created awareness on both indifferences and the product by which Benetton is in the TOMA
of the consumers. By changing the way of advertising from shock to conventional it may not
stand for the word “corporate social responsibility” which Benetton followed from it origin.
This may create a different perception in the minds of the consumers about the principles and
values of the company. It may lose the trust that had in the consumers. If people perceive that
the company cannot stand for its values, then Benetton will physically exist but mentally it
will be erased in the minds of the consumers. So this is not at all a good decision by Benetton
to tighten the thread around its neck.
4|Page