Post on 11-Jan-2016
Running head: CASE STUDY: BENETTON 1
Case Study: Benetton
Michelle Darby, Janeth Guadiana, Lindsey Hamilton,
Eunice Hurh, Anita Manji, Brenda Ruiz
University of North Texas
CASE STUDY: BENETTON 2
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. Benetton’s 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. Benetton’s 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 breast-
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feeding a white baby (Ganesan & Thota, 2003). Such ads have created for
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 company’s images don’t show a fictitious reality in which consumers will
be irresistible if they use Benetton’s products (Ganesan & Thota, 2003).
Benetton’s 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 Benetton’s
ability to remain as a subject of conversation for its consumers.
b. Cons:
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i. Unfortunately, Benetton’s 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 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 Benetton’s 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 Toscani’s
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 isn’t 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. Benetton’s 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
Benetton’s 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
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not state that he agrees with Benetton’s 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, Levi’s, Calvin
Klein, Victoria’s 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 “Don’t 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 Benetton’s decision to drop the use of shock ads and return to the
use of more conventional ads?
a. There are two sides to Benetton’s 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
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responsible. Currently Benetton runs an “UNHATE” campaign, which brings
attention to social causes and events. Furthermore, its Color’s 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-dt-
content-rid-1517317_1/courses/MDSE_4660_001_11235W2/Benetton%20Group%20-
%20Evolution%20of%20Communication%20Strategy.pdf