Monday 5 May 2014

Introduction

The Benetton Group started of as a small family company in 1965, and has now developed into a global icon of casual wear and sportswear.

In the late 1980s Benetton was characterized by institutional campaigns. At this time the company was in the middle of many debates related to some strong advertising images, these where created by the famous Italian photographer Oliviero Toscani. He was the Creative Director of corporate communications for Benetton. Initially the Benetton campaigns were marketed to the carefree teenagers. In the 1990s the Campaigns took a serious, provocative and gloomy tone, for a more adult target market. The campaigns that Benetton create have significant impact related to social themes. Since 1989, for example, some photos had been accused of racist content.  After a little break, in 1991, Benetton began to treat social themes again, alternating ironic tones to strong tones.

Something really good about how the Benetton Group communicate is the fact that it provides people the chance to criticize any abuse. You can’t say the same about many other global corporations. 
(http://www.lescahiersfm.com/it/profili-dimpresa/113-benetton-da-azienda-familiare-a-icona-globale.html)


We chose to use the campaigns created by the Benetton Group because they are controversial and provocative, cause social debate and they are ahead of most other advertisement companies. They are not just about business and money, they want to express their views on the issues currently going on in the world.  We chose this campaign as we felt they had strong points to be discussed applying 3 lenses: feminism, psychoanalysis and Marxism. 
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Microcredit - Africa Works, looking at the "lens" Marxist by Imani Turner


In 2008, The Benetton Group launched a campaign on “Microcredit- Africa works”. The advertising campaign was chosen to show the new face of Africa and not the one that is portrayed on TV, by companies to send money to help the less fortunate. The Benetton Group are supporting Africa Works with their goals on helping the poor. The campaign is to show awareness of the change in the country's economic development. They worked with different people who had different trades . In this campaign they used a fisherman, decorator, musician, jewellery-maker, farmer, tailor, two textile sellers and a boxer. “"We chose to support and promote this important project because, unlike traditional acts of solidarity it offers tangible support to small local entrepreneurs through the efficient use of microcredit” (Africa works press release, 2008).

I chose to look at the “lens” Marxist. I thought this would relate to this campaign to show the difference in the working class and the capitalist class.  How a working class can change themselves. In Marxist theory the more capital they have to put in the business the more they can gain profit or capital.Marxism holds that workers in capitalist nations are alienated because they have no claim to ownership of the products they make.

“Poverty is a persistent problem in developing countries. Caught within vicious circles of various kinds, the poor continue to remain poor primarily because they are poor. One of these vicious circles is created due to the lack of financial resources to generate livelihoods and income creating a wheel of low incomes, lack of livelihoods and low resources” ( Burra, N. , Deshmukh, R. , Murthy, R. 2005)

Microcredit was formed by Muhammad Yunus. Muhammad Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work. Microcredit supply of loans, savings, insurance and other basic financial services to low-income households and microenterprises, often in emerging economies, where people do not normally have access to normal bank loans. This helps people better their working lives . Microcredit helps the poorest to escape poverty through economic development. A person who has a trade and could benefit with new equipment to better their business , they would be able to apply for a loan to buy the item e.g. a tailor sewing freehand could buy a sewing machine to make their productions faster. It does not demand collateral but relies on the formation of borrowing and repaying back slowly. Commodity culture where the workers can gain all the tools they need for their trade that will help their development of the business. The idea is to see the end of global poverty. A world where we are not reliable on hand-outs and can fend for ourselves. “in recent years, microcredit or in its wider dimension microfinance has become a much favoured policy intervention for poverty alleviation in the developing countries especially the least developed countries” (Wohlmuth, 2005, P228). We have to realize that they live and work in the informal economy. Individuals are selling their labour in the market and strive to smooth consumption over the life-cycle.

This helps the community transform, empower and sustain their lives. By giving a person a loan, they can employ other people from the area to work for them creating sustainable community-based businesses and this results in growth in the economy.  by helping the lower class they can become entrepreneur and work freely and gain from their own profits than if the was working in a corporation that gained from the catabolism. The profits from these businesses enable them to work themselves and their families out of poverty. “To gain an edge in the profit-stakes the capitalist must either work the workers harder (increase the working day) lower their wages or introduce more machinery. In the end the industrial capitalist likes to introduce machinery as it is more efficient and can qualitatively increase production.”( Hardy,2013, Chapter 12). This would be the situation if they worked for a company and the company benefited on the increased machinery and the workers would be having to work twice as hard and fast but with the same little pay. More profit and power for the company but the same wage for the lower class. It aims to help women not to rely on men to have the money to support the family. It helps them gain education, health and wealth in order to be their own person and make it more diverse. There has been a rise in the number of business run by women since this scheme was introduced. There have been reports that women are more reliable than men to pay back these loans. It empowers women by giving them confidence by expanding their economic situations.

microcredit_africa_works_07.jpg


By looking at the images of this campaign you are able to see the people are proud at what they are doing, they have the power to control their lives. They are not reeling on hand-outs and are trying to better themselves and others around.

Although not everyone is benefiting microcredit like the campaign suggests. There has been a global criticism of this form of credit. According to a recent article , it has pushed people further into debt buy not being able to pay back their loans if their business fails. “Concerned investors are rapidly leaving the bloated microcredit sector, with many users arguing that it is on the verge of a self-orchestrated collapse.” ( Guardian, 2013). Unemployment in the country is higher now  than before the microfinance campaign came into action. The power has been taken away from them and back into the hands of the higher cooperation’s.  “Only now are people realizing that the real aim of the private banks and microcredit institutions in South Africa – exactly as in the case of Wall Street's infamous sub-prime lenders – was not to help their poor clients, but to extract as much value from them in the shortest time possible before leaving the sector and moving on to other fields of business.”( Guardian, 2013). The people fell into False consciousness that they would have a better life if they signed up to the loans and would be able to get themselves out of poverty. There has been a few companies who have taken advantage on the success on this scheme by some charging 97% repayment, seeing this as a money making strategy than helping the poor. This is feeding on peoples vulnerability. There was no assessments to see if the people they was lending to was able to sustain their business and be able to repay their loans back.

When I think about the microcredit for Africa, I think about the modern day loans company’s we see on the TV everyday e.g. Wonga, quick quid and cash lady are a few.  “The crusade against Wonga is in danger of resurrecting the stereotype of the avaricious Jewish moneylender” (telegraph, 2013)

I recently watched a documentary on BBC One called “Reggie Yates's Extreme South Africa” . this made me think about this campaign. But instead of the program focusing on the black south Africans being poor like you would expect and you have been brought up seeing on TV constantly , it actually showed how the country has changed and the lower class was the white south Africans. They  have to live in poverty, fend for themselves, there is no help from the government and if a job opportunity came up where a white and a black person with equal education applied for the job, there is a new law that the black person will be offered first. “white youth charities claim that up to 400,000 of them now live below the poverty line, with many shacked up in small, makeshift camps, although these figures remain hotly disputed”. (BBC, 2014)

In conclusion I find that the power is with whoever is chasing after the money. Who wants to fight for it more , where this could be the entrepreneur or the organisation exploiting people.  There will always be poverty in the world, we will not be able to fix the issue but we can decrease it slowly. The reason there will be poverty is there are places that will not be able to get this scheme in place as the capitalist is greater and makes it harder for the working class in order ti fulfil demands for cheaper products from western countries e.g. china & Bangladesh using child labour and sweat factory’s.
                                   
 
Reference List
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The “unemployee of the year” campaign applying a feminist lens by ANNE OLSEN


In September 2012, Benetton group launched the “unemployee of the year” advertising campaign for United Colours of Benetton.  The advertisement campaign, with the purpose of communication, was promoted by the Unhate Foundation whose aim is to challenge “the cliché and stigma of youth unemployment by powerfully affirming faith in the creativity of younger generations around world, providing concrete support for their aspirations through the financing of 100 projects” (Unemployee of the year, 2012). Nearly 100 million people under the age of 30 were unemployed during the time of the campaign and a few of them, from different countries, were featured on the posters. The main focus of the campaign is to create awareness around the problem of youth unemployment, but also around the question of dignity. The Benetton group is taking a practical approach to the problem by granting support to the 100 best projects to increase their chances of becoming a reality.  Previous United Colours of Benetton campaigns are known for causing controversy and debate around the subjects of sexuality, human rights, racism and religion. By taking a closer look at the composition in the poster, which is including both men and women, some of these social aspects come to the surface. The focus point in this essay will be on the women in the posters through a feminist lens.
Feminism is defined as “the advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes” (Oxford dictionaries). The most influential feminist theoretical perspectives are radical, liberal, womanist, socialist and cultural feminism. Radical feminism emphasizes on women as oppressed by men, not because of social class or race, but because of the power of the male. Liberal feminism focuses on the similarities between men and women and on the importance of equal social and legal rights. Womanism, or woman-of-colour feminism, is an opposition to the traditionally white middleclass women’s movement for not including issues that is important to women of colour. Womanism’s main focus is on racism, poverty and job opportunities. Socialist feminism emphasizes on different forms of discrimination as inseparable and that these will lead to oppression. Cultural feminism, unlike liberal feminism, focuses on the differences between men and women and that these should be respected. An example of this is the view of women as more nurturing than men. All these perspectives are part of feminism, but they all share two fundamental believes: women are important and valuable and that social change is needed to benefit women’s lives.
There are several feminist aspects related to the United Colours of Benetton “unemployee of the year” campaign. Some of the aspects are linked to the visual elements like the composition, dress code, race, appearance, message (text) and colours. Other aspects are related to the deeper message behind the advisement and the history of female employment. The composition varies between the 18 posters depending on the featured number of people. On the main three posters, there are between four and seven people featured, some in the front and some in the background. This creates a sense of depth, also referred to as depth-of-field, which is contributing to highlight the focus point in the front by making the background blurry and unfocused. The way the camera is angled facing upwards, is making an illusion of them look down on the audience and creates a sense of superiority. All the main three posters are featuring one or two woman in the front centre, which is creating an image of women as powerful, strong and independent. However, the traditional difference between men and women related to power is one of the core subjects within feminism. Men have more public power due to the outnumbering of women in the majority of positions within the government, the legal system or in other positions with influence over other people. In many societies the outnumbering is so great that is it impossible for women to push through law regulations that would in any way favour them. In all of the three posters however, the number of women is the same or outnumbering the men.
There are also other visual elements that relates to appearance. These are clothing, hair and skin colour, body piercings and makeup. The sense of clothing in all three posters is smart, formal and conservative. Both men and women are wearing black blazers and fully buttoned-up shirts, which traditionally is related to an office job. The men are also wearing a tie, but that is the only difference between the sexes. The way they are dressed is giving of a sense of professionalism and seriousness that illustrates the situation they are in as unemployed but also their ability to work within a serious work environment. The fact that both men and women are dressed alike can from a feministic point of view be conflicted. On the one side, liberal feminism would argue that it is a positive thing to wear the same kind of clothes to remove any differences between men and women. On the other side, cultural feminism would say that they should dress differently. However, the black blazer and the shirt are traditionally related to men and masculinity and can therefore be conflicting from any feministic point of view. The question is therefore if they would dress in typical women’s clothing like a dress or a skirt if they had the opportunity to choose and if that would be as conflicting.
In addition to the way they are dressed, is the use of makeup, hair dye and body piercings. The women featured in the poster are wearing some makeup and have dyed hair. Some feminists will say that wearing makeup or dying their hair is a sign of oppression by the consumerist market that in many cases is lead by men. Some will also say that women who are wearing makeup or changing their hair colour wants to appear more attractive to the opposite sex and are therefore being objectified. Others will say that makeup and hair dye is a source of power for women and a way to enhance the female features. Two of the women are also having their nose pierced. There is not one united feminist approach to the subject of piercings and the subject has been debated in several articles and blogs. The are arguments supporting female’s rights to have piercing as a part of reclaiming their body from the norms of a society “in which the body becomes an object, exterior to the self” (Jeffreys, 2007). Another argument is stating the fact that a part of western piercing history goes back to gay communities in the 1970s were men would wear piercings to enhance their feminine sides. On the other side, piercings are also associated with pain and masculinity. The fact that two women have nose piercings might seem like a tiny detail, but says a great deal about the growing acceptance of female body art.

Another element is the standards of beauty and the perception of what is physically attractive. The standard of beauty in many countries is the white woman with blonde hair. Women with different skin colour are featured in the “unemployee of the year” campaign. This can be a way to represent the wide range of women from different racial backgrounds who are unemployed and to emphasize that skin colour is not the reason why. On the contrary, none of the people are according to beauty standards viewed as less attractive. The women are slim and attractive but do not appear to be digitally retouched or enhanced in any obvious ways. The fact that none of them are considered to be heavy is most likely a conscious decision from the producers of the campaign. The body image of women related to height has been literary shrinking over the past few decades. Being heavier is being considered as less desirable and unattractive and the pressure of living up to an unrealistic and unhealthy body image is viewed as problematic through a feminist lens. Many feminist movements are fighting against the increasingly distorted and unattainable look and supporting the shape of the natural female figure.
All in all the campaign is supporting many feminist believes, because unlike 73% of all advertisement, the women are not portrayed in a sexist way (Crawford and Unger, 2004). The campaign is rather focusing on women’s ability to work and contribute to the society, than displaying them as decorative and sexualized. Through a feminist lens it can be debated whether the way they are dressed is a consequence of oppression or equalizing between men and women. Feminism will also state that it is unfortunate that the campaign might be considered as unlikely to be displayed in many countries in the world where women’s right to education and work is lacking.
Benetton is unlike most companies known for its provocative, but unique form of communication and the “unemployee of the year” campaign has been reviewed as “utterly unprovocative” and “Benetton's most boring campaign ever” (Mahadwi, 2012). However, Benetton seems to be ahead of traditional stereotyping of women by portraying them as intelligent and educated individuals and will continue to challenge social stigmas.




References

Crawford, M. and Unger, R., 2004, Women and Gender a Feminist Psychology, 4th ed, New York: McGraw-Hill

Roberts, H., 1995, Doing feminist research, Wiltshire: Redwood books

Curthoys, A., 1988, For and Against Feminism, a personal journey into feminist theory and history, Australia: Allen and Unwin 

Zillah, R., E., 1988, The Female Body and the Law, Berkeley, Los Angeles and London: University of California Press

Watkins, A., 1999, Introducing Feminism, Cambridge: Icon Books

Mahadwi, A., 2012, Benetton's 'Unemployee of the Year' is a flimsy attempt at brand-aid, The Guardian, [online] Available at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/sep/19/benetton-unemployee-campaign-flimsiest-brand-aid [Accessed April 29 2014]                      


Company vision, 2011, Benetton group, [online] Available at: http://www.benettongroup.com/group/profile/company-vision [Accessed April 27 2014]


Social commitment, 2013, Benetton group, [online] Available at: http://www.benettongroup.com/sustainability/social-commitment [Accessed April 27 2014]


Jeffreys, S., 2007, ‘Body Art’ and Social Status: Cutting, Tattooing and Piercing from a Feminist Perspective, Sage publications, [online] Available at: http://www.brown.uk.com/selfinjury/jeffreys.pdf [Accessed May 1 2014]

Unemployee of the year, 2012, [online] Available at: http://unhate.benetton.com/unemployee-of-the-year/image-gallery/unemployee_of_the_year_02/ [Accessed April 27 2014]


2012, Unemployee of the year, [image online] http://unhate.benetton.com/unemployee-of-the-year/image-gallery/unemployee_of_the_year_01/ [Accessed April 27 2014]




2012, Unemployee of the year, [image online] http://www.benettongroup.com/sites/all/temp/imagecache/o300/unemployee_of_the_year_03.jpg [Accessed April 27 2014]
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UNHATE: The analysis of the campaign applying a psychoanalytic lens by GIORGIA OTTOMBRINO



“There's a fine line between wrong and visionary. Unfortunately, you have to be a visionary to see it”.

Sheldon Cooper

In 2011, United Colours of Benetton launched a worldwide campaign, battling the cultural hatred around the world, hatred that comes in many forms, with the company aiming to a particular target group.

Under the name UnHate, Benetton managed to create discussions about this campaign from the White House in USA to Vatican in Italy. Impacting the world with controversial images had as a result a real uproar around the Ponzano Veneto Company.

Almost immediately, a war started between the opposed groups, the one supporting the campaign and the one voting against it. The one side seemed to appreciate the provocative side of the project UnHate, whereas the latter side, in virtue with their Catholic faith, being offended with the use of the Pontiff’s image.

The launch of the new “United Colours of Benetton” campaign was widely obscured by the debates discussed in media like blogs, newspapers and magazines. (http://www.unimeteo.net/forum-libero/2784-campagna-choc-contro-lodio-della-united-colors-of-benetton.html).
The main reason was the use of images presenting important people kissing each other against the “hate” between Nations; people such as Paramount Leader of the People’s Republic of China - President of the USA, President of Venezuela, Chancellor of Germany - President of France and many others. (http://www.benettongroup.com/media-press/image-gallery/institutional-campaigns/unhate/unhate#page-1).














As stated by the Benetton Group in charge of communication, the aim of the campaign is to invite citizens of all countries to "don't hate" which can be reached only through tolerance, the closeness between peoples, religions, cultures and reflect on the reasons that, often, are born only for not knowing the other; a choral announcement asking everyone to contribute to build a democratic peace where everyone, no matters of political, ideological, religious or social background, can help.

 We can therefore see two different variations in this matter: one is the actual campaign and the other one is the reaction caused.

It is important to say that in many societies men kiss each other without any kind of shame, while in other places this is considered a real taboo.


In 1608, Thomas Coryate, a famous courtier, who visited Venice at the time, came across this habit when he was really shocked by this "extraordinary custom" of two acquaintances of male gender kissing each other to say hello or goodbye.  
The courtier affirmed that he never saw or read or heard nothing like that before. 
(http://www.bergamoestoria.it/pubblicazioni/quaderni/Quad8_thomas.pdf)

Today in many cultures men can kiss each other to say hello, or maybe simply for affection, without being considered homosexuals.

However the kiss, considered as an action of greeting, affection or tenderness, has also a very important erotic meaning.

Freud considered the erotic kiss as an attempt to go back to the security of the maternal breast. (La teroia psicoanalitica - Raccolta di scritti 1911-1938. Ediz. Integrale – Freud Sigmund Bollati Boringhieri  - collana I grandi pensatori)

Moreover, a kiss is the first important step towards trust, intimacy and openness. The fact that we are able to feel again one of the very first pleasures of our childhood, increases the feeing of intimacy, unloads the muscular tensions, makes people more relaxed and produces a strong engagement during the sex act.

However lips are considered an erogenous zone even before Freud’s theories. A kiss in the area of the face causes very intense reactions and many emotions. Studies in the past claimed that with one kiss you burn 6 calories. (Donna in forma – Italian magazine – June 2013 – Mondadori)
Women consider the moment of the kiss particularly erotic, while the majority of men consider that moment foreplay before the sex act.

We can discuss the aspects of the Campaign from the point of view of Alfred Adler, philosopher and psychiatrist of 1920s.
According to Adler the erotic communication can be experienced as exchange of love or can be twisted in desire of power due to the competition. In this Campaign thoughts, reflections, observations and results of Adler studies are all there.
The homosexual kiss between the greats and powerful of the Earth is not a symbol of weakness but of detente, reconciliation and peace; a beautiful message; a message to share.


   The Pope and the Imam



Reading the images according Adler Theories:
 (The Practice and Theory of Individual Psycology by Alfred Adler – P.Radin – Routledge & Kegan Paul LTD)
The kiss between Pope Ratzinger and Ahmed el Tayeb, it doesn’t have to be considered as a homosexual act or, even worse, a blasphemous act. The kiss is a symbol of normality and humanity. In this image, the hate and refusal for what is different or, in many cases, for what is not understandable it turns in an embrace and kiss of love.  The photography does not have to annoy or create scandal: This is the man, with all his weaknesses and limitations, in a way, but with the greatness of his thought and his love; a man with a self-respect and trust in the neighbour. 

In the past the kiss on the lips didn’t have an erotic connotation, actually it was a symbol of tenderness and brotherhood, even for people of the same gender, like for us is the handshake.
The most famous example of a kiss of brotherhood, which was hiding a lie, is the kiss of Judas, described in Matthew and Mark’s Gospels. The famous kiss is described as a simple and normal practice.
Another well-known kiss is the one Dante Alighieri received by Virgil in the Divine Comedy (Inf. VIII, 44) to reassure him after a difficult moment.
Kissing is definitely very popular because of the rich emotional meaning.  As well as the numerous symbols related to our childhood. Generally, in the fables, all the romantic stories have a kiss as a happy ending.



President of U.S.A. and President of the P.R.C.



Analysis of the image of the kiss between two other important people: The President of United States of America, Barack Obama, and the President of the People’s Republic of China, Hu Jintao. The two presidents are two examples, from different perspectives and theories, of imperialism. Both try to stand out on the worldwide political scene.
We can define the American imperialism as the economic, military and cultural influence that United States of Americas have tried to wield on other countries, using several kinds of expansion (economic, political, military.)
John Foster Dulles, American politician said: "There are two ways to conquer a nation: one is to subjugate the population by force of arms, the other to subjugate the economy through financial means"
(http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/john-foster-dulles/)

Contemporary China represents an imperialistic power based on a capitalistic production and distribution of goods. In fact China represents the "third imperialism," even if is very original and unusual.  The outskirt, as well as producing first matters to export and attract capitals from the centre to produce goods and products for the internal market, started to export its products also on the "imperialistic centre’s markets”, United States and western Europe ahead.
Let’s evaluate, now, the two figures represented in the picture: The cut of their suits is, as usual, flawless; but the act of the kiss puts them naked; make them smaller, weak, vulnerable. In their lips we can almost feel the fear to get lost in that moment, to relax. The fear, however, gives way to the strong attraction and everything just get pushed on a side because of the need to feel free.

An interesting passage from Theocritus's "Idylls" – Idill VI ° - A Country Singing Match, here:
“So far Damoetas, and kissed Daphnis, and that to this gave a pipe and this to that a pretty flue. Then lo! the piper was neatherd Daphnis and the flute-player Damoetas, and the dancers were the heifers who forthwith began to bound mid the tender grass. And as for the victory, that fell to neither one, being they both stood unvanquished in the match.” 
(http://www.theoi.com/Text/TheocritusIdylls2.html#6)

Two men are kissing each other, but it is not a kiss between gay people, and all the poetry’s text expresses it clearly. After this kiss there is even an exchange of phallic objects, with which the two men make the heifers dance. A kiss, finally, make people feel close with others in a powerful and virtual form; with the emotional strength of a dream, in a new perspective.

CONCLUSION
Concluding, it can be agreed that with the Campaign and the message launched the censorship, the fines, the prohibitions and bans in the Internet era, with its speed and prominence, couldn’t stop the Campaign at all. But there is a critical shade on the Campaign’s launches modalities: The way it was presented (guerrilla marketing with old style posters unrolled in the square of Milan Cathedral and another one on the Bridge of Angels, near Vatican).  This is in contrast with the deep meaning of the message: There is not need of aggressiveness, of strength or, even worse, of violence showing our ideas. Let’s close our eyes, kiss each other and feel free.


REFERENCE LIST

http://www.unimeteo.net/forum-libero/2784-campagna-choc-contro-lodio-della-united-colors-of-benetton.html, 2014

http://www.benettongroup.com/media-press/image-gallery/institutional-campaigns/unhate/unhate#page-1 , 2014

La teroia psicoanalitica - Raccolta di scritti 1911-1938. Ediz. Integrale – Freud Sigmund Bollati Boringhieri  - collana I grandi pensatori, 2014

Donna in forma – Italian magazine – June 2013 – Mondadori, 2013

http://www.bergamoestoria.it/pubblicazioni/quaderni/Quad8_thomas.pdf ,2014

The Practice and Theory of Individual Psycology by Alfred Adler – P.Radin – Routledge & Kegan Paul LTD, 1971

http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/john-foster-dulles/ , 2014

http://www.theoi.com/Text/TheocritusIdylls2.html#6 , 2014


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TlC-dg60rs, 2014

Sigmund Freud - Tre saggi sulla teoria sessuale – Editore Rizzoli - Bur classici modern, 2010

Cervello Attaccamento e Persolanità – Astrolabio Edizioni – Susan Hart, 2005

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stgQeUenaYo , 2013


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