The Controversial Colo(u)rs of Benneton A Controversially Colo(u)rful Essay by: Maitre John Benneton has employed the photography of Mr. Oliviero Toscani as part of their corporate campaign of public communication. That philosophy does not simply focus on product sales, product awareness, or market penetration. Inspired by Mr. Toscani’s vision, the United Colors of Benneton has also chosen to align itself with international issues of current social concern. Aids awareness, violence, racism, contraceptives, sexual orientation...These are but a few of the concerns that Benneton has chosen to address through this component of its advertising. But is it a good idea to present material that from many points of view is considered gratuitous and inappropriate? Is it even necessary, when it may be discouraging potential customers, and even causing problems? And for that matter, who decides what is appropriate for the general public? That is, the question ... By employing the direct photographic imagery of Mr. Toscani, the United Colors of Benneton goes beyond presenting the reality of the daily social issues of our time : it confronts the very concept of corporate neutrality in advertising. Much publicity, censorship, and debate has been directed at Mr. Toscani’s photographs and Benneton’s use of them. There could be many points of view to be considered... One concern is that the images portrayed in Mr. Toscani’s photographs may affect the moral and ethical growth of the younger, more “vulnerable”, generation of human beings. This must surely be a concern for many parents, who don’t want their children to be tainted by today’s social issues, but who may be a little over - protective. Such a parent may think that, if someone young, not yet entirely familiar with the ways of the world, who may be interested in these photographs, and may distinguish them as a general reality, and that would create an unhealthy state of mind. Most unfortunately, mankind is constantly in a state of development, and the capacity to learn increases with it... In other words, children are able to learn the ways of the world more rapidly than some parents may think, and could consequently be able to form opinions and morals about these social issues. Therefor, preventing this generation from learning of those issues would only be hiding the truth, and consequently hindering their education and their ability to merge with a functioning society, which it would not be, if that were to happen. Another concern is the relation between these photographs and the United Colors of Benneton itself. As Benneton is a clothing company and the photographs of Mr. Toscani involve social issues such as car bombings, people may see such photographs dominating an advertisement, and find themselves asking : what the hell does a car bomb, or even a blood stained T - shirt, have to do with a clothing store ? This relation remains a complete mystery, and unless some clarification is provided, on the part of the United Colors of Benneton, the fact that some people find these representations offensive in the extreme may cause them some inconvenience. Though the photographs may have their reasons, and even their benefits, their place may be better suited in a public awareness campaign, not in a clothing company... The United Colors of Benneton are surely on the receiving end of a great deal of problems due to their advertisement resources and campaigns. Some may see these as utterly inappropriate and offensive, while others might see them as tremendously important evolutionary material. But one thing is certain : the founders of Benneton have indubitably stumbled onto some of the most revolutionary material in quite some time. Will they be forced to cease their current publicity, or even dispatched from society, as a result of it, or will the United Colors of Benneton become the occupation of the next generation of Social and Public Awareness Education? Only time will tell...