Advertising Is A Powerful Tool For Selling Ideas Focus in Benetton Brand: Readings Mira Kalman and Benetton&

In both readings it brought emphasis to the importance of image and the emotional effect that can have on the viewer. On the first reading, in which was written by the wife of Tibor Kalman even though he didn't considered himself a designer; but he was a editor and a journalist. Tibor strongly believed in exposing moral and political issues. He knew the power of an image in a short time span. Tibor in collaboration with Oliviero Toscani helped created campaigns for Benetton clothing company.

Tibor came across this black and white picture of David Kirby a 32-year old from Ohio, dying of AIDS. This image was published on Life magazine in November 1990.

By having it color it gives the image a feel of an ad rather than being just a journalistic photo.

Tibor believed in the photograph being an universal communicator. Final Moments (above) creates a dialogue between the viewer and brings forward the issue that is affecting society which is the epidemic of AIDS. In the second reading in which the ad's of Benetton were discussed, is evident the power of imagery and it targeting the audience values and concerns of the viewer. All of Benetton's campaigns, don't target the consumer but the individual. Benetton uses the cycle of difference, reality and free speech and the right to express it.

The cycle of difference is evident in Benetton's 1986 campaign in which in the ad's reflected a pairing of stereotypical people whom were different, due to their race, beliefs, political, moral making his ads very controversial and bringing a new style of ad's in the field of advertising.

In the cycle of reality, Benetton ad's added a "realistic" or "real life" a depth of field it's way of communicating change radically; it is evident in its February '92 campaigns. The photos used portrayed the "real" world. In this groups falls the ad "Final Moments" the AIDS ad previously mentioned by Tibor Kalman. All the image s depicted high-drama situations, a man dying of AIDS, a soldier holding to a thigh bone, a man assassinated by the mafia, a car on fire and ship being overtaken by emigrants.

The cycle of free speech and the right to express it, Benetton definitely gave the "shock value" to it's viewers. Benetton was accused of not having the legitimacy position to bring all this issues in such a wide spread media to the viewers. Through time the brand has worked with many organization in helping and providing funds by which awareness or by providing advertisements the public becomes more involve with the cause. Benetton uses images that reflect conflict and pain, this brand really breaks from the stereotypical of advertising which reflects the idealistic comfortable world.

After reading these two informational items, I'm going to take a good observation in my imagery and since people have short attention span. Benetton has been very successful with their selection of imagery and affecting the emotional pleas of their audience.