Defending the Benetton Ad Campaign

The Benetton Ad campaign under Oliviero Toscani employs shock value in order to convey strong messages and attract attention to certain controversies around the world. Although many people find insult in such bold images, the strategy of shock value advertising works. Images that are out of the ordinary grab the eye and cause the viewer to study and remember what is seen. In the case of the David Kirby ad, even though the picture had already been published, Benetton's use of it brought attention to the world and media, causing people to talk about AIDS. In 2003 the photo was included in Life magazine collection "100 Photos that changed the world." (Courtesy Benetton Press Group). The picture of David Kirby causes the viewer to sympathize and relate with the victim and his family. The AIDS epidemic is controversial, let alone the use of the matter in an advertisement; however Benetton prides itself on using its ads to call attention to social issues. Even criticisms are considered good attention, because whether the use of the picture was beneficial to Benetton or not, it was beneficial in bringing awareness to the AIDS epidemic.