Benetton's communication strategy evolved from focusing on products and logos in the 1980s to pursuing unconventional campaigns under Oliviero Toscani that highlighted global issues instead of clothing. Toscani's controversial ads in the 1990s, such as those depicting death row inmates and priests kissing nuns, drove massive sales growth but also increasing criticism. After Toscani resigned in 2000 amid controversies, Benetton shifted to less provocative ads partnering with UN themes and models in colorful knitwear against white backgrounds. While controversial topics can boost awareness, brands must choose widely acceptable topics to avoid backlash.

1. B E N E T T O N G R O U P :
E V O L U T I O N O F
C O M M U N I C A T I O N
S T R A T E G Y
M A D E B Y : -
( M B 0 2 3 ) K H Y A T I P A T E L
( M B 0 4 0 ) M U B I N S A I Y E D

2. BENETTON GROUP
• Benetton is an Italian retailer engaged in the manufacturing and
distribution of clothing, undergarments, shoes, cosmetics and
accessories.
• The Benetton family which consist of three brothers and a sister
established the Benetton chain of retail stores in a small Italian town in
1955.
• In late 1960s and the early 1970s, Benetton briskly expanded in France,
West Germany, Britain, Switzerland, and the Scandinavian countries by
setting retail outlets.
• Around mid- 1980s, the chain had a well known brand in the major cites
of US and Japan.
• The group’s major brands are United Colors of Benetton (UCB), Sisley,
Play Life and Killer Loop.

3. COMMUNICATION STRATEGY
• Upto1980s, Benetton advertisements largely focused on its products
and logo.
• In 1982, Luciano appointed Oliviero Toscani, a prominent fashion and
advertisements photographer to lead the Benetton’s advertising
department.
• In few years Luciano and Toscani realized that Benetton ads need to
stand apart from the rest of the competition.
• So, in the leadership of Oliviero Toscani, Benetton believied in pursuing
an unconventional communication strategy, where Global issues and
not clothes, play the lead part.

4. • Some of the Major ad campaigns of Benetton were
“United Colours of Benetton” - linking the changing colors in the Benetton
collection to the diverse “colors” of its world customers, the ads portrayed
a picture of racial harmony and world peace.
 “All the colors in the World,” - ” showing groups of teenagers and kids
from different countries and ethnic groups dressed in Benetton clothing,
with the company logo in the corner.
“United Superstars of Benetton.” - blending culture and legends
featuring Adam and Eve, Joan of Arc and Marilyn Monroe ,Leonardo
de Vinci and Julius Caesar.

5. AFTER 1989
• Benetton cancel its agreement with outside advertising agencies &
develop campaigns in house.
• Benetton changed its focus to photos that stimulated thinking. The new
advertisements neither showed the products nor the logo. The knot
logo was replaced with a small green rectangle with the tagline “United
Colors of Benetton.”
• Some of the famous early 90’s ads were black hand and a white hand
linked by a handcuff, a black woman breast-feeding a white baby, a
white wolf and a black sheep nose to nose, a black child sleeping among
a pile of white teddy-bears, a little black hand on a big white hand, a
piano duo showing little white hands being helped by big black hands,
two children (one black, the other white) facing each other sitting on
their potties.

6. • Ads which got mix response and led to controversies :-
– a priest and nun kissing
– baby with the umbilical cord
– a black stallion
– mounting a white mare
– three identical human hearts with stickers announcing different ethnic
groups “white, black, yellow”
– “We, on Death Row.” featuring 26 US prisoners who had been sentenced to
death.

7. RESULTS OF SUCH ADS
• Due to his radical campaigns, many people in the advertising industry
hated Toscani. Since his taking charge of Benetton, the company’s sales
had grown more than twenty times.
• While with passing time the controversies increased and Benetton had
to pay many fines and saw a large row of criticism in late 90’s.
• Though most of the good ads are forgotten after six months, but
different ads of Benetton like the priest kissing the nun, were still
remembered ten years later.
• As a result of increasing controversies , Toscani resigned in May 2000.

8. POST TOSCANI IN EARLY 2000’S
• Started several ads campaign with UN.
• It was observed that Benetton was changing its communication strategy.
• The company started showcasing advertisements featuring exuberant
models frolicking in colorful knitwear against a white background.
• Benetton continued with its “socially responsible” status by focusing on
various non-controversial themes like racial discrimination, poverty,
child labor, AIDS awareness, etc.

9. CONCLUSION FROM THE CASE
• Touching Controversial topics for ads have both positive and negative
sides
– It may boost your brand awareness and sales sometimes.
– It may create problems and creative negative publicity.
• While going for such ad campaign the widely acceptable topics must be
chosen.
• The ads should be designed in such a way that they are more widely
accepted and may not hurt sentiments of majority.
• Benetton post Toscani may not achive same growth as it achieved in
past but it may create less controversies and play safe while creating
ads.
• In our view the company Benetton should continue with controversial

10. THANK
YOU