Earlier this month, the popular clothing store, United Colors of Benetton unveiled images for an upcoming advertising campaign. The ads featured world leaders kissing each other. In one photo President Barack Obama could be seen kissing Hugo Chavez the President of Venezuela. In another image, Pope Benedict XVI is shown kissing Egypt's Ahmed el-Tayyeb. For obvious reasons, the company is receiving overwhelming outrage from many who feel the advertisements were created in poor taste.
White House officials and the Vatican have even threatened to sue the company for the creation and intentional distribution of these digitally altered images.
As a customer of Benetton, I am equally appalled by the company’s poor judgment in its “Unhate” campaign. The advertisements are deceptive and culturally insensitive. The leadership at Benetton deserves to be penalized for their unethical consent to feature fabricated images in its advertisements.
I do understand and recognize that the company is dedicated to its mission of global tolerance, unity and love yet, I find it difficult to comprehend their rational for creating images that displayed our most respected world leaders engaging in an overtly homosexual behavior which misrepresents their public persona. How does that inspire people to end the hate? Contrary to what the mass media touts, America is a conservative society.
I know the point of the campaign wasn't for it to be funny, but maybe the people involved should have taken it less seriously. That's what Hugo Chavez did and it's probably saved him a lot of paperwork and anger.
ReplyDeleteHere's what he said about it:
"I hadn't seen this! How does Obama look there? With his eyes closed! Like he's inspired!" Chavez joked when asked by reporters about the picture of him and the U.S. leader.
"But it's just a peck, really, only a peck. They mess with me all the time, but I don't do anything ... my personal and spiritual tendency is to laugh at myself. It was a good joke."
(Source: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/12/06/oukoe-uk-venezuela-chavez-benetton-idUKTRE7B525C20111206)
Of course, Chavez tends to be a very irreverent person so it's not a big surprise. But my point is that all of them are public figures and so are subject to this type of thing. This is what many internet users do on their blogs and personal pages all the time.
This, then, brings up a question: f they start censoring a company's campaign, will it get to the point where they do the same with individuals?
I understand that there are some religious qualms with this, and I respect it. But at least regarding the politicians, I say laugh it off.