‘Marketing Communication Analysis of

Benetton PR campaigns’
Table of Contents
Question (a) Analysis of the marketing communication model in regards to the case of Benetton ............. 2
Question (b) Advertising objectives of Benetton .......................................................................................... 3
Question (c) Advantages and disadvantages of Benetton’s shock advertising campaign ............................. 4
Question (d) Evaluation of Benetton advertisements.................................................................................... 5
References ..................................................................................................................................................... 7

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Question (a) Analysis of the marketing communication model in regards to the case of
Benetton
AIDA Model
The AIDA marketing communication model is chosen in regards to the case of Benetton. The
model is helping in identifying the process by which an individual goes through during the
buying process. There are four vital stages which are Awareness, Interest, Desire, and Action.
Through this process, Benetton is establishing awareness by promoting their firm as a socially
responsible business. But, the company is also found to be known for inappropriate usage of
advertising themes which is impacting their brand. The advertisements related to be
shockvertising is reflecting the terrifying and repulsive emotions which are made by the firm to
creating awareness (Hanlon, 2018).
Interest is representing the process of implementing a strategy for attracting the consumers to
gain the interest of gaining more knowledge on organization. Benetton is publishing the
controversial pictures of vulgarity, nudity and the moral offences for establishing a provocative
effect. This issue is reflecting the gaining of consumer's interest in gaining more knowledge
about the organization.
Desire is reflecting the consumers wish to purchase the product which is needed to be established
by the marketers. The UNHATE campaign launched by the company in November 2011 is
establishing a contrast between the culture of hatred and promotion of closeness between the
people, faiths and cultures. This campaign received a million backlashes as it was released for
uniting two different religious leaders. Though this campaign gained a huge amount of
controversy but it is leading to an increase in audiences. Due to this reason, the fans were also
increased for Benetton over social media (Incze et al., 2018).
Actions are reflecting the consumers' steps taken after the establishment of the UNHATE
campaign is made. The increase in community to more than 3000 articles, 600 TV reports and
more than 500 million users are seen. Though the negative response gained, but the Benetton
was successful in gaining the attraction of people through this campaign. Also, the controversial
environment is established by the mixed feeling expressed by the audiences (Incze et al., 2018).
Hierarchy of Innovation-Adoption Model

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The hierarchy of Innovation-Adoption Model is reflecting the representing the stage where the
consumer passes through adopting an innovation of the product. In this model, the consumer is
going through the awareness, interest, evaluation, trial, and adoption stages.
The awareness stage is reflecting the process of evaluating more information made by the
consumers for gaining a deeper understanding. Benetton prepared the advertisement which is the
lip-lock campaign of Barack Obama and Chinese leader Hu Jintao. This advertisement is
displaying the establishment of Kiss Wall created through the campaigns made digitally.
The interest is reflecting the process which is leading to gain the interest of the consumers for the
brand. Benetton created the UNHATE campaign which is helping in gaining the attention of the
consumers. It is gaining the attention of the consumers over social media through the controversy
is established for the brand (Mortimer, 2016).
The evaluation is reflecting the process of gathering more information for the advertisement
made by the company. Benetton's kissing wall creation in the advertisement is enabling the
consumers to gain interest in knowing more about the advertisement. This also enabled the
company to increase the profit for that certain period.
The trial is reflecting the process where the consumers are taking the final decision for buying
the product. The advertisement campaigns established by the company led the company to
increase the profit. This also shows that the Benetton is gaining success in making the consumers
to take the final decisions of buying the product (Nithya, 2019).
The adoption is reflecting the last stage in which the consumers are accepting the products after
the trial. Though the consumers are showing mixed feelings from the UNHATE campaign, but
the company won the best International print campaigns with generating the amount of
controversy.

Question (b) Advertising objectives of Benetton

The advertising objective of Benetton is provided below in the following along with the
explanations.
 To increase in profit as the company was not able to make a profit in the past years
The increase in the profit is achieved by implementing the unconventional communication
strategy. The advertisement costs are also lowered by the company Benetton in comparison to
the competitor Toscani. This is enabling the company to make the increase in the advertisement

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costs as is seen in this case study. The usages of the featured symbolic photographs such as black
woman breastfeeding white baby, and African-American child taking a nap on the white teddy
bears are establishing a controversial environment. But these processes are enabling the company
to gain the attention of the consumers which is leading to the increase in sales (Exchange4media,
2018).
 To become the top headlines of all television programs and articles present
worldwide
Benetton gain this brand loyalty by attracting the consumers present worldwide. The
advertisement process executed by the company is enabling the company to gain the attention of
the consumers. The controversial environment established in the campaign of UNHATE
Campaign is enabling the company to attract the consumers present worldwide. Though the
company is gaining negative feedback, but is increasing the sales to 132 million dollars with
raising the profit to 24%. Thus, it is proving that the company is gaining success in becoming
the top headline of 600TV reports in 60 nations, 3000 articles and reaching to 500 million users
present worldwide (Exchange4media, 2018).

Question (c) Advantages and disadvantages of Benetton’s shock advertising campaign

Advantages of Benetton’s shock advertising campaign
 Increasing the sales of the product with profit
This is leading to the increase in the sales of the product with gaining the positive output for the
business. The reason for using the negative shock advertising campaign is to attract the
customers towards the product. Before the launch of the advertising campaign, the company
faced a huge drop in the net income as is seen in the case study (Incze et al., 2018).
 Developing diversification in the advertisement
The development of diversification strategy is seen from the campaign of United Colors of
Benetton. The strategy is enabling the company to focus on different ethnicities features such as
wearing the company’s clothing, and laughing are reflecting the social realities. This enabled the
company to make the expansion in France with reducing the advertising costs (Incze et al.,
2018).
 Enabling the company to reach 500 users present in the international community

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The UNHATE Campaign of Benetton is making the company to enhance the advertisement
processes appropriately. The aim for gaining the attention of the consumers is being appropriate
accomplished though the advertisement is seen to creating a negative impact on the society. The
company is enabled by gaining the attention of about 500 users present in the international
community (Incze et al., 2018).
Disadvantages of Benetton’s shock advertising campaign
 Establishment of negative image on the consumers about the company
The establishment of the negative image is seen by the help of the controversy. The company is
not found to be executing any processes which are enabling the company to face the issues. The
negative image is established by the company by producing controversial advertisements. Due to
this reason, the negative impact is created on the company (Mortimer, 2016).
 Negative reaction between the races
The negative reaction between the races is established by embracing the homosexuals and the
lesbians. The kissing scene of African American boy with a Caucasian boy is reflecting the
process of conveying the message of racial unity. This is creating negative reactions in the US
and European Countries (Mortimer, 2016).
 Decrease in Sales
The decrease in sales is seen as the brand image of the company Benetton is impacted by the
development of negative advertisement processes. This is leading to the development of
problems which is seen in this situation. Thus, the impact is raised which is raised due to the
shock advertising campaigns (Mortimer, 2016).

Question (d) Evaluation of Benetton advertisements

The evaluation of Benetton’s advertisement is made based on the creativity. The creativity is
including the following components which are explained in the context of Benetton.
Originality
The originality is reflecting the presence of the uncommon elements in the advertisements
generated by the company. The campaign executed by Benetton in 1984 is representing the
United by Colors. This is carried out in France (Chahal, 2018).
Flexibility

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The flexibility is represented from the UNHATE Campaign established by the company which is
found to be contrasting the culture of hatred and promoting closeness in between the people. The
other advertising flexibilities are seen from the Kissing Wall development in the advertising
campaign.
Elaboration
The elaboration is reflecting the extension of the simple ideas to make it complicated. Benetton
is using symbolic photographs to elaborate the ideas represented in the advertisement of the
product (Drum, 2019).
Synthesis
The blending and the mixing of the normally unrelated objected. Benetton is also using such line
for reflecting the racism. It is shocking as well as it is perfectly finished. It is enabling the
consumers to get into the advertisement in more details.

The execution techniques used by Benetton is reflecting the creative executions. It is simply
focusing on the straight forward presentation of the information. The execution technique is also
focusing on the humour and dramatization which is represented through the advertisement of
Benetton as identified in the case study (Chahal, 2018).

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References
Chahal, M. (2018). How Benetton is changing its colours – Marketing Week. [online] Marketing
Week. Available at: https://www.marketingweek.com/benetton-changes-its-colours/ [Accessed
18 Nov. 2019].
Drum (2019). United Colors of Benetton urges Indians to stand up for the Constitution in
campaign. [online] The Drum. Available at: https://www.thedrum.com/news/2019/04/25/united-
colors-benetton-urges-indians-stand-up-the-constitution-campaign [Accessed 18 Nov. 2019].
Exchange4media (2018). Every campaign by Benetton India is followed by a sentiment analysis:
Sundeep Chugh - Exchange4media. [online] Indian Advertising Media & Marketing News –
exchange4media. Available at: https://www.exchange4media.com/advertising-news/every-
campaign-by-benetton-india-is-followed-by-a-sentiment-analysis-sundeep-chugh-92994.html
[Accessed 18 Nov. 2019].
Hanlon, A. (2018). The AIDA Model | Smart Insights. [online] Smart Insights. Available at:
https://www.smartinsights.com/traffic-building-strategy/offer-and-message-development/aida-
model/ [Accessed 18 Nov. 2019].
Incze, C., Pocovnicu, A., Vasilache, S. and Al Zain, N. (2018). Marketing communication
analysis of benetton PR campaigns. Proceedings of the International Conference on Business
Excellence, 12(1), pp.457-465.
Mortimer, N. (2016). How Benetton moved from shockvertising to be ‘never shocking’. [online]
thedrum.com. Available at: https://www.thedrum.com/news/2016/07/27/how-benetton-moved-
shockvertising-be-never- [Accessed 18 Nov. 2019].
Nithya, S. (2019). Advertising of Products: 5 Models | Management. [online] Essays, Research
Papers and Articles on Business Management. Available at:
https://www.businessmanagementideas.com/advertisement/advertising-of-products-5-models-
management/8479 [Accessed 18 Nov. 2019].

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