WHERE SUCCESSFUL ADVERTISING MEETS LGBTQ+ EQUALITY



Benetton - Bakers

Company: Benetton Group
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Brand: Benetton
Ad Title: Bakers
Business Category: Fashion/Apparel
Media Outlets: Print
Country: United States
Region: North America
Agency: Benetton Group in-house
Year: 1985
Target: Mainstream
Ad Spotter: Blaine Branchik
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While most fashion brands use sexy models to sell their clothes, Benetton Group's Benetton USA Corp. is known for its not-so-pretty, controversial advertising that depicts the likes of a frail man with AIDS and death row inmates.

This 1985 Benetton ad pictures two male bakers coddling a large, round loaf a bread a bit like a baby, with their fingers intimately intertwined.

Despite the fashion industry's omnipresent use of sex to sell its merchandise – often "forgetting" to include the very clothing they're trying to sell – few have actually used overtly gay imagery. Designers including Calvin Klein, Gucci, Versace, Abercrombie & Fitch and even Benetton itself have only teased consumers with gay vague imagery.

Benetton also ran a TV ad in 1995 with openly lesbian model Jenny Shimizu, with tattoos and short hair. She talks about the dress "that you love more than your boyfriend – but let's not get started on that."

As Benetton spokesman Mark Major explains, ad director Oliviero Toscani likes to challenge consumers with his advertising. "His agenda is to push people's thinking. He feels the way sex is a taboo subject in the US is hypocritical and that we're our own worst enemy. Why do we tell children babies come from a stork?"

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Jenny Shimizu
Company: Benetton Group
Brand: Benetton
Country: United States
Region: North America
Year: 1995


Crowd
Company: Benetton Group
Brand: Benetton
Country: United States
Region: North America
Year: 1984


Three Male Kiss
Company: Benetton Group
Brand: Benetton
Country: United States
Region: North America
Year: 1984


AIDS Ribbon Underwear
Company: Benetton Group
Brand: Benetton
Country: United States
Region: North America, US Regional
Year: 1999


Baby
Company: Benetton Group
Brand: Benetton
Country: Italy
Region: Europe
Year: 1990


Backside - HIV
Company: Benetton Group
Brand: Benetton
Country: Italy
Region: North America, Europe
Year: 1995


Abdomen - HIV
Company: Benetton Group
Brand: Benetton
Country: Italy
Region: North America, Europe
Year: 1995


Arm - HIV
Company: Benetton Group
Brand: Benetton
Country: Italy
Region: North America, Europe
Year: 1995


David Kirby - A 'Pieta'
Company: Benetton Group
Brand: Benetton
Country: Italy
Region: North America, Europe, Latin/South America
Year: 1992


Twins
Company: Benetton Group
Brand: Benetton
Country: United States
Region: North America
Year: 1994


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