Introduction
Benneton ads use inclusivity to their advantage, as a tool for communicating a message and attracting customers. Research into customer behavior has shown that people are more likely to buy when they can see people similar to themselves associated with a certain product. Therefore, inclusivity plays a large role in how companies market their goods and services, as well as how they are perceived by the public. In recent years, more companies start using diversity as a tool to advertise themselves (Khamis 2). Therefore, the efforts of Benneton to promote inclusivity with their advertisements are beneficial to their corporate profits. To portray fashion as something available for everyone, they showcase people with different body types, skin colors, and complexions in their ads. This is commendable both as a tool for promoting the visibility of vulnerable groups in society and as an effective advertisement campaign.
What Was Done Poorly
While representation in advertisements accomplished much in the way of visibility, it is also a practice filled with different problems. In particular, many of them are connected with who is shown in advertisements, and how they are portrayed. Advertisements have the power to change public perception, or affirm it, with the use of stereotypes. Commonplace portrayals of certain groups of people can be made widespread in the advertisement, making the prevalence of stereotypes even more pervasive. In this way, advertisements can affect how people see themselves (Cirklová 105). Similarly, Benneton uses certain types of people in its advertisements, forming perceptions connecting individuals and fashion. While many Benneton models vary in their gender and the color of their skin, all of them adhere to conventional standards of beauty. The choice to showcase “beautiful” people, then, affects how the viewers think about themselves.
Other Inclusive Ads
The Gillette brand, in particular, is well known for its strides toward inclusive marketing. The company shows people of different backgrounds, races, ethnicities, and identities. Giving more visibility to those that require it. In a more recent ad, for example, they included a transgender person, which remains among the rarely mentioned minority groups (Sukhraj). Gillette can be viewed as a brand that understands inclusive marketing especially well.
Works Cited
Cirklová, Jitka. “Reaffirming Identity Through Images. The commodification of Illusions in the Contemporary Presentation of Self.” methaodos revista de ciencias sociales, vol. 8, no. 1, 2020, pp. 103-110.
Khamis, Susie. Branding Diversity: New Advertising and Cultural Strategies. Routledge, 2020.
Sukhraj, Ramona. “Inclusive Marketing Examples: 15 Stunning Campaigns to Inspire You in 2021.” IMPACT: Inbound Marketing & HubSpot Training, 2022.