United blandless of Benetton

Last week United Colours of Benetton unveiled its latest brand ambassadors and advertising campaigns in which they featured. For the first time they united their product campaigns with their social awareness campaigns, and the result fails on both counts.

Benetton has built its reputation on powerful campaigns which promote social issues and equality awareness. From Pope Benedict XVI kissing a senior Egyptian Iman, to promoting HIV awareness, to publicising poverty and inequality, to attempting to encourage cross-cultural understanding and conversation and in their tireless fighting against racial discrimination; the company has built a reputation for social campaigning centred around its provocative and powerful advertising campaigns. Although at times landing the company in hot water, the campaigns have allowed the brand to forge its reputation as social aware with a keen social conscious, allowing consumers no choice but to recognise the company’s ethical ethos. In not being scared to promote diversity or tackle taboo subjects and issues, the company has frequently angered campaigners and other groups – and at times has had to withdraw its images. But the consistency of the company at producing powerful, iconic images which promote these issues without demeaning them is why they are so renowned and respected for their advertising.

Alongside these campaigns they have also run product campaigns, promoting their seasonal product range and the diversity of their selection and consumers. Inoffensive and simple these campaigns promote the products without shoving the company’s social campaigning down consumer’s throats. Much more akin to the advertising of a rival company such as Uniqlo, they are less associated with the brand, and accordingly somewhat less iconic. However their continued use of a racial, ethical and gender mix in these campaigns still enforces the brands anti-discrimination ethos.

Now the company has combined the two. The latest campaign sees disabled model Mario Galla and transsexual model Lea T promoting products in the same advertisements which are being used to help overcome prejudice and promote social awareness. However the campaign fails to capitalise on the taboo issues their models raise, instead presenting them as standard product models who could be promoting any fashion label. The company claims they are returning the focus to the power of colour, and the images of their ambassadors certainly emphasise the vibrant colours of the products. However in downplaying the features which led Benetton to select the ambassadors the uniqueness, power and message of the campaign is lost. Rather than promoting the ways these individuals have overcome adversity to campaign for equality they present them like any other model – bland and without a story.

For a company with such a rich history of creative, emotive, advertising which tells the story of social inequalities, the latest campaign fails to add to the brands identity. The company continues to support the Unhate Foundation, but since the campaign fails to communicate how its models are overcoming prejudice, it lacks the tenacity and fearlessness associate with the brand, diminishing it to nothing more than another seasonal campaign from another clothing brand.

Galliano 2.0

This week Oscar de la Renta announced the return of one of the Fashion industry’s most dramatic and theatrical designers.

Two years ago John Galliano fell from grace – and the helm of Dior – when he was charged with making anti-Semitic remarks in Paris. Galianno proceeded to plead guilty to criminal charges, pay the imposed fines and seek help for his alcohol addiction, and retreating almost entirely from the fashion (in part due to the industry turning its back on him)

This week however, Galliano’s much doubted return was announced.

Although his comeback seemed almost impossible – it could be construed as symbolic of the industry condoning Galliano’s remarks – this week it appears Galliano has been forgiven and is being allowed back into the fashion world.

Close friend and long-time admirer of his work Oscar de la Renta this week announced that he was inviting John Galliano into his design studio for three weeks to help reacclimatise the former designer to the environment and begin his return to the industry.

Although little detail has been revealed about what Galliano will do during his time in the studio – de la Renta denies he will be replacing him when he retires, although concedes taking advice on his collections from ‘everyone’ – it offers Galliano the foot  through the door he needs to mastermind his comeback.

The lack of theatre surrounding his return demonstrates the effort Galliano has made to rebrand and return to the fashion industry. The short-term ‘work experience’ as it has been called echoes the remorse Galliano has shown since the incident in Paris in 2011. No longer the bad boy calling the shots in the fashion industry, but instead seeking forgiveness and recognition based on his talent and creativity…Galliano is masterminding his comeback with impeccable acumen.

His two-year silence whilst in exile, and the absence of the drama for which he was famed, infers sincerity to his remorse and regret for his actions. The demonstration of genuine contrition and in not seeking public praise or recognition for his change in demeanour – like so many public figures would do – it would be cold and unforgiving of the fashion elite to continue to exclude Galliano.

The return of Galliano however, is not the return of the Galliano of old. The change in public presentation of the designer from wild child to repentant former alcoholic is perhaps the most outstanding example of rebranding the industry has ever seen.

No longer dramatic, headline-grabbing and brash, Galliano 2.0 appears (in press statements at least) to be repentant, subdued and reflective. In moving away from everything the designer was known for, attention is deflected away from his troubled past and returned to his talent and creativity.

…setting the scene for what will no doubt be one of the most phenomenal and spectacular comebacks since Chanel returned following her Nazi affair.

Sorry - a matter of timing

This week two very public apologies have been issued – one by supermarket behemoth Tesco and one by former cyclist Lance Armstrong. The difference in the reception of these apologies however demonstrates the importance of timing when admitting failure.

After random testing found 29% horse meat in Tesco “beef”burgers this week, the company quickly withdrew the products from shelves, and promptly issued a public apology to its customers which appeared as a full-page spread in most British national newspapers. The supermarkets quick response, as well as public admission of guilt, might not have eased the fears of those who had already eaten the burgers, but did help salvage the company’s reputation, and no doubt minimised the effect the scandal will have on all-important profits and footfall.

Lance Armstrong however far from salvaged his reputation with his apology, but continued to destroy and sabotage it. Having repeatedly and vigorously denied all previous allegations of doping and drug use, his most recent admission comes too little too late to avoid damage to his, and his charity’s, reputations. Furthermore, his apology for deceit and justification that it levelled the playing field when competing rather than salvaging his dignity and credibility only damages and discredits his sport - a sport which has gained so much respect, admiration and interest in the past year.

The two apologies have been handled in a very different way – no doubt because they tackle very different problems, but they both go to highlight one important factor in crisis management. Acting quickly and admitting guilt or failure will work much more effectively in the long run.

Tesco’s sale of horse meat packaged as beef has no doubt effected many more people than an ignorant sportsman’s drug use – however through a speedy and well-handled PR they have been able to manage the crisis well, minimise damage to their reputation and retain their integrity. Armstrong’s rigorous denial for years however, means his apology comes too late and too insincerely to win back the fans he once gained through his sporting achievements. In waiting until he had lost his medals and titles, and then passing the blame on his reasons and actions – Armstrong offers a perfect example of bad crisis management.