Pictures are worth more than words and this assumption is being validated by Benetton's latest campaign (which will probably be banned by the way)! Their soon-to-be-pulled-off ad campaign was entitled "Unhate" and featured world leaders (political figures) kissing. This involved a certain level of homosexuality, surrealism and impossibility. Indeed, you'll be able to see the photoshopped faces of Barack Obama kissing the president of North Korea and Hugo Chavez (the president of Venezuela) and Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy make out. I think the best pic is definitely the one with the leaders of Israel and the leader of the movement for Palestine's independence share a kiss (Benjamin Netanyahu and Mahmoud Abbas respectively).
The executive deputy chairman of Benetton, Alessandro Benetton who presented the ad in Paris two weeks ago said that "the images are very strong, but we have to send a strong message. We are not wanting to be disrespectful of the leaders ... we consider them "conception figures" making a statement of brotherhood with a kiss". I agree with him; it's fiction, don't freak out, the intention isn't bad either. The group is said to have planned a serie of live actions intended to bring young people together to post the photos of the horny leaders "on the walls of locations symbolic of the desperately-needed peace process: Tel Aviv, New York, Rome, Milan, Paris."
The United Colors of Benetton have a long history of controversy and turmoils but I just love it. I think progressist movements such as these whether they come from political figures, independent people, corporations or celebrities are very appropriate for the era we're in as society as to continue to evolve and people have to stop freaking out when others use mockery to testify of their disappointment with political leaders.
