ADVERTISING: Benetton's Battered South Asian Model

UPDATE: June 1, 2007: All evidence points to this being a fake ad. We - and several other sites, including those that cover advertising - were fooled. The pranksters who pull this together clearly did a good job - we are currently trying to learn more about them, the model, etc. YOUR HELP WELCOME - saja[at]columbia.edu. We apologize to our readers and to Benetton for this.

UPDATE: May 30, 2007, 3:45 pm: Salon and WritesLikeSheTalks report that this is NOT A BENETTON CAMPAIGN. We are checking to find out either way. All the more reason for us to ID the model below. Anyone know her? How about the photographer, Jatin Kampani?

Yet another ad with a South Asian (or so we assume), but this time it's rather dark. The ad's for Benetton, and says "Colors of Domestic Violence," and in fine print, "Issued in Public Interest by United Colors of Benetton." Click on the ad to enlarge it - you'll be able to notice how her purple bruise matches her sweater.

Read more about the campaign and see the other models in this series here - the campaign's ad agency is McCann Erickson.

This item has details about the shot, including the fact that the photographer is a South Asian - Jatin Kampani (see other work by him  here and here - his portfolio includes public service ads to glamor shots). But no mention of the model, though.

This isn't the first time Benetton has gone topical for attention. The most obvious example, to my mind, is the AIDS ad they ran years ago, with a dying man who looked like Jesus. See Benetton campaigns going back to the late 1980s here.

Press contacts here for Benetton and here for McCann Erikson.

See our earlier posts on advertising (including items about desi models for Microsoft and Apple) and let us know what you think in the comments section below.

UPDATE: As per Jaya's request in the comments below for a list of anti-domestic violence orgs in the US, please see this collection provided by Sakhi for South Asian Women in NYC.

Also see various comments about this at SepiaMutiny.

[Thanks to Jaya Kamlani and Swapna Vora for bringing the ad to our attention.]

Comments

[Jaya Kamlani]

Can someone comprise a list of all the social agencies that women can turn to (in/outside U.S) should they be subjected to domestic violence? Or, just post the agencies that you are aware of, on this blog.

I suggest all women email this list to themselves and save it in an email folder. This way they know who to contact if they hear/see someone who is battered, or if they themselves become a victim of domestic abuse. Thanks.

Jaya Kamlani

[sandhya nankani]

There's certainly a need for more awareness about domestic violence, but somehow the idea of selling clothes with these ads makes me very uncomfortable. There's a certain level of glamorization that seeps into this attempt. Also, why does it seem like everyone is a person of color in these three ads? I would like to see additional copy surrounding this campaign, but wasn't able to find it. Anyone?

[Judi Silva]

Jaya, listed in my article "Women's Abuse in India, America and Elsewhere An American Woman's Perspective" I have several of the agencies for domestic violence listed.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8885/womens_abuse_in_india_america_and_elsewhere.html

[Judi Silva]

Amnesty International
www.amnestyusa.org
322 8th Avenue
New York, NY 10001
Tel: 212 807 8400

Apna Ghar {a domestic violence shelter serving primarily Asian women and children}
http://www.apnaghar.org/indexnew.shtml
4753 North Broadway
Suite 518
Chicago, IL 60640
Office: 773-334-0173

Asian Task Force Office Against Domestic Violence
http://www.atask.org
P.O. Box 120108,
Boston, MA 02112
Tel: 617.338.2350

Chicago Battered Women's Network
http://www.batteredwomensnetwork.org/
220 South State, Suite 2108
Chicago, Illinois 60604
Phone: 312-750-0730

Joyful Heart Foundation
305 West Broadway 115
New York, NY 10013
212-274-9892

Manavi {increase awareness of women's rights in society and encourage
social change to end all violence against them}
Website: http://www.manavi.org
P.O. Box 3103
New Brunswick NJ 08901
Tel: (732) 435-1414

Mount Sinai Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Program (SAVI)
http://www.mssm.edu/savi
One Gustave L. Levy Place
New York, NY 10029
Manhattan: (212) 423-2140
Queens: (718) 736-1288

Narika {a helpline for abused South Asian women}
http://www.narika.org/
P.O. Box 14014
Berkeley, CA 94712
Phone 510-540-0754

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV)
http://www.ncadv.org/
P. O. Box 18749
Denver, CO 80218-0749
Tel: (303) 839-1852

National Organization For Woman {NOW}
http://www.now.org
733 Fifteenth Street NW, 2nd Floor
Washington, D.C. 20005

Raksha, Inc.
P.O. Box 12337
Atlanta, Georgia 30355
Office:(404) 876-0670
Help Line: (404) 842-0725
www.raksha.org

Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network
http://www.rainn.org/
635-B Pennsylvania Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20003
Phone: 202.544.1034 or 1.800.656.4673 ext. 3

SAHELI Boston
http://www.saheliboston.org/
P.O. Box 1345
Burlington, MA 01803
Tel: (866) 472-4354 (4-SAHELI)

Sojourner House
http://www.sojourner-house.org/
386 Smith St
Providence, RI 02908
Tel: 401-861-6191

UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM):
http://www.unifem.org
United Nations Development Fund for Women
304 E 45th Street 15th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Tel: (212) 906-6400

[swapna vora]

Benetton, and presumably its advtg director, will insist that this gives publicity to the existence of domestic violence. They will get plenty of writeups etc in papers and prominent space and free time in the media. As their ad guys must have chuckled, 'Cant lose.' And they will put some pretty, slim, apologetic "spokeswoman" to calm the media, have discussions. In other words free publicity and fake concern. Along with 'you know these cultures encourage this', and other unscientific, racial remarks.

Wellknown documentary maker Nell Cox says: THIS IS TOTALLY OFFENSIVE. IF THEY WERE REALLY INTERESTED IN THE SUBJECT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE CHOSEN THIS BEAUTIFUL MODEL .....

But if they had chosen some fat, ugly, elderly model, more battered looking, then maybe people would not buy their products.

Also FWIW, domestic violence incidences in India are on par with most other societies.

[Yogi]

Yes, all women should print out that email and keep it in their pockets, instead of calling 911 and having the bastard arrested.

[Sanjay kothari]

Everytime I see an Indian,. It's with the funny Indian accent. It used to be beggars and lepers so we should feel good that we've moved along in how we are portrayed. I also know that if we made a big enough stink they would back off. But we arent activist enough. They know they are picking on people who are harmless and an easy target. They wont highlight problems of hiphop influenced violence within the
black community by making such visual generalizations because they know that they wouldnt be able to get away with it.

This is supposed to be progressive but it reeks of a negative generalization. Isnt that Racism?

[Tenaz]

I think the advertisement is truly in bad taste. It, both, glamorizes and trivializes domestic violence.

What if the model did not have a purple bruise to match her pretty, purple sweater?
Would Benetton have run a picture with a woman's face crumpled with agonized tears wearing a sweater stained with tears or blood? I think not.

What no camera can capture is shattered self-esteem/spirit that is a huge component of domestic violence.

Shame on Benetton for stooping so low to peddle their pull-overs!

...and for the life of me I can't figure out the subliminal advertising message that my brain is supposed to absorb. Unfortunately, what the ad says to me is: "You too can be a victim of domestic violence if you wear one of our sweaters."

[Nilofer]

If public response is strong enough then such demeaning and distasteful ads wil not re-appear. And strong public response can best be expressed by a boycott of the product being advertised.

To paraphrase a line from the WWF (or was it the Save the Tiger project?) ad, when the buying stops, the bad ads will stop.

I for one stopped buying things with the Benetton label the first time their ads became demeaning to human dignity.

[Robina Niaz]

Turning Point for Women and Families is a New York based agency that addresses domestic violence in the Muslim community including South Asian women and girls. Our contact is 718-883-9400 www.turningpoint-ny.org Please share the information.

It is apalling to see both the trivializing of domestic violence and the stereotyping of it. Sadly niether Benetton nor their world renowned advertising agency seems to know that domestic violence is an issue that cuts across racial, ethnic, socio-economic, religious and every other conceivable barrier!

It is a shame that profiteering takes priority over all else. But then it isn't a surprise - is it? Yes we should be protesting and making a noise as well as stop buying the "colors of benetton".

[Shreya Bhandari]

Initially when I saw the ad, for a while I was happy that somebody (Benetton) is out there to reach out to the upper class. But when I looked at it closely, all the women were of colors other than white. The concept is good, to touch the upper classes, however by only capturing the other colors, (wouldn't want to call people of color ) as white is also a color, Benetton also wants to reiterate the same old myth, that domestic violence occurs in certain races, or colors. The ad is blatant, but racist, that is what I can say.

[abha]

I'm not sure what this ad campaign is trying to say. To me, it's giving out mixed messages:
1. yes, it is raising awareness about domestic violence, esp against women.
2. but it also seems to be glorifying it.

What is it trying to say? That you can be abused and still look good? That you can parade the bruises to match your clothes and say hey, i'm a victim and i'm glamorous????

I understand that Benetton is trying to be a part of a social awareness raising campaign. But the real picture is never as pretty as those shots. The bruises hurt and change in colors and shades and pain and emotions and the way we view at life. The women rarely feel pretty after being battered. Domestic violence results in the slow shattering of self confidence, worth and esteem. Few of those women are able to believe they are still pretty. None would parade their bruises. None would be able to look at those ads without mixed feelings of hurt, rage and wonder.

And yes, the question of colour does arise. Are only women of colour victims of domestic violence then? Or perhaps that they are the only ones who don't always cake up in make up to hide the bruises, dress in trendy attire and pretend they are still whole and the world is alright.

If the ads were meant to speak for the victims of domestic violence, instead they've made them a victim of media ad campaign misrepresentation as well.

[Sunil Shibad]

This is probably a spec or ghost ad.
I am fom India and I have never seen it in the media.

[Stephanie Willson]

I am currently consulting for a non-profit that helps at-risk women. I noticed these ads and posted on them on our blog at: http://scesnetblog.blogspot.com/

I created the blog for Second Chance Employment Services because I know women that needed help and recieved assistance from this organization regardless of their race or socioeconomics. All women can become victims of domestic violence and this is a worthwhile cause. Their website is: http://www.scesnet.org

Their offices are:

Washington, DC
818 18th St. N.W., Suite 420
Washington, D.C. 20006

PHONE: 202-331-7451
TOLL-FREE: 888-331-7451
FAX: 202-331-7428

New York City
10 East 34th Street, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10016

PHONE: 212-659-5386
TOLL-FREE: 888-331-7451
FAX: 212-659-5372

God Bless Ludy Green, President and Founder, for making a difference!

[Stephanie Willson]

I, Stephanie Willson, wrote the comment post above about Second Chance Employmnet Services. Why did it post Sunil Shibad as the author?! Thanks - Stephanie