| A dead soldier's blood-soaked t-shirt; a nun kissing a priest; a gaunt young man with AIDS; all were images used by the fashion label Benetton to advertise its clothing in the 90s. The provocative campaign was the work of Italian photographer Oliviero Toscani, a man who brought topics such as war, racism, the death penalty, and the misery of refugees into the business of advertising. His posters set off a storm of indignation throughout the world; in many places they were banned. Toscani's “Reverse Psychology Marketing” challenges the intelligence and the consciousness of its audience; rather than praising products and tempting people to buy, it seeks to enlighten. [author's text] |
