“United Colors and Untied Meanings: Benetton and the Commodification of Social Issues”

With Benetton as her major example, Tinic explores the use of social issues such as racism and HIV/AIDS in order to sell a product. She argues that Benetton's use of these issues as commodities detracts from their significance and that, by radically taking them out of context, the company has created confusion over their meaning and a complete polarization of public opinion. The United Colors of Benetton advertising campaign attempted to integrate social commentary into the marketing of a designer product, and as such it blurred the line between these two separate forms of media. Tinic reads the debate over this particular company as reflective of the public’s general unease with the commodification of such cultural issues.  She ends her essay by examining the role of advertising in society as a whole, and argues that, as members of a consumer culture, the public may have to redefine some of their preconceived notions about the limits of advertising. 

Tinic, Serra A. “United Colors and Untied Meanings: Benetton and the Commodification of Social Issues.” Journal of Communication 47.3 (1997): 3-25. Web. 16 Feb. 2011.