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 A Benetton ad in Paris featuring a doctored photo of the pope kissing a prominent imam.
November 16th, 2011
04:27 PM ET
Benetton pulls ad featuring doctored photo of pope kissing imamBy Dan Gilgoff, CNN.com Religion Editor (CNN) - United Colors of Benetton announced Wednesday it is pulling an ad featuring a doctored picture of the pope kissing a male Muslim cleric on the same day the ad was unveiled in response to criticism. The ad featured a fake picture of Pope Benedict XVI kissing Ahmed Mohamed el-Tayeb, imam of the Al-Azhar mosque, a prominent Muslim house of worship in Cairo, Egypt. "We reiterate that the meaning of this campaign is exclusively to combat the culture of hatred in all its forms," Benetton said in a statement on Wednesday. "We are therefore sorry that the use of the image of the pope and the imam has so offended the sentiments of the faithful,” the statement by the fashion apparel company continued. “In corroboration of our intentions, we have decided, with immediate effect, to withdraw this image from every publication." The ad was part of a campaign United Colors of Benetton unveiled Wednesday that features doctored photos of world leaders kissing each other and that aims to combat what the Italian-based company called a “culture of hatred.” The series features fake photos of U.S. President Barack Obama kissing Chinese leader Hu Jintao and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu kissing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, among other pairings. The ads are appearing in print and online media around the world. “The central theme is the kiss, the most universal symbol of love, between world political and religious leaders,” Benetton said in a Wednesday press release. “These are symbolic images of reconciliation - with a touch of ironic hope and constructive provocation - to stimulate reflection on how politics, faith and ideas, even when they are divergent and mutually opposed, must still lead to dialogue and mediation.” Benetton says the ad campaign accompanies the creation of a new organization called the UNHATE foundation. soundoff (1,035 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Next »
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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As usual just cry "offends religion," and businesses, governments, and people will bow down and do whatever the religion dictates. However, it is fitting that unhate would not apply to churches as they are all about hate – lol!
You could argue the same thing for crying "offends the non-religious." Heck, it seems like you can't even say "Christmas" in a public setting anymore without getting ten lawsuits shoved down your throat and four more up your nose. I think the key word is "offends." I would argue that America, as a society, is too easily offended, regardless of race, religion, or creed.
Stop offending me Dano.
Personally, I'd have rather more respect for both of these religious heads if the photograph was genuine.
So Benetton has a series of these photos (easily found on the web) with several other very recognizable persons and it's fucking Pope-A-Dope that gets all up tight about it. The vatican should have issued a press release something like "We pray for the day when these people usually portrayed as enemies can come together in peace."
So Benetton has a series of these photos (easily found on the web) with several other very recognizable persons and it's fucking Pope-A-Dope that gets all up tight about it. The vatican should have issued a press release something like "We pray for the day when these people usually portrayed as enemies can come together in peace."
They got exactly what they wanted. Swift reaction from the world to get everyone talking about them again. United colors of beneton my ass...they prolly going bankrupt
You are probably right about that.
this is disrespect for both religious beliefs. may god forgive those people who created this.
fuk Christians, fuk Jesus, fuk muslims and Islam, fuk Mofukhead and fuk God. They get what the deserve. Disrespect.
Dear Passive Agressive,
I believe your statement was not passive Agressive. I believe it would be considered Agressive, bordering on the insane.
Sincerely,
Preachy
Agreed, Preachy. Thank you.
What is insane about it? What is more insane about what I said that religion? Are you offended my words?
*by my words"
PA,
I could never be offended by your words sweetie. You can't spell. Your sentence structure is poor at best. And seriously, if you need to curse to get your point across...you have none.
Peachy Keen
Dano, Preachy....what offends you, my language or my message? Religion is fiction. Lies. Abuse. Destruction. There is no God. There were and are no prophets. Prove I am wrong, don't just call me out. Waiting for your knowledge....
Preachy, in other words, you have nothing. At least tell me your belief system. Are you a Christian, are you a Muslim, are you an Alien? Why the cop out? I am preparted to engage you in religious debate but all you can do is complain about my spelling? Okey dokey then. For my part, I am a "weak" or what is referred to as a "Temporal Agnostic" (you can look it up sweety). Why do you fear words? Words can't harm they are only X's and O's on a computer and vibrations coming from one's mouth. Who is insane?
PA,
Not being a religious scholar myself, nor being raised with religion at all, I could never "prove" it to you. I choose not to bash things I don't understand or the people who believe the. That would be way to much hate on my plate deary.
P
Preachy,
1. You just bashed me for my spelling and sentence structure, yet you made two obvious errors in your reply. 2. Prove what? You did not finish your thought. Error 3. Finally Deary, if you have nothing to say, why say anything?
My heart goes out to you PA. Hate and anger ruin lives. Embrace love, kindness and understanding and it will touch your heart. Work in 6...our time was lovely...may we meet up again. Take care and good night sweets.
Preachy, parting shot....although I would love to talk to you if you wouldn't dissappear like that....If you are completely uneducated about religion, why are you commenting on the Belief Blog? I don't understand.
Oh there you are, why do you think I am angry? I am not angry. Happy as a clam! Because I say fuk, that makes me angry? Grow up sweety, that is how the men folk talk sometimes.
Oh, and I am an agnostic BECAUSE I embrace love, kindness and understanding. Unlike religions. Sweety.
Two things...I like to read belief blogs to read about belief and try to understand it...which I admittedly do not. I don't have that kind of trust in my life. And two...slow Internet does not disappearing mean.
Just saw your post...I guess I'm just a prudish female who does not cotton to cursing...to each there own. Most people I know who curse like you do tend to be very angry people. If you are not, I apologize. Take care and keep an open mind for those who are different than you...it can be a struggle, but sometimes a struggle is worthwhile. I've enjoyed our chat emensly.
I knew I liked you Preachy. Come back and let's talk some more. I am just a goof ball truth be told. But I do know my way around religion for what it is worth.
And Preachy, (sorry I keep re-posting like this) but you are a breath of fresh air. When I say I like you I am quite sincere. The very fact that you come on these blogs to learn.....well I am not sure if you will learn anything....but I like that. At least you will see the atheists and the theists constantly bickering with one another. It is really kind of silly but some of us enjoy it from time to time. I never use "bad" language in real life. I am a happily married man and father of two wonderful children. When you are on the blogs you can kind of air things out. I think that is a given for most of us. Kind of fun to have anonymity. Don't know if that is right or wrong, but it is what it is. Hope to chat with you soon and please be a regular.
Preachy..
"emensly." is spelled like this "immensely".
Creativity, inventiveness, wit, and a little bit of genius is obviously the denoted characteristic of this campaign.
But rarely anyone stops and asks what its connotative level suggests: it's all about the money (even if you dismiss and disrespect entire religious communities). Even bad publicity is good publicity for the company, forget about "love", "UNHATE", "sorry...", what they want is to be in vogue and to be the center of a conversation. This is the ultimate marketing strategy, let alone the fact that they preach "unhate" but in their ads that's all they cause.
Benetton is well known for their controversial ads, it is up to us to be more critical and reject advertisers' attempt to get us to buy their product using these strategies.
Doesn't seem so cool once you know you are being thought of as a mindless consumer doesn't it? ...
I think they just went "all in". Have you seen their stocks?
Doctored Photo? Obviously. Now if the imam was 40 years younger, that would be much more believable.
i think something should and must be done with all these kind of non-sense, idiotic ideas...the world is getting worst by the day....somebody has to stand up and straighten things up...and now is the time...
Hey jon, I hear you brother. You get right on those worst by the day things. The priests have the stand up and straighten things up deal covered.
I thought Muslims kill gay.
I thought Lysol kills germ
beware, if you grow up not knowing girls, you would know guys
Yes, no doubt. And also beware, if you grow up not knowing dogs, you will know cats.
Oh my, the pope is gay !
Awww!Sweet! I Loved Both of those guys back in my Holocaust Days
So basically Ii want a three way
ohh...is the new Benetton slogan "Go Gay"?
Your slogan is obvious: "Go religion."
Bias fool.
Yuk! Who would want to kiss the Nazi Pope??
WAOH
There is nothing better than a controversial campaign. Benetton’s clothes suck so much that nobody pays any attention to them anymore. Another good reason to avoid that stupid chain.
HE'S GOING TO BE THE SAVIOR OF JORDACHE JEANS. DON'T UNDERESTIMATE HIS GOD-LIKE POWERS.
Garbage is your capital letter mumbling.
Completely agree with you .... another stupid marketing strategy to create controversy
Outstanding marketing strategy. 521 comments alone on this blog proves the point.
PETE, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT POINT IT IS YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE. YOUR SENTENCE IS BROKEN. I'M SURE SOME IDIOT WILL CHIME IN AND SAY MY CAPS LOCK OR SHIFT KEY IS BROKEN. I CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS SCHOLARLY ATTEMPT AT POINTING OUT THAT MY WORDS ARE IN CAPS.
Bible: YOUR CAPS LOCK OR SHIFT KEY IS BROKEN AND YOUR WORDS ARE IN CAPS.
I like it a lot! Too bad they crumbled under pressure. It seems to have caused the conversation they intended and highlights how narrow minded those who complained are. Time to go buy something from Benneton because they put the ad out.
THIS ISN'T THE ONLY AD HE'S DONE LIKE THIS. THERE'S ANOTHER OF OBAMA KISSING ANOTHER DUDE.
From the article above:
"The series features fake photos of U.S. President Barack Obama kissing Chinese leader Hu Jintao and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu kissing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, among other pairings."
I SUPPOSE I SHOULD HAVE READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE BEFORE STATING THE OBVIOUS.
GARBAGE I SUPPOSE YOU SHOULD TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
NO STICKY SOCKS. I'LL LEAVE IT ON. YOU CAN CONTINUE CRYING ALL YOU'D LIKE. BE SURE TO STOCK UP ON KLEENEX.
reminds me of Kennedy Kruschev (SP) kissing posters. This is a bennington rip off
I can't find an example of that. Is that true, do you have a link? Sorry me dum dum.
Should have had the pope kissing a child. That would be more accurate.
Funny how Penn State gets insane attention but the Catholic Church's decades-long (though likely much longer) abuse of children and subsequent massive coverups are considered small-time news.