“There's a fine line
between wrong and visionary. Unfortunately, you have to be a visionary to see
it”.
Sheldon Cooper
In 2011, United Colours of Benetton launched a worldwide campaign,
battling the cultural hatred around the world, hatred that comes in many forms,
with the company aiming to a particular target group.
Under the name UnHate, Benetton managed to create
discussions about this campaign from the White House in USA to Vatican in
Italy. Impacting the world with controversial images had as a result a real uproar
around the Ponzano Veneto Company.
Almost immediately, a war started between the
opposed groups, the one supporting the campaign and the one voting against it.
The one side seemed to appreciate the provocative side of the project UnHate,
whereas the latter side, in virtue with their Catholic faith, being offended
with the use of the Pontiff’s image.
The launch of the new “United Colours of Benetton” campaign was widely
obscured by the debates discussed in media like blogs, newspapers and
magazines. (http://www.unimeteo.net/forum-libero/2784-campagna-choc-contro-lodio-della-united-colors-of-benetton.html).
The main reason was the use of images presenting important people kissing
each other against the “hate” between Nations; people such as Paramount Leader of the People’s Republic of China -
President of the USA, President of Venezuela, Chancellor of Germany - President
of France and many others. (http://www.benettongroup.com/media-press/image-gallery/institutional-campaigns/unhate/unhate#page-1).
As stated by the Benetton Group in
charge of communication, the aim of the campaign is to invite citizens of all
countries to "don't hate" which can be reached only through
tolerance, the closeness between peoples, religions, cultures and reflect on
the reasons that, often, are born only for not knowing the other; a choral
announcement asking everyone to contribute to build a democratic peace where
everyone, no matters of political, ideological, religious or social background,
can help.
We can therefore see two
different variations in this matter: one is the actual campaign and the other
one is the reaction caused.
It is important to say that in many societies men kiss each other without
any kind of shame, while in other places this is considered a real taboo.
In 1608, Thomas Coryate, a famous courtier, who visited Venice at the
time, came across this habit when he was really shocked by this
"extraordinary custom" of two acquaintances of male gender kissing
each other to say hello or goodbye.
The courtier affirmed that he never saw or read or heard nothing like
that before.
Today in many cultures men can kiss each other to say hello, or maybe
simply for affection, without being considered homosexuals.
However the kiss, considered as an action of greeting, affection or
tenderness, has also a very important erotic meaning.
Freud considered the erotic kiss as an attempt to go back to the
security of the maternal breast. (La teroia psicoanalitica - Raccolta di scritti 1911-1938. Ediz. Integrale –
Freud Sigmund Bollati Boringhieri - collana I grandi pensatori)
Moreover, a kiss is the first important step towards trust, intimacy
and openness. The fact that we are able to feel again one of the very first
pleasures of our childhood, increases the feeing of intimacy, unloads the
muscular tensions, makes people more relaxed and produces a strong engagement
during the sex act.
However lips are considered an erogenous zone even before Freud’s
theories. A kiss in the area of the face causes very intense reactions and many
emotions. Studies in the past claimed that with one kiss you burn 6 calories. (Donna
in forma – Italian magazine – June 2013 – Mondadori)
Women consider the moment of the kiss particularly
erotic, while the majority of men consider that moment foreplay before the sex
act.
We can discuss the aspects of the Campaign from the point of
view of Alfred Adler, philosopher and
psychiatrist of 1920s.
According to Adler the erotic communication can be
experienced as exchange of love or can be twisted in desire of power due to the
competition. In this Campaign thoughts, reflections, observations and results of
Adler studies are all there.
The homosexual kiss between the greats and powerful of the Earth
is not a symbol of weakness but of detente, reconciliation and peace; a
beautiful message; a message to share.
The Pope and the Imam
Reading the images according Adler Theories:
(The Practice and
Theory of Individual Psycology by Alfred Adler – P.Radin – Routledge &
Kegan Paul LTD)
The kiss between Pope Ratzinger and Ahmed el
Tayeb, it doesn’t have
to be considered as a homosexual act or, even worse, a blasphemous act. The
kiss is a symbol of normality and humanity. In this image, the hate and refusal
for what is different or, in many cases, for what is not understandable it turns
in an embrace and kiss of love. The
photography does not have to annoy or create scandal: This is the man, with all
his weaknesses and limitations, in a way, but with the greatness of his thought
and his love; a man with a self-respect and trust in the neighbour.
In the past the kiss on the lips didn’t have an erotic
connotation, actually it was a symbol of tenderness and brotherhood, even for
people of the same gender, like for us is the handshake.
The most famous example of a kiss of brotherhood, which was
hiding a lie, is the kiss of Judas, described in Matthew and Mark’s Gospels.
The famous kiss is described as a simple and normal practice.
Another well-known kiss is the one Dante Alighieri received
by Virgil in the Divine Comedy (Inf. VIII, 44) to reassure him after a
difficult moment.
Kissing is definitely very popular because of the rich
emotional meaning. As well as the numerous
symbols related to our childhood. Generally, in the fables, all the romantic stories
have a kiss as a happy ending.
President of U.S.A. and President of
the P.R.C.
Analysis of the image of the kiss between two other important
people: The President of United States of America, Barack Obama, and the
President of the People’s Republic of China, Hu Jintao. The two
presidents are two examples, from different perspectives and theories, of
imperialism. Both try to stand out on the worldwide political scene.
We can define the American imperialism as the economic,
military and cultural influence that United States of Americas have tried to wield
on other countries, using several kinds of expansion (economic, political,
military.)
John
Foster Dulles, American politician said: "There are two ways to conquer a
nation: one is to subjugate the population by force of arms, the other to
subjugate the economy through financial means"
Contemporary China represents an imperialistic power based on
a capitalistic production and distribution of goods. In fact China represents
the "third imperialism," even if is very original and unusual. The outskirt, as well as producing first
matters to export and attract capitals from the centre to produce goods and
products for the internal market, started to export its products also on the
"imperialistic centre’s markets”, United States and western Europe ahead.
Let’s evaluate, now,
the two figures represented in the picture: The cut of their suits is, as
usual, flawless; but the act of the kiss puts them naked; make them smaller,
weak, vulnerable. In their lips we can almost feel the fear to get lost in that
moment, to relax. The fear, however, gives way to the strong attraction and everything
just get pushed on a side because of the need to feel free.
An interesting passage from Theocritus's "Idylls" –
Idill VI ° - A
Country Singing Match, here:
“So far Damoetas, and kissed Daphnis, and that to this
gave a pipe and this to that a pretty flue. Then lo! the piper was neatherd
Daphnis and the flute-player Damoetas, and the dancers were the heifers who
forthwith began to bound mid the tender grass. And as for the victory, that
fell to neither one, being they both stood unvanquished in the match.”
Two men are kissing each other, but it is not a kiss between
gay people, and all the poetry’s text expresses it clearly. After this kiss
there is even an exchange of phallic objects, with which the two men make the
heifers dance. A kiss, finally, make people feel close with others in a
powerful and virtual form; with the emotional strength of a dream, in a new
perspective.
CONCLUSION
Concluding, it can be agreed that with the Campaign and the
message launched the censorship, the fines, the prohibitions and bans in the
Internet era, with its speed and prominence, couldn’t stop the Campaign at all.
But there is a critical shade on the Campaign’s launches modalities: The way it
was presented (guerrilla marketing with old style posters unrolled in the
square of Milan Cathedral and another one on the Bridge of Angels, near
Vatican). This is in contrast with the deep meaning of the
message: There is not need of aggressiveness, of strength or, even worse, of
violence showing our ideas. Let’s close our eyes, kiss each other and feel free.
REFERENCE LIST
http://www.benettongroup.com/media-press/image-gallery/institutional-campaigns/unhate/unhate#page-1 , 2014
La teroia psicoanalitica - Raccolta
di scritti 1911-1938. Ediz. Integrale – Freud Sigmund Bollati Boringhieri - collana I grandi pensatori, 2014
Donna in forma – Italian magazine – June 2013 – Mondadori, 2013
The Practice and Theory of Individual Psycology by Alfred
Adler – P.Radin – Routledge & Kegan Paul LTD, 1971
Sigmund
Freud - Tre saggi sulla teoria sessuale – Editore Rizzoli - Bur classici
modern, 2010
Cervello
Attaccamento e Persolanità – Astrolabio Edizioni – Susan Hart, 2005
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