At http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2006/october/benetton-hits-middle-age
In the history of attention-getting advertising, writes Rick Poynor, Benetton must surely deserve a place as one of the most effective companies ever to splash its promotional message across a billboard or magazine spread.
A new campaign from Benetton recalls the brand's controversial heyday. A series of posters features world leaders with lips locked to launch the UNHATE project.
Benetton, says the accompanying press material, is inviting "the leaders and citizens of the world to combat the 'culture of hatred'". The UNHATE campaign is the first initiative from a new Benetton foundation of the same name, launched by Alessandro Benetton, executive deputy chairman of the Benetton Group.
At http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2011/november/benetton-unhate
These ads contain no images, only typography and in no more than three colours — a bold move for a company that makes its money selling images.
(…)
Some typographers may critique the ads due to their hard-to-read nature, however, what might not be apparent is that this was, in fact, very intentional. What is unique about typography-heavy advertising is that it requires more from the viewer than passive observation; it requires an active participation — reading. The idea was to create a “block of type out of blocky type,” and in all caps, so that it required cognitive investment on the part of the reader, and made it memorable. Meadus figured that the writing was interesting enough that the readers wouldn’t mind being challenged to get through it, and “given the abrasive, pompous tone of voice, it was fitting that they be hard to read.”
http://www.typeforyou.org/2011/07/01/fotolia-bold-move-with-only-type-ad/