Daylife/Getty Images used by permission
Italian clothing company Benetton has withdrawn a publicity shot of the pope kissing a Muslim religious leader following a Vatican backlash.
A digitally manipulated picture showed Benedict XVI locking lips with Mohammed Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand sheikh of al-Azhar mosque in Cairo, as part of an advertising campaign that…featured unlikely combinations of religious and political figureheads kissing…
The offending poster of the pope and Tayeb briefly appeared in Rome, but the Vatican reaction was swift. Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi criticised the company for exploiting the pope’s image, calling it completely unacceptable…
Benetton apologised, saying it was sorry the picture “had so hurt the sensibilities of the faithful“.
Photoshop rules!
Har.
No harm, no foul.
The important thing is the picture will not get any publicity.
It has already done it.
People here and in the rest of the world are talking about Benetton which is the bottom line of the ad in the first place.
No need to see the picture, just make people talking.
Pedro, See what you started. Now the Vatican blows a head gasket.
Never heard of Benetton until you pointed out the pic of O’bama yesterday. Good find Pedro.
Some weirdness coming out of Italy with a clothing manufactures “Unhate” campaign. Seems to be causing a rebound of hate.
Never heard of Benetton? Another parochial Walmart shopper.
@Toby, Never stepped into a Walmart or shopped through their online portal. You and Pedro jump to conclusions.
@Pedro, I gave you the credit, so your welcome.
You love that word that starts with M.
If that was all they BLEW, they wouldn’t be in their current pickle with DECLINING MEMBERSHIP, and worst, DECLINING REVENUE (THE HORROR) !!! You know, the “Church” is in it for the Money !!!
At least these photoshopped pics are well done. Kudos to whoever pulled this off!
There are a bunch of other well done pics here.
http://washingtonpost.com/blogs/arts-post/post/obama-kisses-chavez-in-new-benetton-ad/2011/11/16/gIQAB91oRN_blog.html?wprss=arts-post
BTW, Obama would rather kiss Hu and Chavez than the shillmeiter he has at home!!
Ewww. The old german guy in the dress is getting whisker burn.
Would they complain if the pope were kissing a little boy?
In my opinion the most important thing we can do with popes, kings and presidents is to make fun of them and remind them how corrupt they are.
What else is “fashion” but stoopid in everything it does?
They could easily bash baby seals on the head to gain the attention /sales they crave. I only hope this whorish action actually results in increased sales for them? Whats the over/under bet on that?
Meh. Another shock campaign by an inferior clothing company.
Try making clothes that don’t fade and last more than a couple of washings and you’ll find that you don’t need to try using outrageous ads to make us remember that you even exist.
I’m staying in my L.L.Bean jeans irregardless.
Can you imagine the chuckles and the cappuccino flowing from the Ad companys nostrils when this campaign was show for approval. I would have been lmao on the floor.
As Micromike said making fun of those in power is always important. If you can’t take a joke then go back to the private sector.
If the Pope blew a gasket I have my doubts that they other guy was any happier and while the Popes no longer have people terminated…
Benetton is used to easy money and they can do thes sort of things ’cause they’ve got their ass well covered.
Benetton (yes, the same Benetton) is also managing exclusively the Italian freeway system.
Promised to fix it up, but instead they’ve only raised the tolls.
Nice easy way to make money in a monopolistic environment (the way companies like to do business in Italy)
pedro reported: “The White House has a long standing policy against the use of the name & the image of the president with commercial purpose”
HAH!!!
http://store.barackobama.com/featured/portrait-t.html
bobbo said” They could easily bash baby seals on the head”
I never understood the controversy over that practice. If you club them anywhere else, it bruises the meat!
It’s pathetic… You can’t just make a photo like that and expect all people would tap on your shoulder and say goodjob. It’s disgusting, also very gayish. Those who made it should be ashamed of them self.
Did you pipe up and say that when DU reprinted the photo of Bush kissing the Saudi king?
Didn’t think so.
It’s gayish only when the eyes roll back. It’s hard to tell if the Pope’s eyes rolled back. Probably
Did any Muslims ‘blow a gasket’ or is that only if they use Mohammed? I’m sure that would have led to some unhate.
Benetton should post this billboard in one of those no go areas where the cops won’t police, and only the local sharia councils rule.