China-Tibet Theme in Benetton Ad Courts Controversy

UNITED BENETTON: Never one to avoid controversy, Benetton on Friday took out double-page advertising spreads in a number of leading news dailies worldwide, showing a Tibetan monk and a Chinese soldier praying face to face under the word “Victims.” The image, which coincides with the opening day of the Olympics, was part of the 74th edition of Benetton’s Colors Magazine, which “attempts to make a small contribution to dialogue and engagement between Tibetan and Chinese people,” according to the company’s Web site. The Colors magazine, which hit newsstands in seven languages in August, includes 30 photos of the recent Sichuan earthquake and 30 prayers by Tibetan monks for the Chinese victims. Benetton, which could not immediately be reached for comment, supports the Red Cross in providing aid to the survivors of the earthquake. T-shirts bearing the Tibet/China image are available in Benetton megastores.