French Charity SOS Mediterranee Fires Back at Benetton’s Sea‑Rescue Ad
What happened? Last month, a photo taken by the lifesaving crew of SOS Mediterranee – a group that caught 630 migrants in a single voyage – was slipped into a Benetton advertising campaign. The image showed a dinghy full of hopeful refugees, each wearing bright red life vests, with the Benetton logo stuck in the corner.
Benetton’s Twitter feed flashed two pictures: one credited to the NGO and another to Italy’s ANSA news agency. The company’s history of bold visuals – from an AIDS patient to a Pope kissing an imam – has no love for controversy.
Why SOS Mediterranee was not amused
- “Respect the dignity of survivors.” The NGO’s statement spoke straight – the tragedy of people lost at sea should never become a marketing prop.
- No permission granted. They made it clear that they never consented to the commercial use of their images.
- More than just a photo. Since the rescue, the ship “Aquarius” has been caught in a political tug‑of‑war: Italy’s populist government blocked the immigrants from disembarking, forcing the refugees all the way to Spain.
What’s the takeaway?
While Benetton’s campaign was meant to showcase solidarity, it inadvertently spotlighted a serious human rights issue. The NGO’s response underscores a larger truth: photos of fraught moments are more than stock images — they carry stories and, more importantly, human dignity.
