The Benetton ads which featured Barack Obama kissing Hugo Chavez and the Pope sharing a tender moment with a Muslim imam have won the Press Grand Prix at Cannes Ad Festival. The clothing maker’s Unhate campaign was immediately condemned by the Vatican, leading to the Pope image being pulled from the series. Some newspapers, such as the International Herald Tribune and The Guardian, refused to run the ads. The judges at the Press Grand Prix loved the campaign however, with jury President Tham Khai Meng saying it "has heart impact and gut impact and promotes a global debate". Ajuror Komal Bedi Sohal, from the UAE, added: "You can like it, you can dislike it, you can't ignore it."
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 23rd June 2012 - 11:25am