Italian newspaper ‘L’Unità’, originally founded in 1924 by Marxist Antonio Gramsci as the official paper of the Italian Communist Party, has relaunched and rebranded with a new campaign created by “controversial” Italian photographer Oliviero Toscani who worked on the United Colors of Bentton campaign.
Some have labeled the ad sexist. Concita de Gregorio, first female head of the paper doesn’t agree, saying, “I don’t think it’s right to use a woman image to sell, for example, cars. But in this case, I think it’s perfect. Since two months, this newspaper is controlled by the body and the head of a woman, me, so in this case I think is pertinent to use a woman’s image.”
Hmm. Interesting logic indeed tying the mini skirted body of the woman in the ad to her position as “head” of the paper.
Further defending the campaign, Gregorio said, “The miniskirt was revolutionary and, as the format of ‘L’Unità’ was going to be reducted [reduced from broadsheet to tabloid], I thought that this image combines very well these two concepts [a woman heading the paper along with the reduction in size of the newspaper]”.
Hmm. Very interesting logic, indeed. And, well, kinda logical. and only the kind of logic a woman can get away with when it comes to this subject matter.
Lending support to Gregorio’s position is the copy which seemingly intends to define both the rebirth of the newspaper as well as the post feminist, postmodern woman who runs it and, presumably, will read it.
