The equal half

Global – Benetton has rolled out its United By Half campaign globally on International Women’s Day.

• The campaign, which was originally launched in India on Valentine’s Day, marks the first time the brand has directly challenged patriarchal culture in one of its principal markets
• The campaign is part of the brand’s Women Empowerment programme, which supports the rights of women around the world

The United By Half campaign is designed to promote gender equality and break down cultural stereotypes. It depicts a variety of Indian women in positions of power, including a young girl armwrestling with a boy and a female army sergeant giving orders to a group of men.

It aims to encourage a broader view of women in Indian society and empower people to fight for equal rights, and has been backed by some of the country’s leading voices and celebrity influencers.

‘United By Half is a call for equal opportunities for women from all walks of life,’ says Sundeep Chugh, CEO of Benetton India. ‘But it also urges men to acknowledge the other half of the country – and world – and accept them as equal partners.’

India is Benetton’s biggest market outside Italy and the campaign has been viewed more than 7.7m times, with more than 12m interactions on the brand’s social and digital channels, according to The Drum.