ITALIAN fashion company Benetton, a name now associated more with contrived advertising campaigns than with colourful children's clothing, has again been pushing at the boundaries of what is considered decent and acceptable in product marketing. The latest visual offering appeared on poster hoardings in Belgium this week with, not surprisingly, examples from the company's range of clothing yet again conspicuous by their absence. The advertisements show a black stallion mounting a white mare, a cynical new variation to foster "human understanding" and "peace between nations".

The image drew the predictable hostile public response, a distaste communicated to management at two of Belgium's largest billboard operators, which have refused to handle the campaign. Rival operators have moved in to fill the breech and court actions are pending to have the posters removed. Will it eventually appear at a DART station near you, adjacent to that marginally less offensive offering from Youth Defence? Hope not.