Ponzano, 31 January 2011 - 11.00 a.m. CET. As part of the launch of Facebook Deals in Europe, Benetton is offering a charity Facebook Deals in five European countries – Italy, France, Germany, the UK and Spain – on 31 January.

This new Facebook function allows smartphone owners who check-in to make direct contact with the Benetton world: with the nearest stores chosen from a network of 3,000 shops letting people redeem the latest deals, special offers and promos from Benetton, Sisley and Playlife.

Anyone who surfs the Internet on their smartphone in the five above-mentioned countries (today there are over 200m people worldwide who surf the Web via mobile phone) can check in to their location to let their Facebook friends know where they are. Check in on Facebook Places via the most recent version of the Facebook app or on your Smartphone at www.facebook.com. Click on the Deal to claim it and a charity donation will be made to Architecture for Humanity.

“With the announcement of Deals, we’re moving the conversation from the web to the store by linking online conversations to offline foot traffic. And because people see what their friends do on Facebook, Deals helps businesses become even more social as people will see deals through the people who matter most - their friends” says Joanna Shields, VP EMEA, Facebook.

For the debut of the online service, Benetton has chosen a Charity Deal to support Architecture for Humanity, an association which applies design and architecture to social projects.

Starting on 31^st January and throughout February, Benetton will donate two euros for each smartphone check-in in one of the Benetton stores involved in the scheme. Donations go toArchitecture for Humanity and to the supported project, Kenyan non-profit organisation Slums Information Development And Resource Centres (SIDAREC), for the construction of a technology and media lab for young people in the poor neighbourhood of Mukuru in Nairobi.

The centre offers technology and computer courses, medical services and early-childhood development programmes in addition to a radio and recording studio for young people - 99.9 Ghetto FM- allowing the young people of Mukuru to reach out to the over-650,000 local residents and, over the Internet, to an infinite number of listeners around the world. Benetton's collaboration with Facebook is founded on innovation, an interest in young people, active, global sharing, and tangible support; values which have always characterized the Group’s business culture.

Benetton is a leading player in this new brand communication and innovative marketing model, which it intends to develop around the identity, lifestyles, experiences and relationships of real people around the world – integrating its highly visible, efficient global store network with the new media and high-tech instruments that are rapidly changing our society.