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18/12/2016 07:45:43 PM

The Ethical Aspects of Advertising

 

1. Truth in Advertising

Deceptionis making false or misleading statements in an advertisement. The difficulty regarding this issue is in determining just what is deceptive. A manufacturer who claims a laundry product can remove grass stains is subject to legal sanctions if the product cannot perform the task. Another manufacturer who claims to have “The Best Laundry Detergent in the World,” however, is within its rights to employ superlatives. The use of absolute superlatives like “Number One” or “Best” is called puffery and is considered completely legal.

Likewise, it is impossible to legislate against emotional appeals such as those made about the beauty- or prestige-enhancing qualities of a product because these claims are unquantifiable. Because these appeals are legal, the ethics of such appeals fall into a gray area.

2. Advertising to Children

The desire to restrict advertising to children is based on three concerns. Many critics argue that programs featuring commercial products, especially products aimed at children, are simply long advertisements.

It is believed that advertising promotes superficiality and values founded in material goods and consumption. Children are considered inexperienced consumers and easy prey for the sophisticated persuasions of advertisers.Advertising influences children’s demands for everything from toys to snack foods. These demands create an environment of child-parent conflict.

Many critics argue that programs and films featuring commercial products (e.g., Teletubbies, Pirates of the Caribbean), especially products aimed at children, are simply long advertisements.

3. Advertising Controversial Products

There are ethical questions about the wisdom of allowing the advertising of controversial goods and services, such as alcoholic beverages, tobacco, gambling and lotteries, and firearms.

- Critics have also called into question the targeting of ethnic and minority groups with products and advertising, such as malt liquor ads. Similarly, the tobacco and alcohol industries have been the target of boycotts over their sponsorship of professional sporting events patronized heavily by underage consumers. Research shows that children are more influenced by parents and playmates than by the mass media. See the extensive literature citations in this chapter for those students who are bound to their intuition on this topic.

- Be sure to have a clear and complete discussion of the issue of primary demand here. All of the controversial product categories are mature products and advertising does not affect aggregate demand in mature product categories. Advertising is used to gain and maintain market share.

- Gambling and state-run lotteries are another controversial product with respect to advertising. What is the state’s obligation to protect vulnerable citizens by restricting the placement or content of gaming or lottery advertising?

- Final key point: advertising is not powerful enough to create primary demand in mature product categories like alcohol or tobacco.

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