ADVERTISING ETHICS

 Advertising can be defined as any paid form of non personal communication

about an organization, product, service or idea by an identified sponsor.
 The word 'paid' refers to the space or time for an advertising message.
 It is also non-personal in the sense that there is no opportunity for feedback.
 The advertising message is transmitted to a large group of individuals.
 Advertising is a very important promotional tool for mass goods and services.
 It also creates brand images. It promotes sales.
 The nature and purpose of advertising differ from industry to industry and time to
time.

Types of Advertising

There are many types of advertising, namely,

 national advertising,
 regional advertising,
 business to business advertising,
 professional advertising,
 trade advertising
 Target group advertising.

Advertising and promotion of ethics:

Ethics refers to moral principles and values that govern the actions and decisions of an
individual or group. A popular action may be legally approved but not ethical.

The good example is the advertisement of tobacco companies. There is no law

restricting tobacco companies from advertising and promotion of new brands. But it is
considered as unethical In the long run.

Promotion of alcohol among the younger generation through advertisement is

also considered unethical. Many educational institutions have imposed restrictions on
marketing of alcoholic beverages to their students. The alcoholic companies have been
banned from sponsorships or support to academic and non academic activities.

Portrayal of women in advertisement has to be restricted and related to the

product or service. Advertising has received criticism for stereotyping women and failing
to recognize the changing role of women in modern societies. Women have been shown
as models and objects of beauty. In contrast, men have been portrayed as constructive,
powerful and achieving. This portrayal of women as sex objects contributes to the growth
of violence against women. Eating disorders increase in the society.

Advertising and product information:

A good advertisement should be fair enough to describe the features and normal benefits
of a product or service. Of course, it can be creative, logical and innovative. It need not
be an exaggeration of facts and features. It should try to educate the consumers and create
awareness in the minds of people. The side effects of a product like medicine are to be
conformed to the public.

Encouraging materialism:
Advertisement promotes the growth of materialism. It creates more and more of needs
which are not essential for our living. It suggests that material possessions lead to
contentment and happiness to people. This is not absolutely true. It also presents the view
that material possessions lead to better status, success and achievement in society.

The famous American economist John Kenneth Galbraith says that advertisement is one
of the reasons for conspicuous consumption. This will affect the capital formation and
economic growth in the long run.

Unnecessary buying behaviour:

 It is said that advertising makes people to buy goods and services which they do
not need. A good advertisement should make the people to make purchase
decisions.
 Information advertising related to price and performance is desirable whereas
persuasive advertising dealing with emotions, anxieties and psychological needs
is not desirable. The consumers should be given the option to think and act.

Advertising and the media:

Advertising plays an important role in financing the media. It tries to control the media
by pressuring the networks to change their programming. Many advertisers have
withdrawn from some commercials that contain too much sex or violence. There is a
strong need for advertiser control. Biased editorial opinions are also created in favor of
advertisers.
More than 90 percent of editors have been pressured by advertisers.

Economic harms of advertisement:

 Advertisement creates unnecessary competitive wars which lead to wastage of
resources.
 It creates discrimination among the people leading to conflicts.
 Brand wars are unnecessary in a real world of economic forces. But these brand
wars are capable of promoting changes in demand.
 Advertisement increases the cost of production which ultimately affects the price.
The cost elements push the price level and bring discomfort to the buyers.

Advertising and children:

TV is a vehicle through which children can be easily accessed. TV is an important source
of information to children.

The following guidelines are suggested in this direction:

(a) Advertisers should have a special responsibility to protect children.
(b) Information should be communicated in a truthful and accurate manner.
(c) Positive virtues such as friendship, kindness, honesty, generosity and respect for
others have to be promoted.
Advertisement has to promote the various institutions like family, religion, and education.
It should give a new dimension to ethical values.
Misinformation and dire misdirection have to be avoided. Puffery which refers to
exaggerated claims of product superiority has to be given up. Self regulation is very
much essential.

Keith Reinhard says, "All of us can use media as we want. We can vulgarize the society,
we can brutalize it. Or we can lift society to a higher level".
Advertising is acting on us without our knowledge and without our consent.

Questions
Section 'A'
(1) Define advertising.
(2) What is product information?
Section 'B'
(1) Discuss the areas of ethical issues in advertising.
(2) How advertising and media are related?
(3) What are the economic harms of advertisement?
(4) How children are affected by advertisement?
Section 'c'
(1) Discuss the ethical issues involved in advertising.