How Ethics Affect Advertisers

Advertising is constant in everyday life, and is the one thing you come into contact with daily. This is the way you receive information about products and they can come in newspapers, magazines, posters and billboards. The advertising agency works between the company, the consumer and the public. Ethics in advertising is generally linked in the purpose of the advertising and some argue that advertising lacks the ethical code and doesn't necessarily draw the line in what is right or wrong. Even though there are some that might suggest that there is very little ethics in advertising, this article will show case how ethics is involved in advertising.

Advertising ethics is more linked towards the purpose of the advertising itself. Most people can see that in advertising there can be some truths. Using exaggerations that a consumer will know that is false is advertising puffery. When puffery is used it doesn't mean that the business is unethical in the way it advertisers. For example women know they won't look like models in the TV commercials by buying the hair shampoo. Advertising would only be unethical if the company promoting the product guaranteed that by using their product you will look like a model.

Ethics in advertising is largely dependent on what your own beliefs are about the actual purpose of the advertising. If you see consumers as rational and self aware and know that advertising is there to persuade the public to react in a certain way to increase sales then you would see advertising as not being unethical. But, if you think that the consumer isn't self aware and see the ads they view in a different way, then you will find that advertising is unethical by its promise of a leaner body.

Advertisers use ethics in the sense of what can be demonstrated as the truth. They show some truth, but they hide certain things as well as they need to highlight the company in the best light. They also avoid lying as they can be caught out by the ad agency lawyers who oversee their work, as well as network approval committees.

There are also ethical choices made in the way they show a certain type of product to be demonstrated deemed as appropriate. Such as society suggestions that context towards advertising involving children should be done carefully.

A 37 paged text was issued by the Vatican to show the need for advertisers to apply three basic principles: upholding the human dignity, social responsibility, and truthfulness. It is said that advertising is not actually unethical but it can distort the truth by suggesting something that is not so or that is withholding relevant information. It also suggested that the advertising community needs to work better at monitoring themselves and with the aspect of remaining ethically responsible.

By: Marek Salzman

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Marek Salzman enjoys writing articles and reviews on all kinds of topics. To view more visit logocoffeemugs.org including the latest on Logo Coffee Mugs