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Advertisements should be socially, culturally and morally ethical Advertisements appearing on television and radio have to be approved by Doorman’s and AIR authorities. Similarly, advertisements in newspapers and magazines, and on outdoor sites are also regulated by guidelines. In today’s competitive market, it is free for all, thus advertisers are sometimes following the unethical practices to fight the competition. For many years, the advertising industry has practiced, promoted voluntary self- regulation. Most advertisers and media recognize the importance of maintaining consumer trust and confidence.
The circle of self-regulation in advertising is widening day by day. Even the code of ethics drawn up by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCII) has not had much impact. They do not provide solutions to every ethical dilemma. 1. 3 Ethics in advertising Ethics means “Good Conduct” or “Conduct which is right in view of the society and the time period”. By common consent, various modes of behavior and conduct are viewed as “good” or “bad”. In other word, we can say that Ethics are moral principles and values that govern the actions and decisions of an individual group.
Ethics is a choice between good and bad, between right and rang. It is governed by a set of principles of morality at a given time and at a given place and in a given society. Ethics is related to group behavior in ultimate analysis, thus setting norms for an individual to follow in consistence with the group norms. A particular action may be within the law and still not be ethical; Target Marketing is a good example for this. There is no law to restrict tobacco companies from promoting their brands to Africans & American, though it is in India but for Doorman’s only.
Similarly the alcoholic beverage companies promote their brands & target not only college students UT underage drinkers as well. These advertisements have increased alcohol related problems. Advertisements exposing pornography is another serious issue in advertising industry today. Advertisements promoting permissiveness & objectifying women are heavily criticized in the society. Therefore, even advertising has ethical value. The mixing of Art and facts in advertising communication are subsetџintent to ethical principles. In today’s competitive and buyer’s market, an advertisement have to be truthful and ethical.
If an advertisement is misleading, the credibility of the organization is lost. To view the truth in advertisement, it has to be seen from to consumers point of view rather than from legal point. The advertising industry has been frequently criticized for putting out misleading or exaggerated claims in respect of product, goods and services advertised. It is also perceived as guilty of glorifying certain habits or tendencies regarded as undesirable and encouraging consume rest culture. However, it is very difficult to demarcate a clear line of difference between what is true and what is untrue.
But the advertisement as such is judged by its impact, and by its acceptance by the consumers. The product must fulfill its advertised claims. Advertisements should be decent and not be obscene. It must be truthful. Gambling is also unethical. Sometimes, celebrities endorsing the product and spreading falsehood is also criticized. Advertising is a social process, thus it must follow the time-tested norms of social behavior and should not affront our moral sense. In short ethics are rules of conduct or principles of morality that point us towards the right or best way to act in a situation.
Ethics vary from person to person, society-to- society point of view. Remember that the various people have different surrounds, values and interests. You may see nothing wrong with the advertisements for cigarettes or beer or sexually suggestive ads, but other students, many oppose these actions on moral and ethical grounds. You will have to draw your own conclusions as to what is right and what is wrong! 1. 4 Social criticism and responsibility of advertising Advertising is the most visible activity of business.
Advertising is the Ernst popular mass communication channel that has made mass selling possible. Advertising made mass selling possible. Advertising is Omni present. Advertising creates brand for the products or services advertised. It allies, invites and involves consumers along with itself. To creates images for the products advertising professionals uses variety of things like drama, music, action, romance, emotion, sex, animated & functions characters and so on. It not only invites consumers to try their products or services but also invite public criticism.
Much of the controversy stems from the ways many companies use advertising as a selling tool and from its impact on society’s tastes, value and lifestyles. Mike Hughes, president and creative director of the Martin Agency, said that, “Ads help establish what is cool in society; their usage contribute to the public dialogue. Gaps show Black, White & Hispanic kids dancing together. Hellfire ads showed its cool for people to get along. “He argues that advertising professional law a social & ethical responsibility. Advertising contributes to have both negative & positive influence on society.
It is criticized for encouraging materialism, manipulating consumer to buy things they do not need; stereotyping, fraudulent & so on. Lets discuss the various criticisms concerning the influence of advertising on society. 1 . PUFFERY/FORMULATION Very often we hear that advertisement exaggerates about the product qualities. Now a days ‘puffery’ i. E. “metaphor of idea” forms to be main element in advertising. On the one hand critics accuse it, while on the other defenders i. E. Advertisers and advertising professionals opined it as a helping agent to differentiate their brands from the competitors.
Puffery is considered to be an ‘opinion’ and not a ‘factual information’. Advertisers claim that the consumers are intelligent enough to distinguish between truth and exaggeration. Moreover they are not blindly going to believe everything as such presented in an advertisement E. G. In the advertisement of ‘Force 10’ hoes the copy is “I am walking on air”. This metaphor that tells the lightness of the shoes, is unbelievable that one can “walk an air”. But the studies reveals that often many people start believing them & buy those products that have exaggerated claims in their advertisements.
With the use of special effects exaggerating the “quality’ and using various “appeals” advertisers traumatized their products to such an extent that reality takes a back seat. E. G. “Hezbollah Nards” is not going to increase your retention power or drinking “Miranda” you will not forget anything or ‘PIP Franchise” would not get a girl reined for you. Like wise, the advertisements of ‘Wheel” & “Vim” bars show lemons on their package & advertisement even and the products advertisers claim that it contain lemon while it is found that they only have Lemon flavor in them.