Why advertising is an ethical problem

Why is advertising an ethical problem?

• If it is, it is because it is often intrusive, deceptive, or manipulative -- or, at least, this is what people say about it.

• Another problem is the money and resources devoted to advertising; billions are spent each year (around $500 billion in fact) that, perhaps, could go to education, health care, research, reforestation, or other worthy causes. We'll come back to this, but first we look at the problem of deception.

• Could argue that it distorts our whole economy; it is not merely that we are bombarded by it all the time, but may even impede certain important functions such as free debate. What gets published in newspapers and journals often becomes a function of what advertisers are willing to support.

Advertising also has an indirect but powerful impact on society through its influence on media. Many publications and broadcasting operations depend on advertising revenue for survival. This often is true of religious media as well as commercial media. For their part, advertisers naturally seek to reach audiences; and the media, striving to deliver audiences to advertisers, must shape their content so to attract audiences of the size and demographic composition sought. This economic dependency of media and the power it confers upon advertisers carries with it serious responsibilities for both.

PROS….

a) Economic Benefits of Advertising

5. Advertising can play an important role in the process by which an economic system guided by moral norms and responsive to the common good contributes to human development. Advertising does this, among other ways, by informing people about the availability of rationally desirable new products and services and improvements in existing ones, helping them to make informed, prudent consumer decisions, contributing to efficiency and the lowering of prices, and stimulating economic progress through the expansion of business and trade.

b) Benefits of Political Advertising

Political advertising can make a contribution to democracy analogous to its contribution to economic well being in a market system guided by moral norms. So political advertising can make its contribution by informing people about the ideas and policy proposals of parties and candidates, including new candidates not previously kn...

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...lve the use of subliminal messages

Apply normative principles

Business people could be introduced to different systems of ethical analysis., for example, refers to four normative first principles that he believes should be taught:

i. The Utilitarian Principle:

Act in a way that results in the greatest good for the greatest number. ii. Kant's Categorical Imperative:

Act in such a way that the action taken under the circumstances could be a universal law or rule of behavior. iii. Personal Justice:

Act so the least advantaged members of society will be benefited to some extent. iv. Personal Liberty:

Act so the ability of other members of society to lead lives of self-fulfillment and self-development will be maximized

Good ethics is Good business

While this appears an admirable sentiment which would ensure ethical conduct, some writers take a far more cynical view, and argue that some corporations may be more concerned with public relations than action; "they want to appear good, not be good". On the other hand, this option does seem the most likely to lead to ethical behavior, even if the hypothesized links between profitability and ethical behavior are suspect.