Advertising Ethics

Ever wondered if that “best” product you saw advertised is actually legit? Let’s examine the world of advertising ethics.

In a world where consumers are bombarded with messages at every turn, advertising ethics is not just a buzzword – it is a critical aspect guiding the integrity and trustworthiness of the marketing campaign.

Advertising ethics are the moral principles that govern how businesses communicate with consumers. It is about maintaining a balance between persuasive marketing and responsible messaging.

Key aspects of advertising ethics include:

Truthful and Open

Advertisements should not be misleading. False claims about a product’s capabilities or features can mislead consumers and are considered unethical. Ensure that all claims about a product’s features, benefits, and performance are accurate and based on evidence.

Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of healthcare services can undermine the physician-patient relationship by subtly diminishing the authority of physicians and treating individuals as entities to be manipulated. The content of promotional messages must be truthful and should not create unjustified expectations. The healthcare provider must be able to deliver the services claimed in the advertisement. From an ethical perspective, marketing communication should be more consistent with reality, even if its purpose is to highlight more attractive issues. Advertising should not exploit patient vulnerabilities (Schenker et al. 2014).

Honesty and Transparency

Provide comprehensive and accurate details about the product or service, including its features, benefits, and potential limitations or side effects. Consumer should be able to identify sponsored content easily about product. Clearly communicate all costs associated with the product or service, avoiding any hidden charges or unexpected fees. Ensure that all advertising messages are consistent with the actual product experience. Avoid making promises that the product cannot deliver

Okazaki et al (2009) have argued that mobile advertising providers should be more transparent about data collection practices and give consumers more control over their personal information to address privacy concerns.

Fairness and Equality

Advertising should be fair and not exploit vulnerable populations, such as children or the elderly. It should not take advantage of people’s insecurities or fears. Ensure that advertisements represent diverse groups fairly and avoid reinforcing harmful stereotypes or biases based on gender, race, age, or other characteristics. Be mindful of cultural norms, values, and sensitivities in different markets to avoid offending or alienating any group.

New research in neuroscience and psychology has revealed that certain advertising techniques can subtly change consumer behavior by affecting their attitudes without them realizing it. The fairness in these techniques should be measured by whether consumers can resist this hidden persuasion. Without this ability, children are like targets of subliminal advertising, influenced in ways they cannot control. Additionally, researchers’ data have suggested that young children, and even some teenagers, lack the cognitive ability to resist these subtle influences compared to adults (Nairn & Fine, 2008).

Similarly, another study of Fam et al (2009) has found significant differences among generational cohorts in their perceptions of controversial product advertising. Older generations were more offended by nudity, racist images, personal topics, stereotyping, and sexual content in ads.

Consumer Confidentiality

Marketers must respect consumer privacy. Only collect data that is necessary for the intended purpose. Avoid gathering excessive or irrelevant information. Where possible, anonymize or de-identify personal data to reduce the risk of privacy violations. This involves removing or altering information that could identify an individual.

Nam et al (2006) research has explored why consumers hesitate to share personal information online, specifically for marketing purposes. The paper has proposed a model that examines the relationship between three factors influencing privacy concerns and a consumer’s willingness to disclose information. It emphasizes the importance of building trust with consumers to address their privacy anxieties. Consumers are concerned about the potential misuse of their personal information, particularly for unethical or illegal purposes

Non-Exploitation

Ads should not exploit sensitive topics or spread harmful message. For example, they should avoid using gender, race, or other stereotypes that could harm or marginalize individuals or groups.

Akhter et al (2011) study has highlighted the importance of cultural norms and values in shaping societal attitudes. It has found that using indecent language, nudity, and sexist images in advertisements in Pakistan leads to consumer offensiveness. Although focused on controversial products, these effects could extend to everyday items. The study has emphasized the need for caution in marketing gender-related products, highlighting significant perception differences between male and female consumers. Marketing should respect the norms, values, ethics, and religious perceptions of the target audience.

Social Responsibility

Use advertisements to promote positive social values such as inclusivity, diversity, environmental sustainability, and healthy lifestyles. Promote products and services that support ethical consumption, such as those that are environmentally friendly, and fair trade. Educate consumers about important issues, such as financial literacy, health and wellness, and environmental conservation via advertising.

Latour & Henthorne (1994) research’s results have showed that strong overt sexual appeals in print advertisements are poorly received by both male and female respondents. Therefore, advertisers should reconsider using such strong sexual content, especially due to the controversies and their common use to stand out in media.

Legal Compliance

Advertisers must adhere to all relevant laws and regulations, including those specific to advertising standards in different regions.

Ay et al (2010) study has examined the ethics of various guerrilla advertising strategies by analyzing their printed and visual content. It has found ethical issues, particularly with ads that use fear, which can irritate people, and ads that distract drivers, which are unsafe. These problems can make ads less effective and cause negative feelings towards the company. Marketers need to consider ethical, legal, and societal boundaries in their guerrilla advertising to avoid these issues. Overall, today’s marketers must be more responsible for the negative impacts of their guerrilla advertising practices.

References:

1. Abbasi, A. S., Akhter, W., & Umar, S. (2011). Ethical issues in advertising in Pakistan: an Islamic perspective. World Applied Sciences Journal, 13(3), 444-452.
2. Ay, C., Aytekin, P., & Nardali, S. (2010). Guerrilla marketing communication tools and ethical problems in guerilla advertising. American Journal of Economics and Business Administration, 2(3), 280-286.
3. Fam, K. S., Waller, D. S., & Yang, Z. (2009). Addressing the advertising of controversial products in China: An empirical approach. Journal of Business Ethics, 88, 43-58.
4. LaTour, M. S., & Henthorne, T. L. (1994). Ethical judgments of sexual appeals in print advertising. Journal of advertising, 23(3), 81-90.
5. Nairn, A., & Fine, C. (2008). Who’s messing with my mind? The implications of dual-process models for the ethics of advertising to children. International Journal of Advertising, 27(3), 447-470.
6. Nam, C., Song, C., Lee, E., & Park, C. I. (2006). Consumers’ privacy concerns and willingness to provide marketing-related personal information online. Advances in consumer research, 33, 212.
7. Okazaki, S., Li, H., & Hirose, M. (2009). Consumer privacy concerns and preference for degree of regulatory control. Journal of advertising, 38(4), 63-77.
8. Schenker, Y., Arnold, R. M., & London, A. J. (2014). The ethics of advertising for health care services. The American Journal of Bioethics, 14(3), 34-43.