Module 6
Learning objectives
- Define advertising
- Examine the issues and problems
related to the moral dimension of
advertising
- Explain when is advertising
becomes unethical
Introduction
Advertising plays a very significant
role in marketing goods and services.
Without advertising the consumers would
not be aware of the presence of diverse
products and services available in the
market. The primary purpose of advertising
is to inform potential buyers of the
availability of a certain product by
providing relevant information on its uses
and benefits to consumers.
The Morality of Advertising
Advertising is any paid form of non-
personal presentation and promotion of
ideas, goods or services by an identified
sponsor. (Philip Kotler)
Advertising is part of the selling
process and its goal is to persuade
consumers to buy the products being
advertised.
Advertising in itself is not bad
or immoral since it helps achieve
the goals of both the seller and
buyer.
The only one criterion in
evaluating the morality of
advertising is to “tell the truth.”
An advertisement that
conveys truthful information is
morally permissible. If it contains
false statements and “lies” then
it is said to be immoral.
The ad is said to be immoral
when it makes a false claim, which
the advertiser knows to be false, for
purposes of misleading, misinforming
or deceiving potential customers.
Advertising becomes unethical when
the advertisement becomes:
a) Misleading advertisements do not
misrepresent, do not make false
claims but it makes claims in such a
way that a normal person looking at it
comes up with the wrong conclusion.
b) Deceptive advertisements makes
a false statement or misrepresents
the product like the picture
presented in the advertisement is
different from the actual product.
c)Manipulative or coercive
advertisements
Manipulative advertisement uses
trickery or by devious means.
Coercive advertisement involves
the use of force or threat either
physical or psychological.
Use of Weasel words
Ambiguity is another deceptive
technique in advertising. When ads are
ambiguous, they are considered
deceptive.
The use of weasel words is often
complementary to ambiguity in
advertising.
Weasel words are used to avoid
from a direct or straightforward
statement.
Ex: common weasel word is “help”
has been generally used to say
something that couldn’t be said.
Exaggeration occurs when
advertisements tend to make false
claims of the benefits of the goods or
services which is actually unsupported
by valid evidence.
Ex: claims that a pain reliever provides
extra pain relief or is superior to any
other painkiller on the market.
Psychological appeals define as
a visual or aural influence on the
subconscious mind and emotions.
(Richard F. Taflinger)
Some of the psychological
appeals that advertisers use to
motivate people to buy products are
power, prestige, personal enjoyment,
curiosity, masculinity, and feminity.
Summary
Advertising is any paid form of non-personal
presentation and promotion of ideas, goods or services
by an identified sponsor.
Advertising becomes unethical when the
advertisement becomes: misleading, deceptive and
manipulative or coercive.
When ads are ambiguous, they are considered
deceptive. Weasel words are used to avoid from a direct
or straightforward statement.