Is Advertising Unethical?

Jyotsna Narang
B.A Prog [ASPSM]
II Yr [121]
 Advertising
is…
 Communication from a specific source that
intends to inform and influence the audience so
that they believe something and/or behave in a
certain way

 It is usually:
Persuading people to purchase a
brand/product
Paid for
The Role of Advertising
 Advertising supports marketing and business
function.
 A modern business model:
 Perform consumer research
 Develop new product based on research
 Advertise product
 Sell product
 Importantly, both the business and the consumers
are thought to benefit from this
The Benefits of Advertising
 Advertising helps consumers decide what to buy
 Informs about the existence of new products
 Informs about new uses for existing products
 Informs about differences between products – laundry
powder & razors

 Advertising provides incentives to:

 Make differentiated products, and
 Innovative products

~Who doesn’t like PS3s, Wi-Fi, I-phones?

 Advertising is entertainment. Many ads are:
 Funny

 Interesting
 Artistic
 Appealing in other ways
 Advertising is good for the economy
 It is a huge industry
 It employs a lot of people
 It stimulates economic growth by connecting more of
consumers needs and wants with solutions
 Economic growth is good
 Means you can get more things you want
 Winston Churchill

“Advertising nourishes the

consuming power of men. It
creates wants for a better
standard of living… It spurs
individual exertion and
greater production.”

 Advertising improves our

well-being
What’s Wrong with
Advertising?
 Apparently, advertising
deceives people into
buying things that they
don’t really need
 Apparently, advertising
lies, deceives and misleads
 Apparently, advertising
makes people think they
need things that they
shouldn’t even want
 Some people even think it
makes us unhappy!
Critics says that advertising is
unethical because:

 It doesn’t make us happier like

they claim it does, and
 It coerces us into a constant
state of dissatisfaction because
it overrides our autonomy
and…
 It makes us desire products
without us realising!
Advertising Doesn’t Lie
 Reasons why advertisers don’t lie
 Misleading ads are reported and removed from
circulation
 Lies about product quality are soon discovered,
making the lying company go out of business
 Really important product categories have extra
regulations to prevent lying
 Advertisers don’t want to tarnish the reputation
of advertising generally
Advertising Doesn’t Make Us
Buy Things We Don’t Need
 Advertising never forces anyone to do anything
 Advertising does influence our purchase decisions
(at least it intends to)
 But what is wrong with that?
 Advertising can’t encourage you to want
something you really don’t need
 Advertising can only help you fulfill wants and
needs you already have
Summary
 Advertising is good because:
 It helps consumers decide what to buy
 It provides incentives for innovation
 At least some of it is entertaining
 Its good for the economy
 It allows us to improve our lives by helping us to
satisfy our wants and needs
 Helping us close the margin of discontent
 Raising the standard of living
 Helping us to exercise our consumer sovereignty and
our personal choices about how to live
THANK YOU