...Running head: MARKETING: ETHICS IN ADVERTISING Ethics in Advertising Among various problems faced by leaders and managers, the most challenging is the one dealing with ethical issues. The problem becomes more complex when addressing cross culture and multinational. It is undeniable fact that corporate leaders and manager are more focused in growing the business than running the business. The answer to this growth is new markets but these new markets emerge they come with new problems and demand innovative solutions. Marketing is one of the main platforms of interaction of any entity to rest of world, hence the potential for problems are high. As part of our learning team activity, we firmly believe that the ethics relating to advertisement is an interesting subject to explore the problems within and to arrive at a mitigate plan. The project is divided into three stages, the first stage is to identify and define the problem. In this stage the team identifies different situations, issues and potential problem leading to unethical practices in advertisements. This will help the team to define the problem based on situation and scenario. The second stage of the project is to explore various solutions that may keep advertisements within ethical limits. Preliminary part within this stage is to identify an ideal situation for ethical practices and then explore for solutions based on the result. Each team member provides different solutions as this will...
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...Violent Video Game Advertising: Is it ethical? Mary Ashley Badgett Communication Ethics November 6, 2013 Violent Video Game Advertising: Is it ethical? Section I: Summary Controversy over violent video games resurfaced in 1999, when two armed high school students instantly became killers of their peers. On April 20, 1999, at a Colorado high school, known as Columbine High, two students Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris opened fire, shooting 20 people and killing 13. The media revealed that Harris and Klebold constantly played violent video games, including “Wolfenstein 3D,” “Doom,” and “Mortal Combat.” Following the allegations of the Columbine case, it was announced that the rapid use of violent video games perhaps caused the tragedy to occur (Columbine Massacre). Is it ethical to advertise video games that display violence and encourage violent behaviors, specifically on television networks such as Nick and Cartoon Network, channels subjected to children? According to the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, advertising has a pervasive influence on children and adolescents. Per year, young people on an average view more than 40,000 ads on television alone, not including the types of advertising one could be exposed to in magazines, on the internet, or in school. “Video games carry ratings, and supposedly no one under 16 is able to buy a "mature" game, but the Federal Trade Commission found more than two-thirds of underage teens could buy such...
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...PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES Write a 400- to 700-word short essay about issues that could arise from each of the following areas: * Children and advertising * Health and advertising * Political advertising Many issues arise in advertising, and one common issue is ethics. Children and advertising, health and advertising, and political advertising are all area where ethics really come into play, and should be monitored on an ethical stand point. With advertising targeted towards children and health, ethics have seem to be forgotten. The advertising agencies and creators are only concerned with sales and how to generate more. They advertise McDonalds using a clown and playhouse which lure children in to eat and drink extremely unhealthily, which results in an increase of childhood type 2 diabetes, obesity, and a lifetime of other health issues. More than just being overweight and unhealthy, advertisements targeted towards children teach them to be entitled and greedy, promiscuous and push the limits of age appropriate clothing. This in itself has caused for more teen pregnancies and STDs to increase. It has also caused for mental self-esteem issues. Young people now want to look like the celebrities they admire in order to feel that they are worthy of love, affection, and attention from the peers. Advertising affects not only the health of children, but people of all ages. Advertisements promoting newly experimented drugs with dozens of other side effects are written in small...
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...Research Methods Project Report Ethical Concerns of Marketing towards Children Submitted to: Fatima Saman Qaisar Date: 30th November, 2013 FAST School of Business National University of Computer & Emerging Sciences Acknowledgements Thanks to Allah-The Almighty who helped us in completing this tremendous task. Then we would like to offer our very special thanks to our respected instructor, Miss Fatima Saman Qaisar, whose constant and untiring support helped us at every stage of the project. Without her devoted and sincere assistance, we would never have been able to complete this project in an organized way. Last but not the least, we would also like to offer our thanks to our parents and our friends who supported us at every stage of completion of this task. TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables iv Executive summary 1 Introduction 2 Background 2 Consequences 2 Research Problem 3 Significance of the study to practice and to the wider academic world 4 Research Objectives 4 Research Questions 4 Literature Review 5 Theoretical Framework and Research Objective 23 Purpose of study 23 Research questions 23 Research Hypothesis 24 Theoretical Framework 24 Research Methodology & Methods 26 Research Methodology 26 Research approach and research method 26 Findings 28 Project Management 52 Project Charter 52 Analysis of key findings 54 Conclusion 57 Recommendations 58 Bibliography...
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...applied ethics which deals with the moral principles behind the operation and regulation of marketing. Some areas of marketing ethics (ethics of advertising and promotion) overlap with media ethics. Contents 1 Fundamental issues in the ethics of marketing 1.1 Frameworks of analysis for marketing Possible frameworks 1.2 Power-based analysis 1.3 Is marketing inherently evil? 2 Specific issues in marketing ethics 2.1 Market research 2.2 Market audience 2.3 Pricing ethics 2.4 Ethics in advertising and promotion 2.4.1 Content 2.4.2 Delivery channels 2.4.3 Deceptive Advertising and Ethics 2.5 The use of ethics as a marketing tactic 2.6 Neuromarketing ethics 2.7 Marketing strategy 2.8 Further issues in marketing ethics 3 Regulation and enforcement 4 See also 5 References 6 Bibliography 7 External links Fundamental issues in the ethics of marketing[edit] Frameworks of analysis for marketing Possible frameworks[edit] Value-oriented framework, analyzing ethical problems on the basis of the values which they infringe (e.g. honesty, autonomy, privacy, transparency). An example of such an approach is the AMA Statement of Ethics.[1] Stakeholder-oriented framework, analyzing ethical problems on the basis of whom they affect (e.g. consumers, competitors, society as a whole). Process-oriented framework, analyzing ethical problems in terms of the categories used by marketing specialists (e.g. research, price, promotion, placement). None of these frameworks allows,...
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...“Marketing Leaders and Ethical Issues in Advertising” ABSTRACT The purpose of this project is to point out some different measures used in advertising for defining problems and to note ethical and moral problems that advertising can and does raise and, finally, to suggest certain steps for the marketing leaders of those professionally involved in advertising. The project examines what the ethical problems in advertising are and why many marketing leaders create unethical advertisements. In order to demonstrate the unethical advertising, I provided some examples. I added to the project a list of ethical and legal issues when creating advertisements can help you to craft legal, responsible advertisement messages. The project also examines ways of solving ethical issues in advertising and what advertisers, marketing leaders should do to be in the money. INTRODUCTION Communication stimulation was known in ancient times. With banners and signs and graffiti dealers notified the citizens about the availability of certain goods on the stalls, as well as future events, such as the slave trade or the gladiators. Due to mass illiteracy traders also had to resort to touts - people standing in the streets or on the busy intersections of the city and loudly informed the passers on the goods. While advertising was of informative, it did not have the elements of persuasion. The flourishing of the advertising business falls on XIX century, when the first public relations man, began...
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...What are the ethical issues (internal and external) facing organisations within the advertising sector and how are they being addressed? Advertising is essential across all sectors of business. It is key to making a business successful because it connects the business with potential customers. It is an increasingly powerful tool however it can be very easily misused. This report will discuss the ethical issues affecting advertising within the private sector and the ways these issues are being resolved. These issues are false advertising, social reasonability and advertising to children. The power of advertising is so great that it can also leave consumers vulnerable. It is said “In one 45-minute journey, the average London commuter is exposed to more than 130 adverts” and in a day “we're likely to see 3,500 marketing messages.” (Owen Gibson, 2005) False Advertising within the Private Sector Within the Private sector there is constant competition between originations, so they must therefore do everything within their power to stay ahead of their rivals. In order to do this they must make consumers believe that their products are better than whatever else is on the market place even if it is similar to their own products. For example the soft drinks coke manufactured by Coca-Cola and Pepsi by PepsiCo can be considered to have the same taste but they are marketed differently and set apart by the brands that make them. “Both companies are continuously trying to develop a...
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...Marketing The Use of Alcohol, Sex, and Children Business Ethics 11/23/2013 Introduction The American Marketing Association defines marketing as, the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. (www.marketingpower.com) This practice dates back to the 1450’s when the Gutenberg invented the first movable type, which allowed mass printing to be possible for the first time. Marketing and advertising has since evolved from magazines, to billboards, radio, television, telemarketing, print ads, and now with the digital age booming, has become a hyper competitive industry where companies will do just about anything to attract a customer. Doing “just about anything” is where marketers and advertisers operate on a very thin line as to what is considered ethical. This strategy now includes tactics such as the use of alcohol, sex, and the targeting of children to attract consumers. Companies use the power of beer advertisements at college sporting events, sexually explicit advertisements in venues viewed by children and teenagers, and use the developing minds of small children as targets in the advertising of certain products. While these strategies may be legal, they are not always ethical. In this paper, I will challenge the use of content, tactics, perception, and target audience, while applying ethical tests and theories regarding a company’s...
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...Advertising can be termed as any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods, or services by an identified sponsor (Kapoor, 2010). Although advertising might facilitate one to be up to date about latest product and technology, but on the other side, it can also create some pressing issues like Influence over children that could affect a child both mentally and physically. It can be argued, children are more vulnerable target audience for advertisers as they are easily influenced by advertisements without doubting its motive (Vadehra, 2010). It seems, globally, governments are taking serious steps to regulate advertising Influence over children. Sweden, for example, had banned the advertising for children below 12 years (Edling, 1999) while advertising is strictly regulated across other parts of Europe (RAC, 2003). Furthermore, there are voluntary groups like “Adbusters” and "Mothers group" that pressurize governments to regulate advertising (Vadehra, 2010). In India, It might be right to say, the laws corresponding to advertising are very lax and there are only couple of business organisation that can only put moral pressure on advertising. (Vadehra, 2010) Without exaggerating, it can be said that in the last two decades, there has been a major change in the advertising Pattern in India. In 1970-90, advertising was limited to direct messages through radio, print and limited visuals. Moreover, there are several educational short visuals for children...
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...Critical and Ethical issues faced by advertisers in drafting advertisements Almost all companies use some sort of advertising when selling a good or a service. The expenditure for the campaign might depend on the type and the size of the Business. Advertising is a complex form of communication that influences customers to purchase a certain product or consume more from that product and, it always identify the sponsor or the company. Advertisements draw public attention to goods and services. Objectives and strategies of advertising lead to various types of impact on consumer thoughts, feelings and actions. Advertising is a paid medium. Generally advertisements provide information of the certain product or service in many different ways. Traditional media, such as; television, radio, newspapers, magazines, books, direct mail and billboards are most commonly used to transmit advertisements to consumers. Advertiser holds the main role in Advertising. Advertiser is the person or organization that uses advertising to send out a message about its products. Advertising Agency is the second player in Advertising. One of the primary benefits of advertising is its ability to communicate to a large number of people at one time. There are different types of Advertising; Print advertising, Outdoor advertising, such as; Billboards, kiosks, tradeshows and events, Broadcast advertising, Covert advertising, Surrogate advertising, Public service advertising and Celebrity advertising. Print...
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...Abstract In the world of business, the advertising industry holds responsibility of providing promotions that fall under ethical boundaries and obey moral conduct. However, with the expansion and evolution of global communication, the fundamental meaning of human ethics has been progressively abused. This study’s central concern is the ethical dilemma plaguing advertisements in Lebanon. It focuses on how Lebanese people, especially the youth, are manipulated and influenced by the ethical digression exposed in advertisements. The three aspects examined were the portrayals of sexual appeals, alcohol and tobacco since they represent the most mistreated issues. The study used an electronic survey consisting of ten questions intended to depict the opinions of Lebanese people on current advertisements. It was found that the male and female participants mutually find present ads to be inappropriate when considering these aspects. Alcohol, tobacco and sexual portrayals pose a concern to the participants rendering them unethical. A general consensus proposed stricter regulatory measures to be taken against such advertisements. Lebanese advertisers must venture for opportunities and methods to publicize ideas and products without submitting them to immoral standards. Further recommendations and research gaps are presented in the study. Introduction: The Ethical Predicament of Advertisements: An in-depth study of publicizing tobacco, alcohol and sexual appeals. Imagine a...
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...Otto Advertising has recently signed on Angela’s Secret Lingerie, a new client that represents a very large account for the company. Although we feel very confident in our abilities to market and influence consumers into buying their lingerie, this client places our company in a difficult situation. They are requesting we direct our advertising towards girls aged 8-10 years old which raises grave ethical concerns. Marketing can lead to ethical dilemmas due to the content and methodology used to pursue market growth and revenue. Many techniques that we ourselves have utilized have included heavily targeting the youth because of their susceptibility to marketing tactics. Targeting children is treading in dangerous waters and can have negative repercussions on all parties involved. Ethical theories represent important guidelines for better, more sustainable decision making. I have provided an analysis through the Utilitarian, Kantian and Virtue Ethics perspectives in order for Otto Advertising to make a sound decision for all parties affected. Utilitarian ethics is associated with Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill and represents the utilitarian principle to provide the greatest good for the greatest number of people. This is to be followed by looking at the consequences of an action not the means employed to deem if it is morally right or not (ET 85-88). Marketing is essentially based on the utilitarian principle because our whole purpose as a business is to try and satisfy...
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...Ethical Challenges in Marketing Communication Ethics play an integral role in the development and sustenance of any personal or business relationship. Ethics determine the acceptable behaviors within a society and the overall behaviors of a business. Marketers must understand the impact ethics have on marketing communications and develop Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) strategies accordingly. This paper will discuss various ethical challenges facing marketers today, identify internal and external factors on IMC, and formulate two ethical questions based upon the analysis. Ethics in Marketing The practice of ethics within an organization is an important but difficult concept to understand and practice. The reason ethics are difficult to manage is that the concept is so subjective (Duncan 2002, pp. 671). Ethical values differ between societies and individual relationships, therefore a company must decide on an ethical communication strategy and portray it as consistently as possible. Duncan (2002) describes three ethical considerations companies must understand when developing marketing communications and relationships with customers. Stereotyping Stereotyping plays a significant role in developing marketing strategies that are both effective and ethical. "The challenge for brands is to develop messages that strike a chord with targeted audiences without reinforcing negative stereotypes" (pp. 672). Companies must ensure that their marketing tactics...
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...Introduction Children form a significant consumer group in their own right and, in addition, influence the purchasing choices of their families and friends. They represent a huge market offering significant financial returns to companies. Children are also the adults of the future so building a strong bond with a child could lead to significant customer lifetime value to a company. However there are inherent risks in marketing to children bound up in the fact that many feel that it is intrinsically unethical to market to children. As a result of this, companies that market to children and get it wrong face a moralistic and significantly stronger backlash. Applying a PESTLE analysis highlights the external factors companies that market to children face; Political - Changes in government and legislation affect ways in which companies can approach marketing for children and young people. In December 2003, the British Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Tessa Jowell MP, asked the British Office of Communications (OFCOM) to consider proposals for strengthening the rules on television advertising of food aimed at children, with new restrictions put in place in 2007. Economic - In the US, companies are estimated to spend $17billion a year marketing to children, (1) an increase from the $100 million spent in 1983. (2) A de facto recognition of the great economic value children represent. Social – Marketing to children and young people has become a topic for...
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...The Code of Ethics in advertising states that an advertising agency will not intentionally create ads with false products or price related statements. The agency will not use poorly supported product claims or distorted information from experts. Finally, the agency will not provide ads that offend public decency or minority groups(American Association of Advertising Agency). Ethics have always been an important aspect of every business activity, although the term has meant different times in different lands to different people. Nonetheless, as ethical concerns are an inseparable element of business, advertising cannot ignore them. Sadly, the advertising industry has rarely cared to look beyond immediate marketing objectives. The argument in the industry is that it is the government’s job to judge what is right and what is wrong. Shirking its own responsibility for regulation, the industry has belittled business values and agencies have harmed their balance sheets. For any business, customer is very important, and businesses attempt to communicate to all their target customers using means of communication like advertising and sales promotion. Advertising is very powerful and most commonly used tool. The term ethics in business involves “morality, organizational ethics and professional deontology” (Isaac, cited in Bergadaa, 2007). Every industry has its own guidelines for the ethical requirements. However, the principal four requirements for marketing...
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