Advertising Effect: Ethical and Moral Values Essay

“A television advert will have an impact on the person watching the television because the person will try to relate the advert he is watching on the television with his/her life” (Butler, 2007). Ethic and moral values should be taught and emphasized, but at the same time advertising companies should reconsider the types of materials they are using in those commercials.

Some pictures and words are accepted in adverts, but those adverts which have been produced with bad language or portraying misleading information to those watching the television should not be allowed in our televisions. “The moral and ethical principles of human beings should not be put aside when airing these adverts in our televisions because it is the responsibility of each advertising company to instill moral values in the adverts” (Calvert 2008). Adverts which tell the truth should be allowed to be aired in our televisions, but those which contradict the known facts should not be allowed in our television because they violate the principle of human dignity and our right to make sound choices or good decisions on those products advertised and this might mislead the viewers live a wasteful lifestyle and this will have an impact on our environment or will create problems in human beings.

“Nowadays parents are concerned about the amount of adverts that their children are seeing everyday. It is believed that children can identify over 500 brand names by the time they reach the age of nine years” (Harrington 2008). The modern advertisement industries have a way of reaching more children than 10 years ago. Why are the children so important in these advertisements? Children don’t have any kind of resources which they can use to buy those products that are being advertised in the television but they will force their parent to buy them the things they see in the television, ‘another reason is that children are so loyal customers and will remain loyal to any brand, if won over at a tender age” (Hogg, 2007).

Sexual appeal through advertisements is a way of attracting customer attention, by using sexual appeal as a way of communication to the viewers in the televisions. Too much exposure of body part both in men and women is unethical to children and the general viewers because it will teach the children bad moral behaviors. Sexual scenes in advert are unacceptable especially for girls and the women because they are being used as sex toys and will impact negatively girls and women.

Some critics believe advertisements to children is unethical, but as a matter of fact the billions of dollars generated by children as a result of these advertisements, means we shouldn’t expect these adverts to disappear very soon. In reality, advertisements usually teach children at an early age about what to expect on the adult world when they grow up and they will be able to make informed choices on products when they are young and they will grow up to be respected citizens. Parents have a role to play in controlling the type of adverts their kids are watching each day, “there are some steps which can help parent to do this in controlling these advertisements; they can shut down the television every time a sexual scene appears on the television” (Lake, 1981), control on the use of the internet and other media that will impact negatively to children and lastly parent should teach their children on how to be discipline and themselves should set examples in the family.

Reference List

1. Butler, J.T. (2007). Television: critical methods and applications. New York: Routledge Publisher.
2. Calvert, B. (2008). Television studies: the key concepts.New York: Routledge Publisher
3. Harrington, C.L. (2008). Global TV: exporting television and culture in the world market.New York: NYU Press.
4. Hogg, M.K (2007). Consumer behavior. New York: Prentice Hall.
5. Lake, S. (1981).Television’s impact on children and adolescents. Michigan: Oryx Press.