Introduction
Ethics refers to a set of moral standards governing human behaviors and actions. As a result, ethical principles facilitate human understanding and enable individuals to achieve a common ground when interacting and carrying out their activities. However, ethical obligations also apply to forces that can interfere with the development and well-being of individuals, thus stretching its tenets to inanimate factors like the implications of organizations and businesses. On that account, ethics in advertising is a topic that has gained media attention over the past decades due to numerous concerns about the truthfulness and reliability of advertisements aired to the public. Therefore, the following essay describes why ethics in advertising is an issue that requires increased attention, the types of advertising, and the benefits of advertising.
The advertising industry hosts some of the most established and successful organizations globally due to its high demand and lucrative returns. However, advertisements pose a significant threat to human beings because individuals tend to believe what they see and hear from authoritative TV channels and media personalities. Research by Kosnik (2018) suggests that most individuals, especially millennials, have an intrinsic need to belong to a community. As a result, they depend on advertisements to inform their product preferences and purchasing behaviors. In other words, when consumers learn of a product that everyone else is using and praising for its beneficial values, they are inclined to purchase these products to avoid feeling left out. Hence, misinformation can come as a huge blow and result in adversities in the case of hazardous products.
Although many individuals know of the power of media houses in creating awareness and mobilizing the public, individuals have turned a deaf ear to the quality and reliability of advertising for decades. On the other hand, some people refute that advertising can be hazardous to individuals as long as they know the terms of the contract they are getting into. Malthouse et al. (2018) suggest that advertising is a transaction between two parties, an advertiser and its audience. As a result, both parties have the right to make buying and selling decisions based on the information they receive. Nonetheless, the information should be representative, appropriate, and adequate to support informed decision-making. Hence, it is evident that most organizations do not hold their end of the bargain because they use advertising platforms to take advantage of consumers.
Ethical misdemeanors in advertising are not a strange phenomenon. Several media houses and business corporations have been held accountable for misleading individuals into purchasing products and spearheading initiatives that do not assure consumer benefits. The advertising industry thrives with messages that urge consumers to try out new products by virtue, but they can easily distort information without raising eyebrows and lead consumers to purchase products they don’t need (Drumwright, 2019). For example, pharmaceutical companies have been in the limelight over the past few years for misleading individuals by alienating specific lifestyle conditions and tricking people into buying drugs and supplements that do not necessarily add value to their life. Sadly, some of these drugs have notable side effects after prolonged use, thus risking the lives of millions of unaware consumers. From this viewpoint, some forms of advertising are morally inappropriate because they interfere with individuals’ rationality, course of action, product choices, and life quality.
The Essence of Ethics in Advertisement
Ethics are as important in advertising as they are in individuals’ lives. Thus, practicing ethics in advertisements is healthy because it gives consumers satisfaction with products whether they require them or want them. Ethics are important in advertising because they give customers the knowledge they need to decide on what product they will buy and how it will enhance their living standards. Therefore, ethical advertising promotes a just business environment because it enables consumers to make valuable product choices (Drumwright, 2019). Ethics are also important in advertising because they inform customers of their value to business corporations, suppliers, and product manufacturers. When consumers notice moral standards in their advertisements, they will establish their trust in the brand, thus promoting the business.
Ethical advertising also allows business organizations to foster long-lasting relationships with customers by sharing their goals, objectives, ambitions, and where they plan to be in the coming years. Businesses achieve this by providing consumers with adequate knowledge of what they are selling and how it can change people’s lives. Consequently, ethical advertising encourages consumers and members of society to support business initiatives and establish an environment that is beneficial to all parties (Wang et al., 2018). However, moral advertising is a critical component of success that is more effective when an organization adopts a suitable advertising solution for its business. On that account, it is crucial to ensure that the advertising approach aligns with the business goals.
Types of Advertising and the Benefits of Advertising
Advertising techniques are divided into three broad categories depending on the media used to portray the message. The three different types of advertising solutions include television or radio advertising, newspaper or magazine advertising, and online advertising. Although magazines and newspapers leave a long-lasting impression, they do not reach a lot of individuals compared to radio, TV, and online solutions. Similarly, radio and television advertisements reach a broader consumer base but are not cost-effective (Wang et al., 2018). Therefore, they might not ensure a return on investment. Finally, online solutions offer the most versatile advertising platform due to their reliability, cost efficiency, and convenience. However, all these options are viable depending on the purpose of the advertising initiatives and the target market.
Advertising has several benefits to businesses and the community since it aids in knowledge transfer and sharing of information. Moreover, it eliminates middlemen who buy products from producers at low prices and sell them at hiked prices. Additionally, business organizations can warn their consumers about counterfeited products through advertising, resulting in higher consumer satisfaction and the purchase of high-quality products. Thus, advertising educates the general public about what is on the market and whether these products require purchasing. Subsequently, when a business advertises its product, it will gain more customers than those that do not advertise (Rodgers, & Nguyen, 2022). Hence, advertising is beneficial to organizations seeking to expand and thrive in new territories.
Conclusion
Media advertising is an activity that holds notable power since it can influence individuals toward a specific direction or away from a particular product. As a result, product manufacturers, business organizations, and shareholders in the advertising industry should limit sending the wrong information to individuals since it can lead to adversities. Ethics in advertising guides media houses and advertisers on the moral standards to adhere to when providing consumers with information about a product. If carried out appropriately, advertising can have a significant impact on consumer trust, loyalty, and product promotion, thus the growth and development of businesses. Therefore, it is critical to observe all the tenets of ethics and their application in advertising for the best outcomes.
References
Drumwright, M. E. (2019). Ethics and advertising theory. In Advertising theory (pp. 503-522). Routledge.
Kosnik, E. (2018). Production for consumption: Prosumer, citizen‐consumer, and ethical consumption in a post-growth context. Economic Anthropology, 5(1), 123-134.
Malthouse, E. C., Maslowska, E., & Franks, J. U. (2018). Understanding programmatic TV advertising. international Journal of Advertising, 37(5), 769-784.
Rodgers, W., & Nguyen, T. (2022). Advertising benefits from ethical artificial intelligence algorithmic purchase decision pathways. Journal of Business Ethics, 1-19.
Wang, G., Zhuo, L., Li, J., Ren, D., & Zhang, J. (2018). An efficient method of content-targeted online video advertising. Journal of visual communication and image representation, 50, 40-48.