Advertising Ethics

by Spence, Edward; Van Heekeren, Brett; Boylan, Michael, Series Editor, Basic Ethics in Action Series

• ISBN13: 9780130941213
• ISBN10: 0130941212
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-06-08
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

. This book focuses on an applied philosophical analysis of the nature of advertising in general and of specific ethical issues that arise in advertising. Its main objective is to provide professionals with a structured ethical reasoning and ethical decision-making model that will enable them to clearly ascertain the relation between advertising and ethics.Chapter topics include ethical reasoning and ethical principles, codes of ethics and codes of practice, the nature of advertising, advertising and the media, advertising and the community, truth in advertising, stereotyping and targeting, endorsements and testimonials, the ethics of time and space, ethical advertising, and more.For professionals in the advertising industry who would like a manual for informing professional practice on ethical theory and ethical issues in advertising.

Author Biography

Brett Van Heekeran is a lecturer in Advertising and Course Co-ordinator for the BA Communication - Commercial Radio, in the School of Communication of Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, Australia.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Acknowledgments	xiii
Ethical Reasoning and Ethical Principles	1	(16)
Introduction	1	(1)
What Is Ethics?	2	(2)
The Structure of Ethical Reasoning	4	(2)
Types of Rational Arguments: Deductive and Inductive	6	(2)
Ethical Principles: Deontological, Teleological, and Consequentialist Ethical Arguments	8	(5)
The General Rudiments of Ethical Analysis and Ethical Decision-Making	13	(4)
Regulating the Advertising Environment: The Role of the Codes of Ethics	17	(11)
Introduction	17	(1)
Case Studies	18	(2)
Professional Practice	20	(6)
Ethical Practice	26	(2)
Advertising and the Community	28	(13)
Introduction	28	(1)
Case Studies	29	(4)
Professional Practice	33	(2)
Ethical Analysis	35	(4)
A Summary of Instrumental and Ethical Consequences	39	(2)
Truth in Advertising	41	(13)
Introduction	41	(1)
Case Studies	42	(2)
Professional Practice	44	(3)
Ethical Analysis	47	(5)
A Summary of Instrumental and Ethical Consequences	52	(2)
Stereotyping---The Commodification of Identity	54	(16)
Introduction	54	(1)
Case Studies	55	(3)
Professional Practice	58	(5)
Ethical Analysis	63	(5)
A Summary of Instrumental and Ethical Consequences	68	(2)
Endorsements and Testimonials: It Is All about Credibility!	70	(14)
Introduction	70	(1)
Case Studies	71	(2)
Professional Practice	73	(4)
Ethical Analysis	77	(5)
A Summary of Instrumental and Ethical Consequences	82	(2)
Target Advertising and the Ethics of Time and Space	84	(12)
Introduction	84	(1)
Case Studies	85	(3)
Professional Practice	88	(2)
Ethical Analysis	90	(4)
A Summary of Instrumental and Ethical Consequences	94	(2)
The Digital Explosion	96	(12)
Introduction	96	(1)
Case Studies	97	(2)
Professional Practice	99	(4)
Ethical Analysis	103	(3)
A Summary of Instrumental and Ethical Consequences	106	(2)
Ethical Advertising	108	(15)
Introduction	108	(1)
Case Studies	109	(3)
Ethical Analysis	112	(9)
A Summary of Instrumental and Ethical Consequences	121	(2)
Notes	123	(8)
Index	131

Excerpts

The purpose of this book is to offer a critical examination, analysis, and evaluation of key ethical issues that arise in contemporary advertising practice. The book is primarily designed to identify, examine, and evaluate ethical issues that arise in the planning and execution of the advertising process: the process of the communication of advertising messages of persuasion directed at consumers and, as in the case of some types of noncommercial advertising, citizens. With this specific purpose in mind, the book is not designed to address business ethics issues that arise generally and, as a matter of course, within the internal organizational structures of professional institutions, including advertising institutions. Thus the ethical issues addressed in this book are primarily the ones that arise as a result of the planning, production, and communication of messages of persuasion by advertisers to consumers and citizens.The method of analysis and evaluation employed inAdvertising Ethicsis primarily dialectical, in that it seeks to engage the reader in rational reflectivedialogueconcerning the various advertising strategies and practices that are of ethical concern. The ethical analysis is presented and conducted by way of rational arguments that seek to provide critical reflection on ethical issues that arise with regard to specific advertising strategies and practices in the hope that the reader will feel challenged to think and reflect about the ethical implications and consequences of those strategies and practices. The dialectical method employed throughout the book assumes no prior knowledge of ethical theory or advertising practice and is designed to build the analysis and evaluation of ethical issues that arise in advertising from the ground up, using only certain basic ethical principles that are explained and justified in Chapter 1.In keeping with the dialectical methodology of the book, the assumed perspective for the examination of the advertisements described in the various case studies throughout the book, is that of a putative rational person: a reasonable person capable of using his or her own critical rational judgment in identifying and assessing the ethical issues that relate to those advertisements for himself or herself. Our own analytical judgments concerning the ethical issues pertaining to those advertisements are ones that can reasonably be ascribed to such a putative rational person.To assist in the professional and thus practical contextualization of the ethical issues that arise in advertising, the book offers an exposition of the current advertising theory and practice that informs the various advertising strategies currently employed in the advertising industry. Moreover, the ethical analysis and the evaluation of the various ethical issues that follow the exposition of current adverting theory and practice are conducted by reference to actual case studies that assist in highlighting the ethical relevance and significance of those issues, as well as illustrating the practical application of the ethical analysis and evaluation with regard to those issues. Finally, the ethical analysis and evaluation for each relevant chapter is concluded by a summary of instrumental and ethical consequences that emanate either actually or potentially from the advertising strategy or practice under discussion. In a sense, the summaries of instrumental and ethical consequences can be viewed as "ethical balance sheets." Thus the dialectical structure ofAdvertising Ethicscomprises four distinct but interrelated components: Case studies Professional practice Ethical analysis and evaluation, and Summaries of instrumental and ethical consequencesThe first part of the book (Chapters 1 and 2) provides an introductory account of how ethical principles and codes of ethics are relevant and applicable to professional practice in gener