When
creating an advertisement there are many social and psychological factors that
it need to be considered. It may seem like a nightmare to catch the eyes
of the target audience with all these lines in the sand. First their absolutely
needs to be honesty in advertising. It
may be something that is taken for granted or seem like a given fact, but it is
possible to be truthful and respectful to the truth when selling a product. To make truth in advertising one must
never distort the product's capabilities, or hide its defects. Ethical advertising
is also clear about its intentions, refraining from subliminal messages or
hidden agendas. Even Disney has cut back
from using subliminal messages, so why shouldn't we?
Distinction- The International Charter
states that ethical advertising seeks to create a completely different
representation of its product from those of its competitors. Its brands or
logos are only one of its kind and easily particular, its product can be
quickly identified, and the character and imagery do not blur the line between
competitors. When advertising unethically seeks to destroy the difference
between it and other products: capitalizing on the resulting confusion by
selling products to customers who can't make the distinction.
Social Consciousness- Refraining from
appealing to "base" human emotions such as terror, materialism or
lust. Remaining constructive and confident, and doesn't take advantage or
use stereotypes based around race, gender, religion or age. In North America there are strict rules that
determine the shape of advertising to children, while in some jurisdictions
advertising to children is illegal.
Environmental Consciousness- Operating with
respect for the nature and showing restraint from causing undue harm to the
environment. To maintain the ethics, advertising doesn't depict an
unjustifiable or excessively commercial lifestyle, where the attainment of
objects is the sole purpose for living. This means that the advertisements
created should seek to maintain environmental standards, such as using
recyclable components or non-polluting creation methods, and refrain from
excessive waste.
The average child
views about 3,000 advertisements a day online, on television, on billboards and
in print media. Kids have a hard time trying to understand the
difference between fantasy and reality. Although this may seem appealing, to
take advantage of this fact to market your product, unethical advertising can
be damaging to children. No matter what children are affected by these images,
so advertisers have the responsibility to ensure that their ads are not
dangerous or destructive. Images that advocate violence, promote lavish
lifestyles or living beyond one’s means, greediness, specific gender roles and
poor treatment of others should be avoided. Children whose parents can afford a
product will buy it even if the child merely thinks it's fun, while the poorer
children will be left feeling inferior because they can't afford whatever the
next “must have” toy is.
Overall, it can be difficult to standout and stay within the
confines of these guidelines. Edginess may get the attention, but what is the
message you want to send out into the world? I accept the challenge to maintain
ethical standards when creating ads. Who knows? It might even be fun.
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