What is advertising s What is advertising s role in society role in society Most of the time advertising is used for neutral or good purposes acting in a social responsibility way Demand Creation using an external message to drive people to feel a need or want to buy a product Good when its good for the environment economy artificial Bad when people spend money on things that are Prentice Hall 2009 3 1 Advertising s Role in Society Advertising s Role in Society Demand Creation Debate Demand Creation Debate Critics say advertising creates demand driving consumers to buy products unnecessarily Do some products improve consumers lives Proponents say companies invest in research to find out what consumers want Audiences can refuse to buy products they don t need Prentice Hall 2009 3 2 Advertising s Role in Society Advertising s Role in Society Shape vs Mirror Debate Shape vs Mirror Debate Does advertising create or reflect social values Critics say advertising abuses its influence on children and teenagers Critics say advertising creates social trends dictating how people think and act Advertisers say they spot trends and develop messages that connect with them Advertising both mirrors and shapes Prentice Hall 2009 3 3 Advertising s Role in Society Advertising s Role in Society Overcommercialization Debate Overcommercialization Debate Does advertising make people materialistic Critics say advertising abuses its influence on vulnerable groups like children and teenagers Critics say the lines between advertising and news and entertainment are blurred How do you know sponsors aren t influencing content and how their product is perceived Does product placement change how we view programming Prentice Hall 2009 3 4 Other Social Responsibility Other Social Responsibility Issues An Overview Issues An Overview Ethical Issues Ethical Issues 1 Poor taste and offensive advertising 2 Stereotyping 3 Body and self image problems 4 Targeting strategies 5 Problems with advertising claims and other message strategies 6 The issues surrounding the advertising of controversial products Prentice Hall 2009 3 5 1 Poor Taste and Offensive 1 Poor Taste and Offensive Advertising Advertising Viewer reaction may be affected by sensitivity to The product category timing what time of day whether the person is alone or with others viewing the message and context playboy vs women s health Creating general guidelines is difficult because people s idea of good taste varies What is considered offensive changes over time Principle Testing is needed to find the right balance when one group that sees the advertisement finds the message offensive even through the primary target market may think the message is appropriate Prentice Hall 2009 3 6 Sex in Advertising Sex in Advertising It s becoming more blatant bad behavior especially when it s not relevant to the product Paris Hilton s soft core porn ad for Carl s Jr restaurants Should sex be used to sell pizza tacos and truck parts Should sex only be used to advertise products purchased for sexual reasons like clothes lingerie or exercise equipment Does it in fact distract or hinder the communication or view persuasion the target Does sex really sell Prentice Hall 2009 3 7 2 Portraying Diverse People 2 Portraying Diverse People A stereotype is a representation of a cultural group that emphasizes a trait or traits that may or may not communicate an accurate representation Common problems include Gender Stereotypes women as the housewife Body image and self image Aimed at insecurities Racial Ethnic Stereotypes Blacks Hispanics are shown as all the same Principle Stereotyping is negative when it reduces a group of people to a caricature Prentice Hall 2009 3 8 Common Problems Cont Common Problems Cont Cultural Differences in global Ad Marketing Cultural Imperialism Descrbes what happens when Western culture is imposed on others particularly in the Middle East Asian and black cultures Age related Stereotypes Senior Citizens Advertising to Children Alcohol to blacks Junk Food to children Prentice Hall 2009 3 9 Message related Issues Message related Issues False advertising is a message that is untrue Illegal Misleading Claims are grossly exaggerated claims made by advertisers about products Ex Weight Loss Ads Puffery is advertising or other sales representations which praise the item to be sold with subjective opinions superlatives or exaggerations vaguely and generally stating no specific facts Legal not misleading Ex Cambells mm mm Good neither true or untrue Principles Advertising claims are unethical if they are false misleading or deceptive Puffery may be legal but if it turns off the target audience then nothing is gained by using such a message strategy Prentice Hall 2009 3 10 Message related Issues Message related Issues Comparative Advertising is a legitimate message strategy regulations govern those uses that are challenged as misleading The Lanham Act permits awards of damages from an advertiser who misrepresents the nature characteristics qualities or geographic origin in comparative advertising An endorsement or testimonial is any advertising message that consumers believe reflects the opinions beliefs or experiences of an individual group or institution It s misleading if the endorser doesn t use the product or if consumers can reasonably ascertain that a message does not reflect the announcer s opinion Prentice Hall 2009 3 11 Message related Issues Message related Issues Demonstration must not mislead the consumer It s difficult for some food products so these are evaluated by the FTC on case by case basis Shooting ice cream under hot lights Milk looks gray on TV so a water and glue mixture is used Some advertisers use disclaimers or supers to indicate exceptions Advertising controversial products like Feminine care firearms gambling bras condoms reflects the client s ethics Prentice Hall 2009 3 12 Product related Issues Product related Issues Unhealthy or Dangerous products agencies must consider if they can honestly promote these products including fast food tobacco liquor or beer In 97 the FDA loosened controls on drug companies and prescription drug ads skyrocketed Principle The ethical responsibility for selling a controversial or unsafe product lies with the marketing department however advertising is often in the spotlight because it is the visible face of marketing Prentice Hall 2009 3 13 How is advertising regulated How is advertising regulated The