The following advertising example is a case in point.
In another article Snyder refers to an advertisement which goes beyond good taste and decency. This refers to a multimedia campaign for Belvedere Vodka which is in competition with the Grey Goose vodka brand ands its market. As Snyder remarks: "The brand is donning fishnets, getting spanked in public and otherwise behaving lewdly in an attempt to stand out in the increasingly crowded luxury vodka category." (Snyder, "Attention, but at What Cost? 2008)
Figure 1. A Belvedere Vodka ad depicting a woman applying her lipstick in the mirrored belt buckles of some man.
(Source: http://stylemusings.blogspot.com/2008/01/on-advertising-front-belvedere-vodka.html
Therefore the advertiser is using lewd and tasteless images and action to promote its product. What the advertiser fails to address is the fact that they guilty of advertising that is in poor taste and this, as Snyder remarks, is not only bad for the industry but also will lose them a section of the advertising market. Snyder notes that, "the client and agency should proactively consider the ethical consequences of advertising that could be considered offensive by the brands customers." (Snyder, "Attention, but at What Cost? 2008) With regard to the advertisements in question Snyder has the following to say" did they consider the ethical consequences of a campaign that may offend woman vodka drinkers? Women constitute 49% of the luxury vodka market1. Clearly they were aware of the negative implications." (Snyder, "Attention, but at What Cost? 2008) Furthermore, the online promotion site for the campaign on is to use a bottle as a sexual prop. Snyder concludes: "I believe that women searching for an upscale vodka would be more attracted to a brand connecting to them through ethical advertising." (Snyder, "Attention, but at What Cost? 2008 ) in essence this refers to the practical advantages of advertising that is ethically appreciative of the client market
Many other examples of this type of advertising can be given. The following is a description of an ad for Dolce & Gabbana that appeared in Esquire magazine:
A woman, fully clothed in a tight dress and spiked heels, lies on her back, hips raised as a bare-chested man holds her down and four other men look...
However, there are often no rules, or weak ones, and that can create an ethical dilemma on the part of marketers. They must decide for themselves what lines they want to cross, and set their own codes of ethics. Where rules only provide guidelines, these can be open to interpretation. As we have seen with the area of marketing to children, however, the marketing industry has kept ahead of the
Fox, R.F. (2001, November). Warning Advertising May Be Hazardous to Your Health: Ads Pose a Threat to Physical, Emotional, Social, and Cultural Well-Being. USA Today, Volume 130, Issue 2678, 62. The author discusses different types of advertising and promotion and finds ethical problems in the way many are handled, especially with reference to advertising and promoting goods and services to children. He cites the use of focus groups for toy companies
Ethics Memo Ethicacy of Five Hour Energy "No Crash Later" Claims Recently consumer rights groups are gaining greater traction in the media with their claims that Five Hour Energy's claims of "no crash later" are inaccurate, and at worst, overstated. These claims are based on a study completed six years ago, and whose methodology is not sound (Fabregas, 2012). What's at the center of this debate is the chemical composition of Five
In recognition that these t-shirts might be found to be objectionable to many young women, who are among our best customers, we contacted Heather Arnet, Executive Director of the Women & Girls Foundation, and offered to discuss the issue with them. We recognize that the shirts in question, while meant to be humorous, might be troubling to some." Despite, or perhaps, one could argue, because of, the controversy generated
Ethics of Marketing Research in the Internet Era Increasingly, management is being taken to be a critical production factor alongside the other factors of production. It therefore follows that the success of a business enterprise is largely hinged on the ability of management to make superior decisions. However, for managers to make effective decisions, they not only need a supportive decision making environment but also a set of tools to enhance
; Duquenoy, P. And Whitehouse, D. (1999) Ethics and the Governance of the Internet - to Promote Discussion Inside the IFIP National Societies. IFIP Framework for Ethics of Computing. September 1999. Online available at http://www.info.fundp.ac.be/~jbl/IFIP/Ethics_and_Internet_Governance.pdf Bjurstrom, Erling (1994-95:8) Children and Television Advertising. Konsument verket - Swedish Consumer Agency. Online available at http://www.konsumentverket.se/Documents/in_english/children_tv_ads_bjurstrom.pdf Calvin Klein's Scandalous Advertising - Morality vs. Money (nd) Center for Management Research ICFI. Online available at http://www.icmr.icfai.org/casestudies/catalogue/Marketing/MKTG084.htm. http: /
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