ADVERTISING ETHICS – defined as “what is right or good in the conduct of the advertising function. It is concerned with questions of what ought to be done, not just with what legally must be done” (Cunningham).

COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING – “persuasive communication from seller to buyer on a non-personal basis” (Oxenfeldt).

ELEMENTS OF COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING

It might be well to review the different elements that make any advertising distinctly commercial, to wit:

It is a non-personal communication and promotion. Publicly addressed to a mass audience as distinct from a personal message privately addressed to a particular person.

Because of this, advertising essentially has global social effects. Paid for by some identified sponsors, usually by business organizations. The purpose of which is to influence the behavior of the buying public. Delivered through a paid medium. Communication is established through such media as newspapers, radio, cinema, television, blimps, sports or fashion

events, billboards, direct mail, electronic catalogue, or via the internet.

PERSUASIVE ADVERTISING – aims to create a need for the product or service. Because it is chiefly directed to feelings and the unconscious motivations of the consumer, persuasive advertising tends to be emotional. It is what advertisers refer to as “hard sell or subliminal ads”.

ARGUMENTS ON ETHICAL PRACTICES IN PERSUASIVE ADVERTISING

People in general believe that advertising stimulates socioeconomic growth. They insist that commercials are amoral, and nothing is unethical about them. There are also people who think otherwise, that advertising borders unethical and socially irresponsible and can become a

form of economic sabotage. “Advertising not only moves products but changes attitudes and habits, creates appetites, stimulates needs, and affect the

lives of entire societies” A number of authors think advertising has become so manipulative that it is creating unnecessary desires in consumers.

QUESTIONS ON ETHICAL ADVERTISING

Is it unethical to play upon the human weaknesses and vulnerabilities? When do infomercials become untruthful? Are there half-truths? What are the instances when infomercials become socially irresponsible? Using look-alike models may be deceiving. Why? Are obscene and disparaging ads morally acceptable? Is it ethical to declare that smoking and drinking are essential to social acceptance? How does unethical advertising assault human dignity? When did the biggest advertising profit happen in history?

GOOD ADVERTISING ACCORDING TO THE PHILLIPINE ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL ADVERTISERS

PANA has formulated a Statement of Advertising Principles in the form of a code of ethics, which runs as follows:

A GOOD ADVERTISING recognizes both its economic and social responsibility to help reduce distribution cost and to serve the public interest.

A GOOD ADVERTISING depends its success on public confidence. Hence, it cannot permit those practices that tend to impair such confidence.

A GOOD ADVERTISING aims to inform the consumer and help him buy intelligently. A GOOD ADVERTISING tells the truth. It is accurate, honest and trustworthy. It avoids exaggerations, misstatement of facts,

as well as possible deception through implication or omission. A GOOD ADVERTISING seeks public acceptance. A GOOD ADVERTISING conforms not only to the law but to the generally accepted standards of good taste and decency and

to the moral and aesthetic sentiments of the country. A GGOD ADVERTISING does not allow any activity that involves the exploitation of goodwill attached to any other firm,

product or service. A GOOD ADVERTISING helps to uphold the dignity of the individual and contributes to the building of a civilized society.