Ethics in advertising?

Question

I have to give a micro presentation for 5 minutes on ethics in advertising in a b school interview. What shud I include in it and how should it go. It wud be on an OHP.

Answer 1

In a B-school interview you'll want to convey your ability to think through issues with both ethical and business impact, and how you come to decisions that are ethically sound and fiscally responsible. Here's some food for thought......

A well-made ad will create AWARENESS (and curiousity) in the consumer. At its most effective, it will create the DESIRE TO PURCHASE, when the customer is in a position to do so. When discussing ethics in advertising, you need to approach the issue from two directions: FALSE PRODUCT ADVERTSING and CORPORATE ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY.

1) FALSE PRODUCT ADVERTISING

If an ad makes promises that the product does not deliver, the issues are manifold.

A) Standing on dodgy legal ground is bad business policy for obvious reasons. At the very least, an ad will get pulled, and the moneys spent on production, etc. will be lost. At worst, there could be hefty fines and criminal charges levied. While one might get by with false advertising in the immediate term, it creates more problems and adverse financial impact than can be justified in longer term business building.

B) Having gotten the target customer to SAMPLE the product (the ultimate goal of any ad), if the product does not deliver you cannot hope to fully convert those samplers into repeat customers, and a true consumer base. NB: There will be a small group of consumers who will remain loyal due to the "placebo effect"... I believe it will deliver "x", therefore it does.

C) False advertising will have a negative impact on the customer's overall impression of other products offered by the same company.

D) The most effective form of business building is creating a LOYAL customer base and good word of mouth. In some industries (but not all) the most established brands get by with minimal advertising, and that is only to attract new SAMPLERS.

ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY

This section governs the company's responsibilty to society and because of their particular susceptibilityn to advertising, society's young........

A) The creation and placement of ads that create awareness in teens and young adults of a product, where that product is detrimental to their health/behaviour (eg, alcohol and tobacco).

B) The inclusion of inappropriate materials - overt violence and sexual content - that would be especially tittilating and create greater AWARENESS.

This is area is trickier, and more significant, than false advertising (with its more obvious long term business impact): The company's stand on the production of high impact, targetted advertising - which ensures high awareness and customer sampling - with the corporation's societal responsibility.

Some laws have been enacted to ensure responsible behaviour (eg, "responsible drinking" messages in alcohol ads) to address issues in this arena. Other areas are still decisions that have to weighed by a company's management.

The temptation to develop an ad that is inappropriate in its target customer, content, ad placement, or a combination thereof, and the sales it will generate must be weighed against the overall "good" of society and our primal desire (not to mention, ethical responsibility) to protect the young and vulnerable.

More often than not, this can have significant impact on business in the long term, in terms of both societal perception of the company and/or product, and restricting legislation. You'll have noted how tobacco companies are producing ads that attempt to convey their responsible ethical positions. (It's rather ironic that those self-same ads allow them advertising exposure that would not have been possible otherwise.)

The tobacco companies have come to this pass after years of ethical irresponsibility in their promotional efforts. Now they are hampered by negative customer perception as well as legislation that restricts advertising and product usage. Again, the impact is long term, but very severe.

Conclusion: Ethical conduct in advertising is a good, long term, business decision.

I hope that some of this is useful. Good luck in your interview.

Answer 2

Creating Ads That Ring Up Sales
Out with the old and in with ads that produce results. Just follow these four important rules.
By Kim T. Gordon
December 18, 2006

If I asked you to watch two hours of primetime TV and pick the most effective ad spots, could you do it? Chances are, you could name the ones you found the most entertaining. But could you identify the commercials that had the power to move the audience--really motivate viewers to learn more about or buy what’s being advertised?

If you're a bit fuzzy on what it takes to create advertising that actually works, you'll be happy to know it's not your fault. There’s just so much ill-conceived advertising out there--throughout all marketing media. What makes it tough for entrepreneurs to understand how to create their own campaigns is the fact that so many of the big-budget ads from major advertisers are just plain bad. They're self-indulgent and cute, and although they may be creative, they probably sell very little.

The first duty of advertising is to make something happen. Any campaign worth its salt must produce a desired result. Rework your current ad campaign--or create a new one--that motivates prospects to take action by understanding these four important advertising rules.

Rule #1: Good advertising changes the customer's relationship with what's being marketed.
The first step to affecting the way your customers think is to make them look at what you offer in a new or different way. A good ad has the power to completely change the mind of the reader, viewer or listener, whether that applies to choosing the best tires to purchase for rainy locales or the qualifications of a political candidate. Your ads can open minds to possibilities by introducing a new type of service or revealing fresh discoveries or facts. Advertising that does a good job of educating audiences--such as in B2B trade publications--can demonstrate the advantages of a new product. And some advertising, such as direct mail, can allow you to tell a deeper story and create a strong, new connection with your customer.

Rule #2: Effective advertising tells prospects "why."
Good advertising makes it immediately clear why prospects should care about your marketing message. For best results, your ads must demonstrate a valuable, desirable benefit to your target audience. This benefit can be either tangible or intangible. For example, saving money is a tangible benefit while peace of mind may be intangible but equally desirable depending on your target audience and what you’re marketing. What benefits do your ads promise, and are your promises markedly different from those of your competitors? If not, you need to rethink your product or service offering from your customers’ point of view until the benefits you offer will help you stand out from your competitors.

Rule #3: The best ads ring true.
Broadcast ads on radio and TV work best when they present scenarios that feel real and true to the intended target audience. Prospects should be able to identify with the characters or situations presented and see themselves reflected in a positive light. Your offer should present a believable solution to fulfill a perceived need. Print advertising, out-of-home and online advertising, while less able to present real-life scenarios, still must offer reasonable solutions that meet the real needs of your target audience.

Rule #4: Successful advertising moves customers to the next level.
The bottom line is, marketing exists to support sales. If your current advertising doesn't produce, it's like having a slacker employee--your best option is to fire them. Before you design your next campaign, decide what you want your prospects to do in response to your advertising, and design each and every ad with that result in mind. Whether you want them to call for a free appointment, visit your website, go to your store or visit your trade show booth, be sure your call to action takes your prospects to the next level.

Finally, be prepared to track and measure the responses as they arrive. After all, you can't run an effective campaign unless you know what's worked in the past. Continually fine-tune your ad campaign to capitalize on the elements that make the phone or the cash register ring, and soon you'll have good ads that make all the right things happen.

Answer 3

1

Answer 4

i think that's an oxy-moron

good luck w/ your presentation - that's a toughy.