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Belch: Advertising and
Promotion, Sixth Edition
VII. Special Topics and
Perspectives
22. Evaluating the Social,
Ethical, & Economic
Aspects of Advtising &
Promotion
1. Truth. Advertising shall reveal the truth, and shall reveal significant facts, the
omission of which would mislead the public.
2. Substantiation. Advertising claims shall be substantiated by evidence in
possession of the advertiser and the advertising agency prior to making such
claims.
3. Comparisons. Advertising shall refrain from making false, misleading, or
unsubstantiated statements or claims about a competitor or his products or service.
4. Bait advertising. Advertising shall not offer products or services for sale unless
such offer constitutes a bona fide effort to sell the advertised products or services
and is not a device to switch consumers to other goods or services, usually higher
priced.
5. Guarantees and warranties. Advertising of guarantees and warranties shall be
explicit, with sufficient information to apprise consumers of their principal terms
and limitations or, when space or time restrictions preclude such disclosures, the
advertisement shall clearly reveal where the full text of the guarantee or warranty
can be examined before purchase.
6. Price claims. Advertising shall avoid price claims that are false or misleading, or
savings claims that do not offer provable savings.
7. Testimonials. Advertising containing testimonials shall be limited to those
of competent witnesses who are reflecting a real and honest opinion or
experience.
8. Taste and decency. Advertising shall be free of statements, illustrations, or
implications that are offensive to good taste or public decency.
the AIDS crisis forced them to reconsider their restrictions (Exhibit 22-4). The major TV
networks gave their affiliates permission to accept condom advertising in 1987, but the
first condom ad did not appear on network TV until 1991, when Fox broadcast a spot.
In 1994 the U.S. Department of Health’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) began a new HIV prevention campaign that includes radio and TV commercials
urging sexually active people to use latex condoms. The commercials
prompted strong protests from conservative and religious groups, which argue that the
government should stress abstinence in preventing the spread of AIDS among young
people. NBC and ABC agreed to broadcast all the commercials, while CBS said it
would air certain spots. 19
A study of prime-time TV commercials found a strong product class effect with
respect to the types of ads consumers perceived as distasteful or irritating. The most
irritating commercials were for feminine hygiene products; ads for women’s undergarments
and hemorrhoid products were close behind. 20 Another study found that consumers
are more likely to dislike ads for products they do not use and for brands they
would not buy. 21 Ads for personal products have become more common on television
and in print, and the public is more accepting of them. 22 However, advertisers must
still be careful of how these products are presented and the language and terminology
used. There are still many rules, regulations, and taboos advertisers must deal with to
have their TV commercials approved by the networks. 23
Another way advertising can offend consumers is by the type of appeal or the manner
of presentation. For example, many people object to appeals that exploit consumer
anxieties. Fear appeal ads, especially for products such as deodorants, mouthwash,
and dandruff shampoos, are criticized for attempting to create anxiety and using a fear
of social rejection to sell these products. Some ads for home computers were also criticized
for attempting to make parents think that if their young children couldn’t use a
computer, they would fail in school.
Sexual Appeals The advertising appeals that have received the most criticism for
being in poor taste are those using sexual appeals and/or nudity. These techniques are
often used to gain consumers’ attention and may not even be appropriate to the product
being advertised. Even if the sexual appeal relates to the product, people may be offended
by it. Many people object to both nudity in advertising and sexually suggestive ads.
© The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2003
Figure 22-1 Advertising
principles of the American
Advertising Federation
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Chapter Twenty-two Evaluating the Social, Ethical, and Economic Aspects
of Advertising and Promotion