Do advertising companies have ethics?

If you were to ask whether or not ad agencies have ethics, the short answer would be yes, but with over 13,000 advertising companies operating in America alone, the long answer involves looking at the extent to which advertising companies stick to them – even though most of them have their own published codes of ethics on their websites.

Because advertising companies are a business enterprise, they should conform to a system of moral principles that are appropriate. These are critical and are how people and institutions should behave in the business world. Unfortunately, advertising companies seem to have a bit of a reputation for ignoring behavioral constraints. This may be an unfair criticism because often judging behavior is subjective and dependent on individuals’ perception of what is right and what is wrong so the very definition of ethics becomes blurred.

That is the crux of the matter when it comes to ethics for advertising companies. If there is an absence of a universal moral standard, how can ethics in advertising be relative to the system of reference when that system is elusive and nonexistent? Having said that, nearly all the codes of ethics published by advertising companies promise to work towards being a positive and constructive force in business. They tend to stress the importance of competing with each other on merit without being critical of other advertising companies. They also emphasize the honest, fair and ethical treatment of their clients with regard to services delivered, to their suppliers with regard to prompt payment, and to their media partners, co-workers, the government and the general public.

Advertising companies devote much of their commentaries on ethics to their creative standards that address the relationship of the company to the consuming public. This is necessary because while advertising is often harmless; often quite inane in its marketing strategies regardless of how successful they are (and therefore not inane to the client); and has the potential to influence things for the better, the converse is also true. Advertising can be menacing and have a dark societal influence.

Advertising companies, therefore, place a lot of stress on avoiding issues such as false, misleading or exaggerated statements and opinions; misleading price claims; advertising copy and visuals that may cause offense or distress to some people or organizations and false testimonials for promotion purposes.

The problem with creating an ethical ethos is that it is a moveable feast. Advertising companies must keep up with current trends, not only when it comes to their marketing strategies, but with what is acceptable and what is not. Company ethics, therefore, need to be at the forefront of every member of the team’s minds at all times, and be practiced constantly.

It is not an exaggeration to say that advertising is probably the most powerful influence in the world, responsible for forming people’s decisions on a daily basis. The advent of the Internet has made it possible for even the smallest of businesses and organizations to access and manipulate lives. Advertising companies may claim to have an ethical outlook, but they wield great power and if they are not to have a poisonous impact on the most vulnerable with messages and images of negativity, they must practice what they preach.