Being ehical does not involve any cost for the organisation but it all relates with the moral values. As we all know about the consumers’ right - “Right to Information” which means that the public is free to get information regarding the products sold in the market.
Advertisement is the most frequent source of promoting any product which attracts a huge volume of the people. Celebrities are hired as the brand ambassadors to increase the popularity of that particular product. The ordinary features of the product are explained in such a way that no other product can be substituted at its place and also various free gifts are offered to the consumers. Along with that some sellers play mind games with the people and make false promises to seek more attention and reputation in the market.
It is unethical as it misleads the customers and indirectly forces them to buy that product. Following are some examples of that kind of advertisements:
- Everyone is aware of the fact that nowadays people want to get more and more money as they give priority to it. LUX, one of the most popular brands of HIDUSTAN UNILEVER LIMITED, announced its hugely popular offer of Lux 22-Carat Gold Star, in which consumers had a chance to find a gold coin inside their soaps. On finding a coin consumer had to call up a number which was being advertised. The first 10 callers would also win an additional 30 gm of gold. The offer was being backed by a TV advertisement, featuring film star Kareena Kapoor. It suddenly increased the sale of Lux soaps as people were so anxious to win that gold. But the fact was that it was only a marketing strategy to clear the stock, no real gold coin was embedded in the soap. It just misled the innocent people for its own profit which is unethical in the moral point of view.
- Some advertisements of the beauty cosmetics have set an illogical theory that one should be fair and beautiful to make his/her career or to get a life partner, no other thing is important. FAIR AND LOVELY is quite famous among the females as it is unnecessarily shown aspirational, like losing weight. In one of its TV ad, actor Saif Ali Khan is seen preferring the fair-skinned Neha Dhupia over dark-skinned Priyanka Chopra, which raised a controversy due to which company had to ban that advertisement.
- There was also an ad of BAJAJ CFL which led to another myth. We all know that an electric bulb has nothing to do with fairness but in the ad it had been shown that a dark-skinned girl was worried that her groom was coming to see her. Her fairer sister pulled out a Bajaj CFL bulb, fit it into the socket and switched it on to make darkie instantly fairer. And, of course, the prospective groom couldn’t take his eyes off Ms Fair and Suddenly-Lovely. It only brightens the fact that a woman’s only quality which a man could want to marry her for is her fair complexion.
These kind of TV advertisements are unethical which hurt the emotions of the public and result into the big controversies. It leaves wrong impression on others’ mind, consequently, it brings the reputation of the company down.
I agree that to be ethical is optional but brainwashing and misleading the customers is wrong.
What do you think?
