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Kressa Baier
Should Companies Advertise Anything They Want?
Driving down the road, flipping through magazines, shopping, watching television, listening to the radio and even on the items we buy at fast food restaurants are all places we find advertising.Is it okay for companies to advertise whatever they please, regardless of how it may affect people? Some companies use advertising as a mean to motivate people, such as Subway whose slogan is “Eat healthy” or even Nike, “Just do it,” however what about when corrupt industries reach the lives of children?
Harmful outcomes of advertising are everywhere. Teenagers are highly impacted by all the negative marketing tactics such as models dealing with fashion quos and the “ideal” weight or body style. So what society has to ask is if we find it acceptable to advertise anything no matter what happens to their customer, the general public. Is it accetptable that young women might develop an eating disorder after reading a magazine containing unreal pictures portraying of the “perfect woman?” Should it be allowed for fast food restaurants to promote their products at every turn even though their fattening, unhealthy foods are a major contributor in obesity in the world? When everyone starts their cars and the unavoidable chatter of commercials blasts through the speakers, is it okay for the djs of each station to
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speak on behalf of companies that pay them to talk up their business? The fact that these things are an everyday occurrence proves that our society accepts these forms of advertising, however what about when the harmful effects are introduced into a much more gullible society? Nestle is a well know brand among Americans and they have expanded to other countries, one of which is Latin America. As a third world country, most Latin Americans cannot afford the extras in life, for example baby formula. Nestle created a billboard in South America that has had extremely destructive consequences; should it be okay for a company to go to a struggling economy and state to the poor families that if they breast feed their children then the children will not be as smart as if they are fed with Nestle brand formula? Life is hard enough living in extreme poverty but to make matters worse big corporations are adding guilt to the struggling mothers who just want to do everything possible for their children.
The Essay on The TARES Test Of Ethical Advertising On Fast Food Companies
The TARES test is useful in evaluating whether the advertisements are part of an ethical way of advertising. While the TARES test will not solve all ethical problems in creating ads, it does give creative people, marketing directors and strategic communication planners a tool. The -T- stands for truthfulness which evaluates whether an ad is honest or not, and whether it is used to deceive the ...
On the other side of this argument is the company point of view. The reasons that magazines use unnatural body styles is so they can make a profit selling the product to the men that want to see these flawless figures. In response to eating disorders is the claim that the pictures are simply misunderstood by the younger public. Fast food companies post their logos around the world to promote business but they are not forcing people to eat at the many franchisees worldwide and if consumers choose to live on fast food they cannot be held responsible for obesity of the public. Corporations see the public as targets and whatever types of advertising get customers to buy these goods and services are necessary and will be done to
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make a profit because the economy will not be able to work and grow without monetary circulation.
Our society has adapted so much over the years that people just accept whatever happens as the new “norm.” Years ago showing any leg at all got women of all ages called nasty names and today it is acceptable not only in day to day life but also in magazines. I think that it is great our nation can grow and create a new normal but the goal of a company should never be just to make money no matter the cause.
