Can ethics overcome greed in the 21st century?

No

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by Anita Wolfe

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In order to answer this question one must first ask the question why we use advertising?

We advertise to make our market aware of new or existing products and services. Make them aware to increase our bottom line, not out of the goodness of our hearts because we think it will make their lives better. Does that equate to greed? Good question, the definition of greed is an overwhelming desire to have more. Money in this case, so if the product we want to advertise is already making a profit and we choose to advertise it to make our profits larger is that greed?

Ethics come into play with how we choose to advertise that product or service to increase profits. If it does not do exactly what we want to say it does, do we go ahead and say it because we think people will not buy it without this declaration? Do we target a certain weakness in the consumer and justify it by saying we are providing a well need service? Is this ethical or not, you decide. If the consumer is buying it and not complaining why is this even an issue?

Let's go with a couple of example. If you were told in an advertisement that overuse of a product could cause liver damage instead of please use this product responsibly. Would you buy it?

If you were told in an advertisement that a product could cause lung cancer instead of taste great. Would you buy it?

You probably would not, therefore profits would not increase. Ethics is a moral dilemma that has faced advertisers since the beginning and that is why the laws for advertising are constantly being updated. The advertisers are not actually misleading you; they are just leaving those two small facts out by not mentioning them. Is that unethical or just creative advertising?

I do believe that ethics and greed can co-exist in some instances. For example, I am sure that you have heard some of the drug commercials and read some of the advertisements where the side effects are worse than what you are taking the drug for to cure and people are still buying the drug. Therefore the bottom line increases and the consumer knows exactly what to expect.

Do I think that ethics will overcome greed in the 21stcentury? No I do not, as long as the bottom line is never large enough there will always be ethics issues in advertising, evidenced by the afore mentioned laws. As our society continues to be based on the all mighty dollar you are going to run into ethics verses greed issues. Maybe someday in a future far, far away we will no longer need money and the world will be a happy, happy, joy place.

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