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Advertising - Precious Information or Vicious Manipulation?

Advertising is the ultimate means to inform and assist us in our everyday decisions or form, it is simply too powerful of mass deception used by companies to persuade their prospects and customers to buy products and services that do not need? Consumers in the global village of increasing the number of messages of advertising and publicity expenses is increasing accordingly.

It will not be exaggerated if we conclude that we are "soaked in the rain cultural marketing communications through television, press, cinema, internet, etc. (Hackley and Kitchen, 1999). But if thirty years of marketing communication tools are mainly used as a product-based tactical media, maintaining the mixture of promotion and advertising in particular focuses on signs and semiotics. Some argue that the efforts of sellers are finally "make the economy as a symbol that means something to the consumer "(Williamson, quoted in Anonymous, Marketing Communications, 2006: 569). An important consequence is that many contemporary ads "sell us ourselves "(Ibid.)

The above process is influenced by the marketing of products and companies scrambling to provide perceptions of consumers. To differentiate and position your products and / or service companies employ today that advertising is sometimes considered not only bad taste, but also less harmful deliberately manipulative. The issue of bad publicity is now at the point that organizations like Adbusters have adopted tactics of subversion - revealing the true intention behind the modern advertising. The editor in chief of Adbusters Kalle Lason chief said on activities Building the image of the big media companies: "We know that oil companies are not very sympathetic to nature, and companies snuff ethics do not really care "(Arnold, 2001). On the other hand, "ethics and accountability social are important determinants of long-term survival benefits, the long-term profitability and competitiveness of the organization "(Singhapakdi, 1999). communication strategy that revolves around the ethics and social responsibility concepts of total quality and building relationships with customers as a chimera. However, it can be easy formula clearly ethical marketing communications.

PUBLICITY - INFORMATION OR vicious handling Precious?

For an overview of consumer perceptions about the role of advertising, we have reviewed a series of articles and conducted four interviews. A series of research papers reach opposite conclusions. These vary to indicate that "the ethics of conducting a company is an important factor in purchase decisions "and that consumers" will reward ethical behavior of a consent to pay higher prices for such products from the company "(Raw and Ross Jr., 1997), focusing on others that" even if the consumers may express a desire to support companies with ethical companies and punish ethics, their actual purchasing behavior is often affected by ethical problems "and that" the price, the behavior of superior quality and value of ethical purchasing consumers (Carrigan and Attalla, 2001). devoted to advertising as a marketing communication more important that we have built and led to an interview which consists of four themes and nine questions. The conceptual framework of this work is based on these four issues.

ITEM I. Ethics in Advertising

The first element consists of two introductory questions on ethics in advertising in general.

IA How would you define ethics in advertising?

The term "business ethics" is "moral, ethical and professional conduct of the organization "(Isaac, quoted in Bergadaa, 2007). Each industry has its own guidelines for ethical requirements. However, the four main requirements for marketing communications to be legal, decent, honest and truthful. Unfortunately, in a society in determining the course of companies action targets to increase the use of marketing messages "may constitute a form of social pollution through the potentially dangerous reactions may have on consumer choice decisions "(Hackley and Kitchen, 1999).

One interviewee said that " The most successful companies do not need for ethics in their activities because they have built empires. "Another view is that "sooner or later, all that is unethical will suffer negative consequences."

IB What is your perception of the importance of ethics in advertising?

The second issue concerns the moral significance of being in communication with / To its target audiences and consumers of fashion / customers see. In various studies have found very conflicting conclusions. Business ethics seems to be rated as very important in decision-making process or not is really an important factor in this process. An example of the rather extreme position is "disaster waiting all brands that acts cynically" (Odell, 2007).

This may seem obvious that the responsibility should be made by the advertiser, because "their primary responsibility is advertising to keep clean and decent" (Bernstein, 1951). In addition, actions society defined by "the canons of social responsibility and good taste" (ibid.). One respondent said:

"The responsibility to provide decent advertising profits at the end. The earnings of the company should not be to the detriment of society. "

Another said that "our culture and social awareness to determine the good and evil in the advertising."

Importance increasing the ethics of marketing communications is highlighted by the need for more dialogue, communication approaches in both directions. "Technology demassification have the potential to facilitate dialogue, but the monologue "The attitude is still the main (Botan, 1997). Arnold (2001) describes the If Monsanto and Esso, which had to pay "a price for her] they [the strategy of one-way communication." In this regard, we can examine the ethical in advertising from two different perspectives, as suggested by our respondents and the different views to review papers. First is that it is imperative to have a common ethical code imposed by law. The other affirms the independence and accountability of all industries to establish their own rules.

ITEM II. What kind of regulation should be the leader in the field of advertising?

The next topic addresses the attention to the regulatory system to be the principal. Widely accepted is the view that both self-regulation and legal control should work in synergy. In other words, codes of good practice are intended to supplement the laws. However, some countries have tighter controls on legal advertising in Scandinavia. On the other hand is preferred industry self-regulation in Anglo-Saxon. However, not everyone agrees with the laissez-faire concept.

One of our respondents said:

"I think Governments should impose a strict legal framework and a more severe punishment for companies not in compliance with the law. "

Needless to say social acceptance varies from one culture or one country to another. At the end of the day "good or bad taste is largely as a matter of time, place and person "(Bernstein, 1951). It would probably be impossible to determine how well defined in the Internet Age and interactive TV. Therefore, both types of regulation should be applied with the ultimate goal of achieving a balance between sacred right of freedom of choice and information and minimize the potential widespread abuse. In other words, the goal is to synchronize the different "Ethical framework" traders and "others in society to fill the void" ethical "(Hunt and Vitelli, 2006).

ITEM III. Ad Content.

Probably the most controversial issue in the field of marketing communication is the content of ads. Nwachukwu et al. (1997) distinguish three areas of interest in terms of ethics trial publicity: "individual autonomy, sovereignty consumer and the nature of the product. "Individual autonomy refers to advertising to children. Offers consumer sovereignty with the level of knowledge and sophistication of the audience, while the harmful product listings are the center of public opinion long ago. We have added two points of view to achieve the five questions in the interviews. The first relates to advertising that implies guilt and wealth to praise most cases can not be achieved and the second is proposed to stimulate the desire and satisfaction through the acquisition of material goods.

III.A. What is your attitude toward advertising of harmful products?

A typical example is the advertising of cigarettes. Today, we can not see slogans such as "Camel agree with the throat" (chickenhead, accessed September 25, 2007) or "Chesterfield - Vacation Packages More - Because it is perfectly packaged "(chickenhead, accessed September 25, 2007). The general advertising, sponsorship and other communications media marketing are already prohibited for use by manufacturers of cigarettes. Surprisingly, most respondents' answers were against advertising cigarettes. One interviewee said:

"People are well informed about the consequences of smoking as is a matter of personal choice. "

Like many other contemporary products change messages in the communications of cigarettes and symbol creation image. The same is true for the advertising of alcohol. A familiar example is the emotional advertising Absolut vodka campaign. Absolut Nectar Invented by Absolut Absolut Absolut Swedish World drink actually intended to be ... Everything.

Advertising is still hazardous most severely criticized when he addresses the audience with a low individual autonomy, ie children. Two main issues in this regard are the treatment of cigarettes and alcohol as a "rite of passage to adulthood" and that "sales of products harmful to health (alcohol, cigarettes) to develop freely, without much disapproval "(Bergadaa, 2007).

III.B. What is your attitude towards the advertising to children?

Children are not only customers but also consumers, users and influencers in the decision Families forming unit (DMU). additional difficulty is that are very impressionable at decision makers in the DMU. At the same time it is no secret that vendors implement "the same basic strategy of trying to sell the parents through the insistence of the child in the purchase "(Bernstein, 1951). It is not surprising then that "the expenses of advertising to children has increased five times in the past ten years and two thirds of advertising during children's television programs are foodstuffs (Bergadaa 2007). In children the United States alone account a market for direct purchases of $ 24 billion (cited in Bergadaa McNeal, 2007), which is clearly at the top of the agenda of many companies. All maintaining children in immature advertisers go too far in their products and dematerialization of children teleport "on the material and the names branded virtual world (Bergadaa 2007). teens virtual worlds like Habbo where brands snacks and advertising campaigns are a fact of life (Goldie, 2007). The worlds of imagination are popular not only online. A great success for the creation of a fantasy world is Mc Donald's. Company topped the list of European advertising to children, while more than half of children are ads for junk food.

In some countries there are more serious restrictions on advertising to children.

• "Sweden and Norway do not allow any type of advertising television to be the target children under 12 years and not all ads are allowed during children's programs.
• Australia will not allow advertising for programs for preschool children.
• Austria does not allow advertising during programs for children, and in the Flemish region of Belgium no advertising is allowed 5 minutes before or after programs for children.
• Sponsorship programs for children are not allowed in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, while in Germany and the Netherlands, although it can not be used in practice. (McSpotlight, accessed September 20, 2007).

According to a study by Roberts and Pettigrew (2007) the most frequent themes in advertising for children are "pasture, denigration of staple foods, health claims exaggerated and the implicit ability of certain foods to enhance the popularity, performance and mood. "But junk food is not only because of the concern of parents. According to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation (Dolliver, 2007) parents are concerned about the amount of advertising of the following (in order of importance): toys, video games, clothing, alcohol, beer, movies, etc.

Respondents are unanimous: "Advertising to children must be strictly controlled. "Similar results were obtained in the survey by Rasmussen Reports and the Kaiser Family Foundation. However, the legal means are only part of child protection. The other part consists of "decision making authority of parents and teachers," which is "to help children in developing a skeptical attitude towards information in advertising "(Bergadaa 2007). Vendors must also participate in the development of our moral system of the future and" each brand must have its own ethics - a code of practice on children - and not based on industry codes "(Horgan, 2007).

III.C. Do you that there are many misleading, exaggerated and misleading. They are ads that promise things that are not achievable?

It will not be an exaggeration to say that advertising is somehow "completed the sale of art for the masses of potential buyers rather than a buyer time "(Bernstein, 1951). Given that the "sales techniques is persuasion itself" (ibid.), can not simply blame advertisers to achieve their sales targets. However, advertisers over the last twenty years has been increasingly applied semiotics in your message, and therefore the ads have begun to function more as symbols. An extreme case of this line of advertising is to create an idealized image person who uses the advertised product. Bishop (2000) draws our attention to two "typical representatives of self-identity image ads that attract consumers to project images of their country through the use of Products:

- "The beautiful woman";
- "Sexy Teenagers.

In establishing these stereotypes are not the only advertisers to mislead the public and to exaggerate the effects of products, but also a source of low self-esteem among consumers. Although the results of the most promising cases are simply impossible to achieve. Instead of promoting "the anorexic body glamorous images "of communication messages should use" the variety of body types "and should abandon the idea of the impossible" physical images of the body "(Bishop, 2000).

When asked a III.C of respondents said:

"Customers products [distributed by the] models are thin for most people who do not themselves physical properties. For me, this type of advertising is deliberately aimed at people so they feel is not complete, far to appeal to social exclusion. "

But Another interviewee said that "everyone has his own way of determining what is credible and what is misleading. Consumers are sophisticated enough to know what is exaggerated. "

Similarly, Bishop (2000) concludes that "ads are not false or misleading" and " whether or not the advocate false values is a matter of subjective reflection. "The author contends that the ads do not interfere with our inner self and if people are misled because they want to. It is our freedom of choice behavior and advertising can not change our desires. This time, the truth lies somewhere between two extreme positions.

III.D. What is your attitude towards This announcement implies guilt, and praise the wealth in most cases can not be achieved?

A more specific case of advertising in question is what is used to "promote the indulgence I have no self-doubt" that "seeks to create needs, not to be fulfilled: to generate new questions rather than to dispel the old "(Hackley and Kitchen, 1999). A response to our interviewee states:

"It is not just advertising. A to do with social inequality and the desire to possess what you can not. "

Hackley and kitchen (1999) refer to this discrepancy as to "When reality does not match the image of wealth and the result is a sensation subjective dissonance. "The question could be developed through the following question.

III.E. They stimulate the desire and satisfaction ads the acquisition of material goods morale?

We live in a society that is more or less marked by materialism. Announcements often attributed consumption of fuel that is supposed to be happy. The role of promotion of satisfaction with the acquisition of material goods has become so important that now the "media products are characterized by relativism, irony, self-referentiality and hedonism" (Hackley and Kitchen, 1999). It is the popular saying "those who die with the most toys wins" really a motivating factor in consumer behavior and consumption could be the cure for emotional dissonance? This seems to be the case provided for breach of the mark in all mentioned consumer choices. This new "type of materialism" goes with "the rise of individualism in pure hedonism with narcissism and selfishness "(Bergadaa 2007).

IV. Is it the number of ads justified?

IV.A. Do you think it is too advertising?

An audit of food advertising to children in Australia by Roberts and Pettigrew (2007) found that "28.5 hours of television programming for children in the sample contained 950 reports. "In fact, we are all bombarded by advertisements on television, Internet, newspapers, etc. The amount and content of marketing messages consumers puts the information processing capability to a test. Exposure marketing data overload often leads to a selective perception of consumers is diluted. If our responses are limited confusion, existential despair, and loss of moral identity "or" adjusting constructively to [Communications] Leviathan and be smart cynical Street "(Hackley and Kitchen, 1999) is an open question in the discussion.

Two opposing currents of attitudes occurred in our research. One job is the excessive amount of advertising. The other side proclaims that "If there is an announcement, which is justified by a need. "We agree that the overhead of communication, it can have" effects on the general social ecology of the developed world "(Hackley and Kitchen, 1999). If the increase in pollution of communication are not properly managed by both industry and views new legal advertising of "raising the foot of his own mouth and throw a couple of his teeth before him" (Bernstein, 1951).

CONCLUSION

In preparation of this work have been used to obtain qualitative interviews guidance on what real customers say. We also justified our presentation with references to a number of influential papers in the field of ethics in marketing communications. In general, our respondents and several authors have taken opposing positions. The first states that ethics in marketing communications considerably things, while the decline in the number of others the importance of ethics, emphasizing the role of other factors to make decisions consumption, ie price, brand loyalty, comfort, etc.

Marketers must understand their responsibility "for the portrait emerging the future society "(Bergadaa 2007). Not only is there the demand for a legal ethics, but also points of reference work ethics and conduct should be in place. A key challenge is to avoid the creation of a "happy customer in the" short term because "long-term consumers and society can be regarded as a direct result of the actions of the marketer to "meet" consumer "(Carrigan and Attalla, 2001).

The strength of the influence of advertising on consumers is part of the equation. On the other hand, we can say that consumers are not morally servile and the models of information processing Cognitive is a natural defense. Communication Tools "offers a theater of our own imagination" (Hackley and Kitchen, 1999). Therefore, we accept the reality in terms of our own experiences. In this sense, the vendors do not create reality - they are simply a mirror of society. You could say that, unfortunately, this is not always the case.

Advertising is often perceived as the embodiment of freedom of Merit consumer choice. Despite this important role after the election "between a bar of chocolate and other snack crackers or last cereal for breakfast sugar or a fast food restaurant "(McSpotlight, accessed September 20, 2007) which represents something else, but not an alternative, and certainly not in good health.

The words of Bernstein (1951), said fifty-six years ago still largely a topical issue: "It is true that if" saving advertising, save us all, but it seems reasonable to assume that if we do not keep the advertising, we could lose everything. "

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About the Author

Boyan Yordanof is in the tourism business since 1996. His main interests are in Internet Marketing and more specifically Service Branding in the Hospitality Industry. Boyan is an Internet Marketing Executive at RIU Seabank Hotel Malta.

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http://www.seabankhotel.com

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