Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T02:42:01.475Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Is Self-Identity Image Advertising Ethical?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 January 2015

John Douglas Bishop
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract:

Discussions of the ethics of advertising have been based on a general distinction between informative and persuasive advertising without looking at specific techniques of persuasion. Self-identity image ads persuade by presenting an image of an idealized person-type such as a “beautiful” woman (Chanel) or a sexy teen (Calvin Klein). The product becomes a symbol of the ideal, and target consumers are invited to use the product to project the self-image to themselves and others. This paper argues that image ads are not false or misleading, and that whether or not they advocate false values is a matter for subjective reflection. Image ads can undermine a consumer’s self-esteem by collectively omitting images authentic for that sort of person (such as large women), and by combining impossible images with implied gaze. Image ads generally do not undermine autonomy of choice, internal autonomy, or social autonomy. It is concluded that image advertising is a basically ethical technique, but several recommendations are given on how use of image advertising can avoid specific harms.

Type
Articles
Information
Business Ethics Quarterly , Volume 10 , Issue 2 , April 2000 , pp. 371 - 398
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Business Ethics 2000

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Arrington, R. L. 1982. Advertising and Behavior Control. Journal of Business Ethics 1 (1982): 3–12. Republished in White 1993.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beckman, D.M.; Kurtz, D.L.; Boone, L. E. 1992. Foundations of Marketing. Toronto: Holt, Rinehart.Google Scholar
Bishop, J. D. 1997. How Gay Ads Corrupt Straight Men. Trail College Lecture presented at Trent University, March 1997.Google Scholar
Boylan, M., ed. 1995. Ethical Issues in Business. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace.Google Scholar
Brady, J. 1995. Fueling, feeling the heat: Calvin Klein pushes into “different edge” with controversial jean ads. Advertising Age 66, no. 35, Sept. 4, 1995, p. 1.Google Scholar
Brenkert, G. G. 1998. Marketing to Inner-city Blacks: PowerMaster and Moral Responsibility. Business Ethics Quarterly 8 (1998): 1–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burston, P. and Richardson, C., eds. 1995. A Queer Romance: Lesbians, Gay Men and Popular Culture. New York: Routledge.Google Scholar
Crain, R. 1995. Rationale for CK ads feeble and hypocritical. Advertising Age 66, no. 35, Sept. 4, 1995, p. 16.Google Scholar
Crisp, R. 1987. Persuasive Advertising, Autonomy, and the Creation of Desire. Journal of Business Ethics 6 (1987): 413–418. Republished in Newton and Ford 1994.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Darmon, R. Y. and LaRoche, M. 1991. Advertising in Canada: A Managerial Approach. Toronto: McGraw-Hill-Ryerson.Google Scholar
DeGeorge, R. and Pichler, J., eds. 1978. Ethics, Free Enterprise and Public Policy. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Durham, T. R. 1984. Information, Persuasion and Control in Moral Appraisal of Advertising. Journal of Business Ethics 3 (1984).Google Scholar
Dyer, G. 1982. Advertising as Communication. London: Methuen.Google Scholar
Foot, P., ed. 1967. Theories of Ethics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Galbraith, J. K. 1958. The Affluent Society. London: Hamish Hamilton.Google Scholar
Garfield, B. 1995. Publicity monster turns on Klein. Advertising Age 66, no. 35, Sept. 4, 1995, p. 17.Google Scholar
Griffiths, M. 1995. Feminisms and the Self: the Web of Identity. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Hoffman, W. M. and Frederick, R. E., eds. 1995. Business Ethics: Readings and Cases in Corporate Morality. New York: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Larmer, R. A., ed. 1996. Ethics in the Workplace. Minneapolis: West.Google Scholar
Lasch, C. 1979. The Culture of Narcissism. New York: Warner.Google Scholar
Lehrer, K. 1997. Self-Trust: A Study of Reason, Knowledge and Autonomy. Oxford: Clarendon.Google Scholar
Leiser, B. M. 1978. The Ethics of Advertising. Published in De George and Pichler.Google Scholar
Levitt, T. 1970. The Morality (?) of Advertising. Harvard Business Review 48 (1970): 84–92. Republished in Boylan 1995.Google Scholar
Lippe, D. 1995. Readers rate Klein “porn” campaign. Advertising Age 66, no. 35, Sept. 4, 1995, p. 34.Google Scholar
Lippke, R. L. 1988. Advertising and the Social Conditions of Autonomy. Business and Professional Ethics Journal 8 (1988): 35–58. Republished in White 1993.Google Scholar
Moog, C. 1990. Are They Selling Her Lips: Advertising and Identity. New York: William Morrow.Google Scholar
Nelson, J. A. 1996. Feminism, Objectivity and Economics. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Nelson, P. 1978. Advertising and Ethics. Published in DeGeorge and Pichler. Newton, L. H. and Ford, M. M., eds. 1994. Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Business Ethics and Society. Guildford, Conn.: Dushkin.Google Scholar
Packard, V. 1957. The Hidden Persuaders. New York: David McKay.Google Scholar
Paine, L. S. 1983. Children as Consumers: An Ethical Evaluation of Children’s Television Advertising. Business and Professional Ethics Journal 3 (1983): 119–146. Republished in White 1993.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peterson, R. T. and Ross, D. T. 1997. A Content Analysis of the Portrayal of Mature Individuals in Television Commercials. Journal of Business Ethics 16 (1997): 425–433.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Phillips, B. J. 1997. In Defense of Advertising: A Social Perspective. Journal of Business Ethics 16 (1997): 109–118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Post, J. E. 1986. The Ethics of Marketing: Nestle’s Infant Formula. Published in Hoffman and Frederick.Google Scholar
Rawls, J. 1955. Two Concepts of Rules. Philosophical Review 64 (1955): 3–32. Reprinted in Foot 1967.Google Scholar
Rawls, J. 1971. A Theory of Justice. London: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Santilli, P. C. 1983. The Informative and Persuasive Functions of Advertising: A Moral Appraisal. Journal of Business Ethics 2 (1983).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schwartz, M. S. 1997. The Morality of Casino Gambling in Canada and the Social Responsibilities of Casino Operators. Paper presented at the Society for Business Ethics, Boston 1997.Google Scholar
Smith, P. 1988. Discerning the Subject. Minneappolis: University of Minnesota Press.Google Scholar
Sumner, L. W. 1996. Welfare, Happiness and Ethics. Oxford: Clarendon.Google Scholar
Tsalikis, J. and Fritzsche, D. J. 1989. Business Ethics: A Literature Review with a Focus on Marketing Ethics. Journal of Business Ethics 8 (1989): 695–743.Google Scholar
Waide, J. 1987. The Making of Self and World in Advertising. Journal of Business Ethics 6 (1987): 73–79. Republished in White 1993.Google Scholar
Wernick, A. 1991. Promotional Culture: Advertising, Ideology and Symbolic Expression. London: Sage.Google Scholar
White, T. I., ed. 1993. Business Ethics: A Philosophical Reader. New York: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Williamson, J. 1978. Decoding Advertisements: Ideology and Meaning in Advertising. London: Marion Books.Google Scholar
Wolf, N. 1990. The Beauty Myth. Toronto: Random House.Google Scholar
Woods, G. 1995. We’re Here, We’re Queer and We’re Not Going Catalogue Shopping. Published in Burston and Richardson.Google Scholar