Offensive Advertising

Madison Massey
mm792814@ohio.edu

We've all seen them. Advertisements that seem "too good to be true." This is because unfortunately they usually are.

While the internet has made it much harder for advertisers to trick consumers, many companies still try to pass their products or services off as something that they are not. Not only is it unethical to curate false advertisements, but its also offensive.

Mcdonalds advertisements always include pictures of fresh vegetables that make it seem like they are using natural ingredients. Personally, I find it offensive that they think consumers will believe that what they are eating actually came from those ruby red tomatoes on the billboard.

When I'm eating McDonalds I know I'm eating processed chemicals that is in no way, shape, or form good for me. Do I still eat it more often that I should? Yes. I want McDonalds advertising to be transparent about their quality of food. We've all seen the videos of the pink slime that is used for their chicken nuggets, so stop advertising "all white meat chicken." Along with that, they also include enhanced photos that do not look anything like the actual product.




Source: LifeHacker.com

Another unethical issue was brought up with KFC. They were doing a fundraiser that benefitted cancer research. Many people were outraged because promoting fried chicken in order to help with a different health issue seemed very hypocritical.

It seems as if many advertising companies will do anything to try to increase sales, but that is not ethical marketing. When incorporating ethical marketing into a business plan, it includes the thoughts, feelings, and wellbeing of the consumer, also known as a "share holder."

In order to build trust with society, the public needs to believe that advertisements are legitimate. Just like journalists are not trusted because of the people that have corrupted the field, advertisers must also tread lightly in this day and age. With tools like photoshop, it is unfortunately very easy to manipulate media.

So what can we do as consumers? We can question anything that we seem unsure about. Do research. Don't sit back and let advertisers get away with it. If people do not call them out for what they are doing, no one will stop them. Unless sales go down, they will not want to listen.

So if you see an advertisement that seems unbelievable don't be afraid to accuse it of being just that.