Enforce Ethics in Advertising

The recent controversy surrounding Maggie has raised a very vital issue about ethics in advertising. As management academics we keep on harping on advertising and marketing ethics semester after semester, but with little or no impact on the marketers, advertisers and endorsers. It is time to rethink advertisement ethics given the growing influence of the media over the society which can be easily swayed to believe the unbelievable. In fact the impact of the advertisement content is so powerful that it drives the gullible consumers straight down to the stores to purchase and use the product. More so, in a country like India where the degree of gullibility in very high and a large number of consumers and are getting duped every day. In fact false advertisement claims made about their products by the big MNCs are blatant lies draped in colorful campaigns and crisp punch lines that mesmerize the vulnerable consumer into compliance due to the sheer celebrity status of the endorser. The big question is can the celebrity get away after proclaiming utterly false benefits of a product to the consumer. It is time they should be made liable too because it is their stature that contributes maximum to the impact leading to purchase behavior. The poor consumer becomes an innocent victim. Be it the effect of a food supplement on the growth of a child or the claim of an over the counter drug or ever a pain relieving cream. It is time for the Advertisement Standards Control of India (ASCI) to adopt a more interventionist posture and take suo motu cognizance of advertising claims that are wide off the mark and are made with the intention to deceive the consumer. In the US there is the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that is in place for protecting the US consumers from effects of such falsehoods of advertisement claims. The Federal law says that the advertisement must be truthful, not misleading, and when appropriate backed by scientific evidence. The FTC enforces the truth-in-advertising laws on all kinds of media. The FTC nominates those claims that affect consumer’s health like claims about food, OTC drugs, dietary supplements even more closely. And if required the agency files actions in Federal District Courts. Further, the FTC enforcement guidelines are there to make the endorsers know that they shouldn’t talk about their own experience with a product if they haven’t actually tried it. At times the FTC may even decide to investigate if practices are unfair. False health and fitness claims are fought in coordination with food and drug administration. China is even more concerned. There is the China Consumers’ Association that over sees the advertisement claims made by marketers, producers and endorsers. Recently China revised its law relating to false advertising and has proposed joint liability of media and advertisers. This, it is stated, will make media more responsible. Further, the organizations and individuals endorsing the products claiming false benefits to the consumers will also be liable.

Why it is important to enforce responsible advertising in India is because of the very high penetration of the media and its very powerful impact on the society. Particularly the gullible sections that comprise a large number. Honestly speaking revenue generation through false claims tantamount to thuggery. This kid of loot through jooth must be reined in. You can’t get away by saying anything and reasonable restrictions must be imposed.

Alexander’s Final Message

There is a story about the last days of warrior king of Macedonia Alexander. The story goes that while he was on his death bed and the end seemed imminent, Alexander called his trusted wise men near his bed and gave them the instructions to be followed after his death. The first was that all the best doctors of his kingdom would lead the funeral procession. The second instruction was that the gems, gold and diamonds in his treasure that Alexander had amassed during his many victories across the world be thrown along the course of his funeral procession. The third instruction was that while placing his body in the coffin his two hands should be kept hanging outside. Baffled by the strange last wish one of the wise men asked the king what was the significance of these three instructions. With a rather painful yet confident smile Alexander explained his three wishes to his wise men. The first instruction to ask the doctors lead the funeral procession was to prove that though he had too many doctors at his beck and call yet  he could not be saved. Death, then, is inevitable. The second instruction asking them to strew the gems, diamonds and gold along the path of funeral procession was to prove that though he amassed so much of wealth, he could not carry them to the other world. He had to leave them here. The third instruction was to let his hands hang outside the coffin was to prove that in the end you depart empty handed. Just as the way you had come to this world. There is no means to ascertain whether the story is true or imaginary, and whether the instructions could be carried out or not. However, even if a story, there is a great lesson to be learnt. The moral of the story, thus, is that death is a great leveller and it visits the prince and the pauper with the same degree of nonchalance .And most importantly, all your wealth has to be left here in this world. Nothing can be carried to the other world. You enter this world with zero balance and the other world too with the zero balance. But the point is that why it takes so long to realize this basic truth. Why people spend the entire life time in the futile pursuit of material wealth. A very difficult question that perhaps can only be answered through realization that usually comes in the face of death at the fag end of the life. It is ignorance or ‘avidya’ that makes human beings run after the ‘Maya’ or illusion. Many before Alexander must have realized this. Many after him would also have realized this.

But the lesson could not be learnt by human beings. Such is the power of ‘Maya’ that even the wise get entrapped. Was it not the pursuit of golden deer that befuddled Lord Ram and blunted his reason, thus resulting in misery? ‘Maya’ is a very formidable enemy and it can only be challenged through reason that leads to our inner awakening.

But how to listen to this voice of reason is the main issue. Particularly, because it is there in all of us and keeps on trying to awaken us. The enemy number one is the ego that gives us the vanity resulting from a false sense of invincibility.