The world that we live in today is dominated by advertising. Adverts are on television, on the World Wide Web, in the street and even on our mobile phones. However, many of the strategies used to sell a product or service can be considered immoral or unacceptable.
To begin with, the fact that we cannot escape from advertising is a significant cause for complaint. Constant images and signs wherever we look can be very intrusive and irritating at times. Take for example advertising on the mobile phone. With the latest technology mobile companies are now able to send advertising messages via SMS to consumers' phones whenever they choose. Although we expect adverts in numerous situations, it now seems that there are very few places we can actually avoid them.
A further aspect of advertising that I would consider unethical is the way that it encourages people to buy products they may not need or cannot afford. Children and young people in particular are influenced by adverts showing the latest toys, clothing or music and this can put enormous pressure on the parents to buy these products.
In addition, the advertising of tobacco products and alcohol has long been a controversial issue, but cigarette adverts have only recently been banned in many countries. It is quite possible that alcohol adverts encourage excessive consumption and underage drinking, yet restrictions have not been placed on this type of advertising in the same way as smoking.
The world that we
live
in
today
is dominated
by advertising. Adverts are on television, on the World Wide Web, in the street and even on our mobile phones.
However
,
many
of the strategies
used
to sell a product or service can
be considered
immoral or unacceptable.
To
begin
with, the fact that we cannot escape from advertising is a significant cause for complaint. Constant images and signs wherever we look can be
very
intrusive and irritating at times. Take
for example
advertising on the mobile phone. With the latest technology mobile
companies
are
now
able to
send
advertising messages via SMS to consumers' phones whenever they choose. Although we
expect
adverts in numerous situations, it
now
seems that there are
very
few places we can actually avoid them.
A
further
aspect of advertising that I would consider unethical is the way that it encourages
people
to
buy
products they may not need or cannot afford. Children and young
people
in particular
are influenced
by adverts showing the latest toys, clothing or music and this can put enormous pressure on the parents to
buy
these products.
In addition
, the advertising of tobacco products and alcohol has long been a controversial issue,
but
cigarette adverts have
only
recently
been banned
in
many
countries. It is quite possible that alcohol adverts encourage excessive consumption and underage drinking,
yet
restrictions have not
been placed
on this type of advertising
in the same way
as smoking.