Puffery, deception and fraud are, however, a small part of unethical practices in the field of advertising. One major area of concern is comparative advertising. One classic example of this is the Captain Cook salt ad. Tata salt was the undisputed leader in the salt market when Captain Cook entered the field. The new comer […]

Critics claim that puffery forms the main element of most advertisements. Products are shown to have a lot of qualities, which they do not possess in reality. On the other hand advertisers and advertising personnel defend the use of puffery. The defenders of puffery opine that it helps in differentiating products from their competitors. They […]

The word ‘Ethics’ stems from the term ‘ethos’, which for Aristotle, was “the speaker’s personal character when the speech is so spoken as to make us think him credible.” Ethics is concerned with principles and ideas that regulate an individual’s behavior. The Macquarie Dictionary defines ethics as, “A system of moral principles by which human […]

Doordarshan follows specific stipulations on advertising as per the Code for Commercial Advertising on Doordarshan, which was presented to the Parliament in May 1987. The Code includes 33 dos and don’ts for advertisers on television (DD) and incorporates the provisions of the Indecent Representation of Women Act and Consumer Act, 1986. The Code states that […]

The following are excerpts from the Code of Ethics for Advertising issued by the Advertising Council of India: o Advertising should be so designed as to confirm not only to the laws but also the moral, aesthetic and religious sentiments of the country. o No advertisement likely to bring advertising into contempt or disrepute should […]

This Code has laid down the following general rules of conduct in advertising: o Advertising should be so designed as to confirm to the laws of the country and should not offend against morality, decency and religious susceptibilities of the people. o No advertisement should be permitted: * Which derides any race, caste, colour, creed, […]

To protect the consumer against misleading advertisements a number of laws have been passed all over the world. In India, it was started in 1868, when commercial activities were included under the purview of the Indian Penal Code. With growing competitiveness in the market & growth of consumer awareness, additions and amendments are being introduced […]