Ethical Standards in Advertising
Utilitarianism: The Greatest Good
The Golden Rule: Treat Others as You'd Want to Be Treated
The Hippocratic Oath: First, Do No Harm
Utilitarianism: The Greater Good
This ethical approach asks: "What's best for the greatest number of people?" Many public health campaigns use this principle. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, advertising campaigns encouraged behaviors like masking and vaccination to protect entire communities, not just individuals. Check out these resources: How New Zealand's clear campaign messaging helped halt COVID there The History of Our COVID-19 Vaccine Education Initiative
The Golden Rule: Treat Others as You'd Want to Be Treated
This timeless principle asks you to put yourself in your customers' shoes. Would you want someone using manipulative tactics on your grandparents? Would you want to be misled by false health claims? When you design marketing campaigns, imagine how you'd feel receiving those messages. This helps create advertising that's both effective and ethical. To learn more: Deceptive Advertising from the Wisconsin State Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection outlines common deceptive advertising practices. Have you ever noticed any of these tactics in ads you've seen?
The Hippocratic Oath: First, Do No Harm
You've probably heard of the Hippocratic Oath that doctors take, promising to "do no harm." This principle applies to marketing too. Advertisers should avoid promoting products they know will hurt people, or at minimum, be honest about potential risks. Think about drug commercials you've seen on TV—they spend half the ad listing possible side effects. That's because pharmaceutical companies have a legal and moral obligation to disclose risks. We also see this tension in adventure tourism marketing, which might show beautiful destinations without mentioning the dangers of extreme activities. Refer to the resources below for more: American Marketing Association (AMA) Statement of Ethics The Marketing Hippocratic Oath
Ethical Standards in Advertising
Kira Twombly
Created on November 4, 2025
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Transcript
Ethical Standards in Advertising
Utilitarianism: The Greatest Good
The Golden Rule: Treat Others as You'd Want to Be Treated
The Hippocratic Oath: First, Do No Harm
Utilitarianism: The Greater Good
This ethical approach asks: "What's best for the greatest number of people?" Many public health campaigns use this principle. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, advertising campaigns encouraged behaviors like masking and vaccination to protect entire communities, not just individuals. Check out these resources: How New Zealand's clear campaign messaging helped halt COVID there The History of Our COVID-19 Vaccine Education Initiative
The Golden Rule: Treat Others as You'd Want to Be Treated
This timeless principle asks you to put yourself in your customers' shoes. Would you want someone using manipulative tactics on your grandparents? Would you want to be misled by false health claims? When you design marketing campaigns, imagine how you'd feel receiving those messages. This helps create advertising that's both effective and ethical. To learn more: Deceptive Advertising from the Wisconsin State Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection outlines common deceptive advertising practices. Have you ever noticed any of these tactics in ads you've seen?
The Hippocratic Oath: First, Do No Harm
You've probably heard of the Hippocratic Oath that doctors take, promising to "do no harm." This principle applies to marketing too. Advertisers should avoid promoting products they know will hurt people, or at minimum, be honest about potential risks. Think about drug commercials you've seen on TV—they spend half the ad listing possible side effects. That's because pharmaceutical companies have a legal and moral obligation to disclose risks. We also see this tension in adventure tourism marketing, which might show beautiful destinations without mentioning the dangers of extreme activities. Refer to the resources below for more: American Marketing Association (AMA) Statement of Ethics The Marketing Hippocratic Oath