A Study of Perceptions in Society Regarding Unethical Practices in Advertising

Advertising exercises a significant influence on people and society in large, shaping their attitudes, behavior and priorities. It is considered unethical if it refers to disruption of societal values and norms established by the religious, governmental or political institutions to which one looks for moral and ethical guidance. It is also held to be deceptive if it has the tendency to deceive a substantial number of customers in a material way. This study endeavors to develop an insight about the perception of society regarding the unethical practices in advertising. An effort is made to find out the factors responsible for making an advertisement unethical. It further looks at the stakeholders to be responsible for such practices and given authority, what sorts of measures are likely to be taken for treating the responsible one. Finally, the conclusions and implications of the study are discussed.