Advertising Ethics

                                                     
                                                   
 In this era of globalization and deregulation, advertising has acquired a new status.As a matter of fact, advertising creates employment opportunities, provides information regarding the developments taking place in the society, contributes to economic growth, and provides information about products and services available in the market which helps in taking buying decisions.I guess there might be not a single field of market not using advertisement.Cores of rupees are spent on them to lure the public .Now what i have a question is does they have ethics?? The focus in on the word  ethics.Ethics are the moral principles that govern a persons or groups behaviour. The moral correctness of specified conduct. Ethics, most broadly, is the study of human behaviour and its consequences in the light of what is ideally possible. For example, ethicist might study a society's mores or morals to determine what effect they would have on humankind if they were used as universal standards.I as layman understood that the ethics means saying truth,no misleading people.Does advertisement have ethics?An advertisement of Nestle India Ltd (Maggie healthy soup) claimed that “Happy Heart” “Healthy Soup”. The claim created an impression that consumption of Maggie soup leads to better heart and health, while on testing by independent agency, it has been found that it contains high levels of salt which releases sodium into body which in turn, causes hypertension and high blood pressure instead of good heart and health.Therefore, on complaint, ASCI(Advertising Standards Council Of India) declared the advertisement as case of misleading by implication and ambiguity. Therefore, Nestle India Ltd assured ASCI to modify its advertisements. Horlicks Vs Complan... The ad started with a scene inside the classroom where the teacher is taking the attendance. The teacher calls out " Calcium" then a group of students raise their hands, then she calls out " Iron " another group raises their hands. Then the voice over talks about the deficiency of nutrients seen in kids.• Then comes the critical part, a Doctor ( model) comes to the picture and talks about 23 vital nutrients that is necessary for the growth and claims that these nutrients are present in Horlicks.Horlicks is trying to negate the core differentiation of Complan . Complan since its inception has been harping on the 23 vital nutrients. Now Horlicks is trying to create parity by claiming the same property. Complan has never been so aggressive and blunt.So now brand war has started.There many such examples over there .You can judge me as skeptical ,so let it be .Elections time and the advertisement on TV ,big hoarding ,promises etc on the rise.Does we should believe in them??Do they follow ethics??I guess the Ad of Tata tea"Jago re" is aptly applicable this time as there going to be huge number of voters casting there vote in General Elections.First of all do cast your votes.Thinks 100 times seeing an advertisement about its moral ethics.