ETHICAL DILEMMA
Sarah is working on a women’s fashion brand that is marketed to teenage girls. An issue concerning the campaign has begun to concern her. The models selected for the campaign are young and extremely thin. Sarah recently has read some research regarding the negative effects that ultra thin female images in the media can have on teenage girls and their conceptions of beauty, and she feels uncomfortable about the images of beauty portrayed in the campaign.
When she starting asking questions about the models, she was told that the client liked this type of model and that it was the client’s choice to use any type of model he wanted. Sarah isn’t sure what to do. She does not want to do anything to constrain her team’s creativity.
QUESTION
What would you suggest Sarah do? To keep the client happy, should she keep her concerns regarding the models to herself, or should she voice negative effects this campaign could have on young girls?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Sarah should definitely voice her opinion. At the end of the day she has to live with the decisions she makes in regards to the public issues that she supports in her job. Not to mention these issues can not change unless it starts at this level of advertisement.
ReplyDeleteI agree that we in advertising have the "power" to affect society in the types of advertising we produce.
ReplyDeleteIs this Ethical Dilemma an example of a stereotype (thin models) causing potential harm to society?
Its an example of supporting a major societal standard or view not so much a stereotype.
ReplyDeletewow this is a tough one. Sarah should voice her opinion to the person who has selected the models for their fashion brand. an outside opinion might alter theirs to reconsider. however, the models were already selected and last minute changes in the fashion world is highly looked down upon. maybe in the campaign there could be some note saying something informative about the models ex:these models have been airbrushed or photoshopped or something to show that these models were selective specifically for show and not so much as an "image of beauty"
ReplyDeletegood point Frankie
ReplyDeleteFrankie, I like your suggestion but that's a tough thing to do, esp. when the client may be dictating a certain look or approach.
ReplyDeleteThere are several types of stereotypes that are commonly used in advertising. Let’s look at the main five that your textbook discusses, one of which we just discussed in the Ethical Dilemma - the "thin ideal" which involves the use of thin and perfect-skinned women.
ReplyDeleteCan you name some others?
ReplyDeleteRacial stereotype, Age, gender.
ReplyDeleteCorrene, can you elaborate and/or give examples of campaigns that use such stereotypes?
ReplyDeletelabels, categories, shared characteristics, perceptions
ReplyDeleteSports/shoes showing only African American people people.
ReplyDeleteVacation commercials showing only Caucasian people.
Investment ads showing only people over 50.
Frankie, you're describing what a stereotype is. I'm looking for the types of stereotypes commonly depicted in advertising. Can you think of any?
ReplyDeletegreat examples correne!!!! <33 sad but true of stereotypicalness
ReplyDeleteGreat examples Correne. Some others your textbooks describes include:
ReplyDelete- Domestic Women: avoiding making women as the experts in domestic issues, or dimwits about car mechanics, or specialists in raising children.
(Similarly, men have objected to their portrayal as sex objects or beer-drinking, domestically incompetent, sports-obsessed.)
- Sexual Women: women as sexual objects
the manikins you see in the mall usually depicting a certain body image is one because its "ideal"
ReplyDeleteGood point, Frankie. You rarely see a manequin that is of average size.
ReplyDeleteAnother commonly used stereotype, which we discussed some in class on Thursday, is that of ethnicity and race. Our objective in advertising should be to offer greater representation of ethnic and racial groups but to be careful not to misrepresent them through simplistic stereotypes.
Let’s take a couple of minutes to read the following short article regarding stereotypes in advertising. Once finished, come back to the blog and let me know you’re back with an “I’m back!”
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/15/business/media/15axe.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=advertising%20+%20stereotypes&st=cse
i'm back
ReplyDeleteOkay, so what was your takeaway, or ethical analysis, from that article?
ReplyDeleteFor those of us in advertising, when does being too politically correct stand in the way of creativity?
my take away wasn't anything unethical. it was truly clever and funny. NOBODY actually thinks that. "if i spray this women will flaunt to me like hormonal animals". axe smells good and it gets good reviews on those who wear it. it has definitely made a unique mark on the market with its other competitors like Tag and Old Spice
ReplyDeleteOkay, Frankie, but from the standpoint of stereotypes and/or being too PC, what were your thoughts?
ReplyDeleteThere has to be a ballance. We must weigh the pros/cons and possible long term effects. This campaign was directed to men an was very funny, not to be taken very seriously.
ReplyDeleteIt would be naieve to ignore the fact that sexuality holds a certain sense of empowerment for women. Also one could argue that this country is sexually repressed when compared to European countries and has led us into some problems with prostitution and related issues.
Good point, Correne, about achieving a balance between creativity and not promoting further stereotypes, in the case of Axe, women as sexual objects.
ReplyDeleteWhat are your thoughts on being too PC? Does that hamper our creativity?
Yes, it does. It creates boundaries for our creativity, but they are necessary boundaries for making ethical advertising.
ReplyDeletetypically the commercial and advertisements show average males, that look attractive or decent but are no means "hot" or "sexy". the women however are always beautiful and model worthy. I can see the stereotypes within the commercials but if it is based off of humor and being memorable I don'g see it as anything bad.
ReplyDeleteWhen or what makes an ad too politically correct?
ReplyDeletean ad can not be "too" politically correct.
ReplyDeleteCan you elaborate, Correne?
ReplyDeleteThats like too much of a good thing. Like an ad being too effective. or this ad reached the target too well.
ReplyDeletebeing too politically correct will make an ad not creative because none of that actually happens in real life and it would be like a documentary. some what boring. to the point, and something we can see for ourselves if we actually wanted to in the real world.
ReplyDeleteWhat should be done when working on a creative campaign when a stereotype or similar conflict cannot be avoided (sort of like the situation Sarah found herself in)?
ReplyDeleteVoice your opinion, offer solutions and ultimately decide weather you will participate.
ReplyDeleteHow do you handle such a situation if the client is dictating the use of a certain stereotype?
ReplyDeleteif a stereotype cannot be avoided, i see two ways to make it work to your advantage. 1, make it over the top, impossible for it to be real, and make it funny. or 2, tune it down so that our perceptions are in tuned but not totally offensive.
ReplyDeleteSame solution as before.There will always be someone dictating the direction of the project.
ReplyDeleteGood suggestions, Frankie. The former you suggest is called "suspension of disbelief" in which the audience agrees to suspend their judgment in exchange for the promise of entertainment.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the AAF stance on stereotyping?
ReplyDeleteIs this Kant's categorical imperative.
ReplyDeleteThe American Ad Federation's policy on stereotyping in advertising.
ReplyDeleteKant’s Categorical Imperative is a theory that implies that people are ends in themselves who are inherently worthy of respect and moral consideration in their own right and thus should never be treated merely as a means for the sake of the ends of someone else.
Translation = advertising treats people as a means for the promotion of products for the sake of advertisers and their clients.
Any thoughts? Are you rapidly flipping through your handouts?
ReplyDeleteNo flipping, thoughts on what, there is no question. Kants?
ReplyDeletethe aaf says there is a cultural barrier with stereotypes that can be avoided.
ReplyDeleteThe question is: what is the AAF stance on stereotpying?
ReplyDeleteAAF: Advertising shall be free of statements, illustrations or implications which are offensive to good taste or public decency.
ReplyDeleteNow im flipping rapidly
ReplyDeleteHow will the topic of stereotypes and similar controversial topics make you a better advertising professional when you graduate, or even now while still in school?
ReplyDeletei was looking online as well.
ReplyDeleteLast question of the session: How will the topic of stereotypes and similar controversial topics make you a better advertising professional when you graduate, or even now while still in school?
ReplyDeleteThis topic makes more culturally sensitive socially intuitive. This will strengthen our advertising insight which is imperative to success.
ReplyDeletelearning about these topics allows us as advertisers to view each promotion at different angles and allows us to ask ourselves questions so that our final product will have little to no confrontation in the future
ReplyDeleteFrankie, you there?!
ReplyDeleteGood insight, you two. And good classes today!
ReplyDeleteETHICS HOMEWORK REMINDER
-Chapter 6 for Thursday, March 5th
-Locate examples of ads/campaigns that use testimonials and endorsements (celebrity or typical persons) to discuss in class on Thursday
-Read and answer questions for chapter 5 case study 5E
-Article Journaling answers for Wednesday, March 4th at 12pm