Philosophy 231
Victoria Secrets persuasion
Everyday we run into at least one advertisement, whether it’s while we are commuting or
when we are simply watching some TV. In the marketing field fairness, freedom, and well-being
are three important ethical problems. Many advertisements are presented with these ethical
issues by displaying a type of image and/or simple but meaningful eye catching words.
Marketing is a part of business. Selling, obviously plays the biggest factor in the
business industry, without customers many businesses will fail. With many ups and downs a
business could have, ethical problems would have to be the biggest.A marketing businesses has
ethical problems for instance fairness, freedom, and even well-being. With advertisements as
stated by Boatright and Smith on page 210 under points to consider
, “Advertising pervades our
lives. It is impossible to read a newspaper or magazine, watch a television show or movie, or
travel the streets of our cities without being bombarded by commercial messages”. Everywhere
and everyday we see or hear a advertisement , these advertisements are brought to our attention
because many businesses gain consumers through advertising. Out of the three ethical issues
Boatright & Smith wrote about, fairness would have to be the one ethical problem to engage and
develop strategies that will target marketers. In fairness the advertisement has to be fully
presented to the buyer by the seller, all the positive and negative effects of the product have to be
brought up. When it comes to finding the ethical problem with fairness it is safe to say the
information presented to the public may remain limited. The seller has the intention to attract
buyers to their business and product. Buyers however always seek to protect themselves from
any type of fraud. With this being said once the buyer shows an interest towards the sellers
product it has the liberty to start asking questions about the product. The seller will than give the
information based on its perspective of what the buyer needs to know of the product rather than
answer question out of curiosity. Freedom has become a ethical problem in marketing due to the
lack of respect towards specific types of people. In a market field the right for an individual to
have a voice in a marketing decision is needed. With no type of freedom manipulation and
deception will happen. The individuals who are mostly attacked on their freedom sadly but truly
children, the poor, and elderly or even a consumer witha lack of knowledge. Advantage is taken
from these individuals due to the lack of freedom, when it comes to manipulation. Many groups
do not have the ability to speak up and have a voice. For example, an elderly person and a child
can easily be taken advantage of with some manipulation. With a few words they could remain
