Velasquez Chapter 6
Chapter Overview
In chapter 6, students will explore a variety of issues and ethical complexities involving the
marketing relationships between consumers and products. Do corporations bear a moral
obligation to shield the public from dangerous goods? To what extent should product marketing
encompass honest descriptions? Learners will encounter case studies and readings on critical
In-and-Out of Class Activities
Reflective Response
1. Discuss the relationship between the contractual versus the due-care points of view. Identify
2. Locate a recent news article discussing a product recall. Evaluate the recall using either the
3. Is all advertising inherently biased in favor of corporate interests, and does this imply
coercion? Is it possible to create unbiased product marketing? To what extent should advertisers
be responsible for public perception and interpretation based on ad campaigns?
Group & Team Collaboration
1. With your team, locate an example of a class-action lawsuit based upon consumer safety
2. Choose a commercial to evaluate with your team. Discuss the strategies used by the
advertisers to market the product, and describe the images/ideas/values that are being portrayed
to consumers in addition to the product. What methods do advertisers use to debase consumer
tastes?
3. Conduct an investigation with your team into the prolific nature of targeting advertising. Using
online research, conduct 10 web searches using a specific category of interest/hobby. Then, visit
Intellectual Discussion
1. Lecture Point: Right to Privacy
Questions to Ask Students: Do you feel that targeted ads (advertisements based
upon the collected data from web searches and social media posts) are a violation of
consumer privacy? Why or why not? Utilize a minimum of two ethical theories in
your discussion.
2. Lecture Point: Social Costs View Pros and Cons
Questions to Ask Students: Do you feel that the social costs point of view is
adequately supported by the core concepts of utilitarian ethics? Why or why not?
Provide specific examples to support your perspective.
3. Lecture Point: Advertising and Waste: Environmental Concerns
Questions to Ask Students: Do you feel that printed ad campaigns contribute to
environmental degradation and depletion of resources? Why or why not? Describe
the benefits and drawbacks of paper versus digital marketing methods. Use statistics
and specific examples to support your ideas.