ABSTRACT

This chapter discusses both the criticisms and benefits of advertising and addresses ethical concerns for anthropologists involved in the creation of advertising. It examines how ethical complexities range from the question of advertising as a necessary form of consumer–brand engagement to socially responsible advertising, to professional ethics surrounding the objects or brands being advertised, and to the work of anthropologists in advancing advertising campaigns. For business anthropologists who investigate culture, advertising messages are about more than selling products, services and brands to consumers; they are part of cultural discourse and the exchange of ideas in society. Ancient Romans and Phoenicians painted pictures on walls and rocks to announce upcoming events, and town criers in Greece were both rebuked and praised when announcing the sale of cattle to the public. Controversial issues in advertising typically emanate more from the specific nature of the product advertised, than from the operative principles of advertising or a specific advertisement per se.