ABSTRACT
When exploring ethics during the past and up to the present, the definition that stands out for me is “Do the Right Thing.” When I wrote my first article on advertising ethics in 2003 I followed this definition. I quoted Carter McNamara’s ethical standard: “Learning what is right or wrong, and then doing the right thing.” He states, “Many ethicists assert there’s always a right thing to do based on moral principle, and others believe the right thing to do depends on the situationultimately it’s up to the individual.” McNamara extends this definition. “Business ethics,” he says, “is generally coming to know what is right or wrong in the workplace and doing what’s right.”1
