Advertising ethics deteriorating

Dinesh Ranasinghe

ADVERTISING: The tussle between powerful advertising industry bodies/regulators has left the ultimate objective of good governance of advertising in the lurch. Advertising ethics in Sri Lanka is deteriorating rapidly whilst advertising bodies brawl for awards schemes. What is unseen is the hidden messages put across to the community.

The fact that children are increasingly the target of highly sophisticated marketing campaigns for food and drink to toys capturing a child's attention today could mean a loyal consumer tomorrow, and the competition for them would be intense and a worth while investment. Though the situation today in Sri Lanka is not that severe, it may be tomorrow.

Apart from directly/consciously targeting children, firms advertise via TV with immoral supplementary messages.

The yoghurt advertisement, where a boy scares his sister to make off with her cup of yoghurt sends the message to con their siblings for selfish motives. Also another advertisement of the same product reinforces a similar motive, this time the victim is a boy's mother.

The boy deceits his mother to take away the goodies. Also the automobile lubricant ad, where the cricket idol offers a lift to some stranded junior cricketers encourages youngsters to get into stranger's cars without much deliberation or investigation.

Though the former is directly targeting children the latter is targeting adult automobile owners. Nevertheless, how the target audience differs, immoral or distorted messages are conveyed to children.

Nevertheless there are advertisements that should be promoted. The Maliban campaign where sharing, respect for parents, respect for teachers, etc is tagged with yahagunayen idiriyata (succeed morally) is emphasised along its products is praiseworthy.

The Atlas pen advertisement where smoking identified as a habit of the brainless is also exemplary because the core message does not disrupt youngsters' psychology.

Undoubtedly advertising influences people and is considered as the most powerful promotional tool. The advertising agency, the producer/marketer should be extra cautious in advertising and should give extra thought as children are exposed to it whatever the product/target-audience and subsequently a victim of misinterpretation.

Thus the ad industry should recognise the imperative role of advertising and responsibility to the society.

The freedom to advertise brings special responsibilities, especially towards children. These responsibilities include protecting and helping children to understand and interpret advertising in the context of their daily lives. The laws/rules should be framed to ensure that advertisements are legal, decent, honest and truthful and do not mislead or cause harm (eg- alcohol, cigarettes).

The rules should prohibit advertisements that cause serious or widespread offence which were seen during the recent election times. The Consumer Affairs Authority or an advertising regulatory should ban such advertising.