Advertising and Advertisements

Read the text and do the tasks that follow.

The importance of consumer discrimination in domestic life is clear. Indeed, the evaluation and selection of manufactured items – from soap powders to cars – is an inescapable part of life in today's society. But most people have little knowledge of the actual production of what they buy and are therefore unable to make first-hand judgements of quality. So where do ideas of value for money originate? On what basis do we discriminate between two comparable products? Ideally, judgement is based on the type and quality of materials, construction, performance, appearance and price. Often, however, first-hand knowledge of these factors is not available and we rely on advertisements.

The essence of advertising is persuasion. To use reasoned argument in order to persuade people to buy a particular product seems a valid form of propaganda and, indeed, could be expected to assist the process of discrimination. But the advertiser's concern cannot be solely to assist discrimination. His appeal is therefore rarely directed towards reason alone but also towards the more emotional responses that may be triggered by associating a product with the private hopes, fears, prejudices, and anxieties that beset the average human being. And if these appeals can be disguised within a reasoned argument, so much the better.

The British Code of Advertising Practice exists to protect the consumer from being deceived and misinformed by advertisements. Their slogan is:

"ALL ADVERTISEMENTS SHOULD BE LEGAL, DECENT, HONEST AND TRUTHFUL"

and in their own advertisement they invite consumers to exercise discrimination and to report to the authorities any advertisements which do not fulfil their requirements advertising Practice is based on

General Principles.

1. Advertisements should not contain statements or visual presentations offensive to the standards of decency prevailing among those who are likely to be exposed to them.

2. Advertisements should not be so framed as to abuse the trust of the consumer or exploit his lack of experience or knowledge.

3. Advertisements should not without justifiable reason play on fear.

4. Advertisements should not contain anything which might lead or lend support to acts of violence, nor should they appear to condone such acts.

5. All descriptions, claims and comparisons which relate to matters of objectively ascertainable fact should be capable of substantiation, and advertisers and advertising agencies are required to hold such substantiation ready for production without delay to the CAP Committee of the Advertising Standard Authority.

6. Advertisements should not contain any statements or visual presentation which, directly or by implication, omission, ambiguity, or exaggerated claim, is likely to mislead the consumer about the product advertised, the advertiser, or about any other product or advertiser.

7. Advertisements should not misuse research results or quotations from technical and scientific literature.

8. Consumers should not be led to overestimate the value of goods whether by exaggeration or through unrealistic comparisons with other goods or other prices.

9. All comparative advertisements should respect the principles of fair competition and should be so designed that there is no likelihood of the consumer being misled as a result of the comparison, either about the product advertised or that with which it is compared.

10. Advertisements should not unfairly attack or discredit other products, advertisers or advertisements directly or by implication.

11. Advertisements should be clearly distinguishable as such whatever their form and whatever the medium used. When an advertisement appears in a medium which contains news, editorial or programme matter it should be so designed, produced and presented that it will be readily recognized as an advertisement.

12. Advertisements should not, without justifiable reason, show or refer to dangerous practices or manifest a disregard for safety. Special care should be taken in advertisements directed towards or depicting children or young people.

13. Advertisements addressed to children or young people or likely to be seen by them, should not contain anything whether in illustration or otherwise, which might result in harming them physically, mentally or morally, or which exploits their credulity, their lack of experience, or their natural sense of loyalty.