ETHICS IN ADVERTISING: WHERE CREATIVITY ENDS AND DECEPTION BEGINS

ЭТИКА В РЕКЛАМЕ: ГДЕ ЗАКАНЧИВАЕТСЯ ТВОРЧЕСТВО И НАЧИНАЕТСЯ ОБМАН

Рязанова Дана Вячеславовна

студент, Институт общественных наук, Российская академия народного хозяйства и государственной службы при Президенте Российской Федерации,

РФ, г. Москва

Трофимова Ирина Васильевна

научный руководитель, старший преподаватель, Российская академия народного хозяйства и государственной службы при Президенте Российской Федерации,

РФ, г. Москва

ABSTRACT

The article examines the issues of ethics in modern advertising and the definition of boundaries between manipulation and creativity. Using the example of popular brands, the forms of violation of audience trust are considered, as well as the impact of technology on perception and the role of honesty as a strategic resource of the brand.

АННОТАЦИЯ

В статье рассматриваются вопросы этики в современной рекламе и определение границ между манипуляцией и творчеством. На примере популярных брендов анализируются формы нарушения доверия аудитории, а также влияние технологий на восприятие и роль честности как стратегического ресурса бренда.

Keywords: advertising, ethics, manipulation, deception, trust, consumer responsibility.

Ключевые слова: реклама, этика, манипулирование, обман, доверие, ответственность потребителя.

In the modern world, advertising surrounds people everywhere – on the streets, on phones, on social networks, and even in personal messages. Its purpose is no longer limited to simple information: it shapes perceptions, lifestyles, and value systems. In the context of information overload, companies are forced to look for more and more creative ways to attract attention. But this is where the main question arises – where creative freedom end and consumer deception begins.

Ethics in advertising is not an abstract concept, but a real tool that regulates the relationship between a brand, society and a person. The principles of honesty, trustworthiness and respect for the audience are at the heart of advertising ethics. Violating these principles undermines trust, and trust is the main asset of any brand. Without him, even the most talented campaign loses its meaning.

Advertising creativity is often associated with exaggeration. This is natural: metaphors, humor, and hyperbole are part of the artistic language of advertising. But when exaggeration turns into a deliberate distortion of facts, deception arises. The ethical boundary runs precisely where the play of imagination is replaced by a false promise.

International standards, such as the ICC Advertising and Marketing Communication Code, explicitly state that advertising should not mislead consumers, conceal essential information, or use misleading comparisons. However, even with such standards, companies often try to circumvent them for the sake of profit or viral effect [8].

Modern technology has made manipulation more subtle. Algorithms personalize ads by analyzing a person's emotions, habits, and psychological vulnerabilities. Creativity here becomes a tool not for inspiration, but for pressure. When advertising adapts to the user's mood and creates false needs, the company's ethical responsibility increases many times.

There are many examples of how creative advertising crossed the line. One of the most discussed cases in recent years is the Pepsi campaign with model Kendall Jenner. The video showed how the heroine stops a social protest by handing a can of Pepsi to a policeman. The advertisement caused a storm of criticism: the audience found it offensive, because it devalued real protest movements and human suffering. The creative idea of a “unifying drink” turned into a symbol of tastelessness and insensitivity to social reality [3].

Another example is Volkswagen's advertisement, which presented electric vehicles as “absolutely harmless to the planet”. It later became clear that the company had used language that was not supported by actual data on emissions from battery production. The ethical mistake was not in the desire to emphasize the advantages of the product, but in the fact that advertising masked inconvenient facts [4].

Such violations are especially common in the beauty industry. A well–known example is the L'Oréal advertising campaign, where actress Julia Roberts presented a cream supposedly capable of “radically rejuvenating the skin”. After consumer complaints, advertising was banned in the UK: the photos of the actress turned out to be overly retouched, and the promises were unreliable. Here, the creativity of photographers and marketers has shifted to the plane of visual deception [6].

A similar story happened with the Red Bull brand, which claimed in an advertisement that its drink “gives wings”. After the lawsuit, the company admitted that this was a metaphor that was not supported by real effects. In 2014, Red Bull paid compensation in the amount of $ 13 million for misleading language. Although the advertisement was humorous, the court recognized that irony does not absolve responsibility if the consumer takes the promise literally [7].

Manipulations with children and adolescents constitute a special category of violations. The Code of Ethics explicitly prohibits using the gullibility of minors, but many brands deliberately target a young audience. A vivid example is an advertisement for sweets and carbonated drinks, which uses cartoon characters. According to the WHO, such advertising contributes to the growth of childhood obesity, but companies continue to use it. This is not just about deception, but about ethical abuse of the child's psyche [9].

The ethics of advertising are closely related to social responsibility. For example, advertising alcoholic beverages or gambling must take into account not only the legal restrictions, but also the moral consequences. The scandal was caused by the Betfair campaign, which placed a bet on the victory of the deceased jockey – the video was considered cynical and unethical.

Sometimes companies cross the line unintentionally because of cultural differences. For example, a Chinese Dolce & Gabbana advertisement in which a model clumsily eats pizza with chopsticks has provoked accusations of racism and disrespect for national culture. This story has shown that the ethics of advertising is not only truth in fact but also respect for context [1].

On the other hand, there are also reverse examples – when ethical advertising becomes a powerful tool of trust. For example, Dove's “Real Beauty” campaign featuring women of different ages and body shapes revolutionized the industry by showing that honesty can be creative. She proved that respect for the audience does not limit creativity but rather makes it deeper and more human [2].

Similar principles are embodied by the Patagonia brand, which in its campaigns openly calls for buying fewer things and repairing old ones in order to reduce consumption. This paradoxical approach has strengthened trust and made the company a symbol of genuine sustainability. Here ethics becomes not a limitation, but a strategy [5].

Thus, advertising honesty does not contradict creativity – it sets its limits. Ethical advertising is not boring, dry communication, but creative, respecting the intelligence and freedom of the audience. In the era of information transparency, the consumer sees more than ever, which means that any attempts at manipulation become instantly noticeable.

Today, companies realize that reputation is more important than short-term benefits. Internal ethics committees, self-regulatory standards, and content audit programs are emerging. In 2022, Meta (признана экстремистской и запрещенной в России) and Google strengthened their internal rules for verifying ads, especially in the health and financial categories, to protect users from manipulation.

In the future, the boundaries of ethics and creativity will intersect even more often. Artificial intelligence creates ads that are difficult to distinguish from human ones, and in this new environment, the issue of honesty will become central. When an advertisement is able to accurately copy emotions, the responsibility for its content increases significantly.

Creativity in advertising is the art of inspiring, not misleading. True mastery is shown when an idea inspires trust, not doubt. In this sense, ethics is not a brake on development, but a guideline that helps preserve humanity in the digital age.

So, summing up the research, we note that ethics in advertising is an invisible boundary that is crossed not because of malicious intent, but because of the desire to be brighter, louder, and more viral. But this is where the trap is hidden. Deception, even elegantly packaged in creativity, destroys trust, and trust is what marketing is based on. The examples of Pepsi, L'Oréal, Volkswagen and other companies remind us that honesty is not a limitation, but a strategy for sustainable success.

In an era when information is available to everyone, ethical advertising is becoming not a fashion trend, but a necessary standard of civilized business. Where deception ends, genuine creativity begins–one that inspires rather than manipulates.

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