ETHICS IN ADVERTISING

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 815, 8 November 1929, Page 10

ETHICS IN ADVERTISING

ADDRESS BY MR. A. EADY CONVENTION CONCLUDES ‘ Perhaps the most important routine functions of advertising are to create a new want, to increase the sale of an established produce and to protect the j advertiser against the effects of competition,” said Mr. Alfred Eady in his j address, “The Ethics of Advertising,” at the Auckland Advertising Club's convention, which was concluded last evening. “And just as the purpose of advertising is to create a definite mental impression in the mind of the reader, so is it essential that advertising must be truthful. It must be an advertisement written to conform to this high ethical standard, and so we have —advertising ethics,” continued Mr. Eady. “The T only kind of service that should be advertised was a worthy and honest service. To be advertised profitably it must conform to such conditions. “Just as all men have not yet clc- i veloped to a common high standard of j ethical conduct, so, even in this on- j lightened year, 1925. we still have with j us advertising that is untruthful, j fraudulent, misleading, exaggerated and plagiarised. That blunt old word, ‘dishonesty,’ covers some of these breaches of our accepted code of ethics. Fortunately, untruthful and fraudulent advertising is not so common, although there are still examples of fraudulent practice that have escaped the vigilance even of our ever-watchful newspaper managements.” EXAGGERATED COPY “While exaggerated copy and illustrations cannot be entirely characterised as untruthful advertising, nevertheless it is to be strongly deprecated. It is a great deal easier and more showy, to exaggerate and colour your statements' or pictorial description. This cannot build up an enduring customer goodwill. This licence may appeal to the copy writer or artist, but in advertising I submit that anything not a truthful portrayal of that which is for sale must inevitably defeat its own object,” said Mr. Eady. “Plagiarism is a polite term for literary theft. It is difficult to prove a charge of plagiarism. There is nothing to prevent us believing that one advertisement has inspired another —and there is nothing to prevent us getting indignant about it. This problem is so pronounced in America that copyrighting of advertisements is frequently resorted to.” “The English Parliament has passed no fewer than 16 Acts relating to the control and regulation of advertisements. Much of this legislation has been followed by our own Parliament. “Growing public trustfulness in the' integrity of the publisher and the advertiser makes it an imperative responsibility on every one concerned to see to the advertising defaulter—that no breach of this growing public confidence be allowed to affect this great modern power for national apd international good.” concluded Mr Eady. WHAT IS CIRCULATION? Circulation as related to advertisers touches all forms of publicity. Not exclusively newspapers and periodicals, for it covers the whole gamut of what is spoken of as advertising, that is. : daily papers, magazines and trade ! papers,” said Mr. R. J. Strong in his address to the convention on “What is i Circulation?” J Mr. Strong dealt with his subject fully, especially in regard to newspapers and other journals. He emphasised the tendency in evidence today in publishing audited figures of paid circulation for the guidance of advertisers. He also explained fully the organisation of the famous Advertising Bureau of Circulations, set up in America for the purpose of ensuring accuracy in the announcements of circulations made by newspaper propriej tors. At the conclusion of the addresses Mr. F. W. Petterd. who presided in the absence of the president, Mr. G C Codlin, made mention of the success of the convention which, as far as Auckland was concerned, was indeed a new departure. He agreed with the suggestion which had been made that a New Zealand Advertising Convention should be organised and held in conjunction with the annual gatherings of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association. That more attention should be given act Val a< *vertising subjects at the club s luncheons and that some evening meeting should be arranged was a recommendation to the executive adopted by the meeting. _ _