Stereotypes

Do you think that advertisers have a moral duty to avoid stereotyping people?

Advertising is an open source technique used to market products and entice others to buy them. Therefore it is somewhat accessible by everyone and anyone, depending upon the text type used to portray the advertisement, and should not be aimed negatively towards a race, culture or ethnicity. Marketing directors and advertising sectors of companies need to be aware of this fact as ads are not optional for the consumer to watch and should be monitored to suitable for all viewers (in correlation to the location of the Ad). Advertisements, unlike movies or other mass media, are not implemented to deduce a viewer based on uncontrollable variables (like societies, cultures etc.) they represent or contribute to. Their central aim is to promote a good or service and not ridicule a stereotype. Several advertising laws and regulations in various nations such as the UAE state clear boundaries on such acts, for example Al Tamim and Co state in their Advertising standards "instill respect for the local religious, cultural and social values which prevail in the UAE". or the Government of the UK say "The code specifies standards for accuracy and honesty that businesses must stick to, including causing offence". Thus, personally, I don't see why there is a need to mislead, instill fear or hurt individuals through the use of such stereotypes as, at the end of the day, the purpose of a TV commercial or Print Ad is to sell an item, not encourage a false, yet widely held belief or perspective.