The Controversy Over The Legality Of Alcohol Advertising

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Since alcohol is a controlled substance, there has been abundant amount of debate over the legality of alcohol advertising. Will advertising alcohol cause people under 21 to begin drinking? Will the commercial make alcohol consumption seem too enjoyable? The alcohol industry has been self-regulated by using statutory legislation. Businesses have certain moral responsibilities when they advertise, not only for positive public relations in their community, but also for their sense of making a positive impact. Effective ways of showing corporate social responsibility is especially important for companies who produce controlled substances as they automatically face many preconceived notions of contributing to the community in a negative way. Companies that produce alcoholic beverages clearly want to sell as much of the product as possible, and advertising is a good way to encourage consumption. As …show more content…

Advertisers have a range of less-than-ethical yet legal tools at their disposal, including subliminal advertising, emotional appeals, taking advantage of less educated individuals, spreading propaganda for political campaigns, and other tactics ethical advertisers consistently refrain from using. Consumers will be attracted to businesses that do not use devious, psychologically scheming tactics to gain their business. The advertising industry operates within strict federal regulations and is monitored by the Federal Trade Commission. Even with truth-in-advertising laws in place, advertisers have significant leeway to violate the ethical standards of a wide range of consumers. Advertisers must be especially careful to act ethically always, taking extra care when advertising potentially harmful products and using psychological tactics to stimulate demand. Having a list of ethical and legal issues at hand when creating advertisements can help you to craft legal, responsible ad