Unethical Advertisements
These types of advertisements are wrong and can be harmful to end-users, resulting in a negative impact on the company and its employees. Below are some examples of these advertisements.
A. Misleading Advertisement
a. Dannon Yogurt (Activia)
According to ABC News, the ads for Dannon’s Activia landed the company in a lawsuit, as the advertisement marketed the yogurt as clinically and scientifically proven to regulate digestion when consumed within 2 weeks and improve the body’s immune system with exclusive strains known as “probiotics.” Due to this, the company sold the product 30% higher than ordinary yogurt.
The lawsuit was brought in 2008, and the company paid $45 million and was told to remove the words (clinically) and (scientifically proven) from their labels as it was misleading.
b. O-lay anti-aging cream advertisement
In 2009, Olay’s Definity eye cream ads were banned for being misleading, as it shows the model of the advertisement looking wrinkle-free and younger than her then 60 years age. According to the Guardian, the Ads were retouched. A doctor also made complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority, one of which challenged whether pentapeptides in the cream could actually reduce lines and wrinkles. Other people also complained, saying the ads implied that the cream served as an alternative to injections, as the model Cameron delivered the line, “Women who aren’t ready for cosmetic injections constantly ask me to recommend a skin cream that really works.”
B. Deceptive Advertisements
a. Hyundai and KIA over-advertised their car horsepower (2001 Tiburon sport coupe Hyundai)
In 2002, Hyundai admitted to overstating its horsepower ratings on 1.3 million vehicles. The Korean Ministry of Construction and Transportation uncovered the misrepresentation and realized that for some models of the company’s cars, the horsepower was overstated by 10%.
A class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of the estimated 840,000 people who bought the 1996–2002 models of the Hyundai Elentra sedan and the Tiburon sports coupes. Hyundai agreed to pay more than $85 million for settlement in 2004.
This advertisement was deceptive, as the company exaggerated its horsepower, causing people to buy its products.
b. Red Bull’s deceptive advertisement
Energy drinks company Red Bull was sued for falsely advertising that its energy drink provides functional benefits above and beyond what might be obtained from a cup of coffee or caffeine pill, also that it could improve a consumer’s concentration and reaction speed/performance. Although the company settled the lawsuit by agreeing to pay $13 million – including a $10 cash reimbursement to every US consumer who bought the drink since 2002, they continued to defend their marketing and labeling as has always been the case and denied any wrongdoing or liability.
C. Manipulative Advertisement
a. L’Oreal Paris Skin perfect advertisement
The company released 3 products that say Expert skincare for every age, with each of the products for a particular age group, their advertisement and products are saying that when you reach 20+, 30+, and 40+, you need to get yourself an age protect crème.
b. Fair and Lovely beauty cream
This product advertisement was clearly manipulative as it was trying to say to people that having fair skin equals more confidence, in other words, having dark skin is taboo. This product is from India.
