RESOLVING ETHICAL BUSINESS CHALLENGES Daniel just graduated from Michigan Univer
ID: 416433 • Letter: R
Question
RESOLVING ETHICAL BUSINESS CHALLENGES Daniel just graduated from Michigan University and landed a job as a copywriter at Young, Olsen, Lindle, and second to none in taste. If people are going to eat bacon, Olson (YOLO) Advertising assigned to one of the sub- why not eat the best? Even if it is a heart attack waiting to sidiary accounts of Delicious Uber Bacon Ingredients happen," Ms. Kunies joked. Extraordinaire Corporation. This conglomerate was pri- marily a food processing manufacturer beginning 100 He explained their conversation and expressed con- years ago with pork in the Midwest. Overall corporate cern over the fact Ms. Kunies is currently a vegetar- sales of beef, chicken, pork, and seafood were more than an, and she attributed her high cholesterol to Uber $750 million each year. YOLO considered many advertis- bacon. Daniel felt relief when he saw the concern in ing options and opted for a celebrity spokesperson. That Chloe's face, but soon realized her concern was about meant Daniel would work with Gloria Kunies as the celeb- Ms. Kunies pulling out of the advertisement. Daniel rity endorser. Ms. Kunies is a well-known, well-loved, reassured Chloe that Ms. Kunies still wanted to pro- young, and vibrant actress with a large younger following. mote the product, but it seemed like a contradiction to "No question about it. As far as bacon goes, Uber is The next day Chloe asked Daniel how it went Chloe, President of YOLO, asked Daniel to step into have a vegetarian promoting bacon. Chloe responded her office. "Daniel, this new account is a good start for by saying as long as Ms. Kunies had eaten the bacon at you. We usually don't let our new copywriters handle some point in her life and thinks it is a good product, it accounts by themselves, but you have proven to be a makes no difference as to whether she currently eats the capable employee. Your job on this account is to write bacon. She continued, "Sometimes in advertising, you copy for the commercials using Ms. Kunies's product have to add a spin to the message you are communicat- testimonials. The copy needs to be crafted as a testimo- ng so it fits with the product you are selling. Not only nial, targeting the market of 17- to 30-year-olds. Ms. are you selling a product, but more importantly, you are Kur user of the product. The scripts should feature her tes- consumers." tifying to the quality, value, and tastiness of the bacon I want you to meet her tomorrow so you can start the how he was going to write this advertisement. He did writing process and understand her personality in order not want to begin his career in a dishonest manner, but to script the messages. Spend the rest of the day immers- he also wanted to produce work that pleased his boss ing yourself in her biography and researching her on the He tried to think of creative ways to mask the contra- Internet." As Daniel left Chloe's office he remembered a diction of the advertisement. Maybe with humor? He Facebook post about Ms. Kur already signed an affidavit as to being a bona fide selling an experience, a feeling, an idea that appeals to As Daniel walked home that evening, he wondered s being a vegetarian asked himself if this appro ch would still feel disho The next da sked he The next m Da Ms. Ku I have tried Ube was going to meet with what he had wri she had actu ed the ba ied, both Ms. Kun nd Chlo chn was a kid. Ba been a huge od. I've do timonials in the past nd know the American Advertising Federation (AAF) QUESTIONS | EXERCISES ethical issu t Daniel is encountering know as long as my comme t be chal d 2. Do n any way violate the nge Uber bacon has been a mine wa why should Daniel be c erned? What vertiseme Ea all that ba r decade the eally did a numbe my cholesterol ible ly hypothetical; any resemblance to real even though you doi incidental. ni anies,Explanation / Answer
Answer 1: The ethical issue that David is encountering is of ‘Implied falsity’ where Ms. Kunies is misleading and confusing everyone by mentioning that how the product has affected her health by keeping false claims and at the same time she is interested to advertise the product to the public.
Answer 2: Yes, it violates the concepts of fairness, honesty and integrity as Ms. Kunies is trying to hide the truth by claiming something and confusing others about the product. Also, the Yolo Company exists in the market for long and by gaining the trust from customers. If the key person from the company says that she is vegetarian, then it may give doubt.
Answer 3: Daniel is concerned because this is his new job and do not want to be untruthful to people. As he can see the ‘conflict of interest ‘and Ms. Kunies is ‘lying ‘about the product. If Daniel writes a testimonial of Ms. Kunies by knowing that she has become vegetarian over the time, this is completely misleading and losing the trust from the customer. Also, the Yolo company is violating the basic ethical principles.
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