Question

• Often, celebrities contract to endorse a product, but should they use the product regularly, or even like the product before they are allowed to claim that they “endorse” the product?

• If you were assigned to sell a product called “Sweet Treats” with the slogan, “so sweet, it will make you tweet,” but you thought the product tasted sour, and not at all sweet, what would you do?

• Explore where the line is between harmlessly implying that someone is promoting a product, and someone dishonestly claiming that they genuinely believe the product is the best.

Answer 1

Often, celebrities contract to endorse a product, but should they use the product regularly, or even like the product before they are allowed to claim that they “endorse” the product?

These days many people are highly attached to celebrities’ actions, fashions, and accessories, they are always observing celebrities to follow the way they dress up, what brands they use, the glasses they put on, the watches they use, the accessories or perfumes they perk with. Thus, celebrities have a highly ethical obligation towards their fans and the community to not mislead them by endorsing bad quality products or products that can cause a physical or financial harm to the people. Accordingly, celebrities have to be very careful about any product they intend to endorse, and to be certain of the quality and disadvantages of those products, since they are not only affecting themselves they have thousands of followers whom could be affected as well.

If you were assigned to sell a product called “Sweet Treats” with the slogan, “so sweet, it will make you tweet,” but you thought the product tasted sour, and not at all sweet, what would you do?

First I would taste different samples from the product to make sure that it really tastes sour and not sweet. Then I would start discussing the issue with the product manufactures to clarify about the taste and to confirm whether there is a mistake in the product taste or not, in addition to emphasis the fact that it is mandatory for me to endorse real things without any deceiving or misleading.

But then, If it appears that the product really tastes sour and not sweet at all, definitely I would reject to perform this advertisement as this will be condemned as a deceptive advertising. Deceptive advertising is any published claim that is misleading or untruthful the consumers through sending false information or inaccurate understanding of the products. Consumers might suffer from financial losses, moral harm, or any other form of losses.

According to (The American Marketing Association's Statement of Ethics) the marketers’ ethical norms and values are establishing the minimum desirable standards of conduct by communities. Marketers shall embrace ethical values, do no harm, strive trust in the marketing system, represent fairness, avoid deception, reject manipulations, and act with transparency.

Explore where the line is between harmlessly implying that someone is promoting a product, and someone dishonestly claiming that they genuinely believe the product is the best.

It is not easy to discover whether the products promoters are honest or dishonest in their endorsing to any product. Because, simply many products can’t be judged by certainly a good or bad product, as those products reflect the personal experience and opinion. Hence, for a certain product someone can presume it is a bad quality product, and another say it is good. Hereby, certainly it will be always claimed by the moral and ethical values of each promoter, and how he complies with the standards of conduct.