Microsoft word - adv 2375 syllabus - spring 2012

ADVERTISING ETHICS
ADV 2375 – Spring 2012
Temerlin Advertising Institute
Southern Methodist University
Class Location: Owen 2020
Class Time: T TH 8:00 – 9:20 a.m.
Instructor:
Dr. La Ferle
214-768-3378
Owen 1158
[email protected]
Office Hours: T/Th 9:30-10:30 a.m.; Thurs 2-3 p.m. & by appointment (email to set up)
Required Texts:
Sheehan, Kim (2004), Controversies in Contemporary Advertising, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications (S) Course Pack (CP): Order from Allegra Print & Imaging online at: http://isite3.allegranet.com/saline click
on SMU logo at left. Below are 3 different options to receive your course pack. Order ASAP. Your first “course
pack” reading is due for Thursday January 26.
PDF: $25.89 This is a read only file. You will NOT be able to print articles with this option.
Print (UPS ground): $36.99 Printed Hard copy - Includes the shipping cost, & takes Allow 3 business days.
Combo: $47.16
Note: Orders placed by noon during regular business hours will be printed and shipped the same day. For orders
placed on weekends, process starts Monday morning. Questions or course pack problems, please contact Mr. Wes
Siegrist of Allegra Print & Imaging at: Phone: (517) 749-3988 (cell) Email: [email protected]
Overview: Many of the courses offered in advertising focus on methods for developing persuasive
communication. Effective communication often entails understanding the psychological aspects of consumer
behavior, developing creative methods for communicating messages, placing messages in the right media, and
efficiently allocating resources. However, this course examines the ethical issues related to the practice of
advertising and marketing communications. Are some practices in advertising unethical? How can we recognize,
define, assess, reprimand and prevent unethical practices? What impact do these acts have on society, the industry
and individuals? Toward answering these questions we will consider ethical principles, industry ethical codes, legal
and regulatory issues, and social issues related to the institution and practice of advertising.

UC Student Learning Objectives:
Philosophical and Religious Inquiry and Ethics- Level II
 II. Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to critically reflect on or apply the theoretical methods of, one of the fields of philosophy, religious studies, or ethics via a focus on a specific area or set of issues. Individuals, Institutions, and Cultures – Level II
 II. Students will be able to analyze different theoretical or interpretive perspectives in the study of individual, social, cultural, political, or economic experiences.
Course Objectives Specific to the Topic Area:
 To become aware of and understand the conflicting and ethically relevant arguments (economic, legal,
psychological and social) surrounding the role of advertising in society and its impact on society;  To define ethics in advertising by exploring beliefs about human nature, ethical principles and industry ethical codes; learn methods to recognize ethical issues and to assess merits; learn methods to avoid unethical behavior in advertising; and to become aware of the repercussions of unethical advertising;  To come to understand and evaluate how ethical issues intellectually and emotionally impact the advertising industry, the people that work in it and the people that are served by it (i.e., consumers);  To challenge and grow students’ beliefs regarding ethics & responsibility as individuals & future professionals;  To learn how to creatively solve problems facing the advertising industry;  To learn how to create effective and efficient advertising communications that at their best can simultaneously provide benefits to the client, the agency, the consumer and the society as a whole;  To enhance the sensitivity of prospective advertising practitioners to the social influences of their work and
Course Requirements: The requirements of the course have been designed to provide students with concepts and
experiences needed to meet the above-stated objectives and to measure the amount of success toward reaching these
objectives. Tests ensure students learn the core material presented in the readings and class discussions, while
assignments help students practically apply material. Participation allows students to learn from each other, while
further grounding the concepts via application.

Attendance: Three absences are allowed for illness, school activity, work, personal business, SMU athletics, etc.
Each absence beyond three will result in 2 points being deducted from the final grade. Therefore, if you have 76 out
of 100 possible points at the end of the semester and you have 4 absences, your grade will be reduced by 2 points,
to 74 out of 100. As an incentive to attend ‘all’ classes, if you have zero absences, 2 points will be added to your
final grade. Attendance is counted from the first class day of the semester to the last class day and there are no
exceptions. You must arrive to class ON TIME at 8 a.m. to be counted on the attendance roster.

Participation: As a starting point for class discussions, you should think about each reading in terms of: 1) What
are the main issues raised, 2) what are the positions of the various relevant parties, and 3) How do the readings
contribute to our overall understanding of ethical issues and behavior in advertising?
Assignments: During the semester you will be given a few assignments to complete, either as individuals, in pairs
or in groups. In class assignments cannot be made up. Assignments to be completed outside of class are due at
the beginning of class on the day they are due. Except in the case of a documented emergency or serious illness,
late assignments will NOT be accepted & will receive a grade of ZERO.

Tests: There will be 3 tests given in this class. Tests will cover material presented in class lectures, including
videotapes shown during class time, textbook chapters, class discussions, and any other material assigned. The
format of each test will be discussed prior to the date given, but may typically consist of multiple choice, short
answer, essay, fill in the blank questions, and/or a case analysis. No make-up tests will be given, except in the
case of a documented emergency or serious illness.

Course Evaluation
Course Grading Scale

A Note about Grades: An A is reserved for work that is exceptional in its appearance and exceeds the instructor’s expectations of
performance for the task/course. “A’s or “Bs” are not rewarded for simply doing those things that are expected of every Southern Methodist
University Student—i.e. coming to class on time, submitting quality work, and respectful behavior in the classroom. I will not withhold any
earned grade from a deserving student but neither will I reward average work with an “A”. The general grading criteria for
assignments and essay/short answer test questions starts from a C (which meets the basic required elements and is satisfactory work) and
either can move down towards an F or up towards an A (which represents an answer that clearly exceeds expectations and is excellent work).
General Course Policies
 Written assignments are graded on organization, clarity of issues/arguments, and content, as well as on grammar,
spelling, and punctuation (for free help with grammar/proof reading visit the SMU Writing Center 768-4253). Please type and double space all work using a 12 point font size with one inch margins. All work involving secondary sources should also include a reference page clearly indicating where information was obtained.
 Late work will not be accepted and will receive the grade of ZERO unless an unforeseen emergency arises for which
valid proof of absence is required. Please contact me by phone or email in the event of an emergency or stop by my office as soon as possible.
 No make-up tests or quizzes will be given. Please do not ask to take a test at a different time to accommodate a vacation,
a wedding, work, a plane flight or any other reason. Make your personal plans to fit around the class schedule. The only possible exceptions include: a documented personal illness or injury; a documented death in the family; or a university sanctioned extracurricular event. In such cases, students should contact me as soon as possible and preferably before the test time. Any make-up exam or quiz may differ from the original (to maintain the security of the test); therefore, any makeup test or quiz may be more difficult than the original and/or it may use a different format.
 Students have one week after test, quiz, and assignment grades have been posted to review their work and discuss any
questions regarding their grade. I am happy to discuss my comments and grading procedures, but grades are not
negotiable. You earn what you earn.

 Disability Accommodations: Students needing academic accommodations for a disability must first be registered with
Disability Accommodations & Success Strategies (DASS) to verify the disability and to establish eligibility for accommodations. Students may call 214-768-1470 or visit http://www.smu.edu/alec/dass to begin the process. Once registered, students should then schedule an appointment with the professor to make appropriate arrangements.  Religious Observance: Religiously observant students wishing to be absent on holidays that require missing class should
notify their professors in writing at the beginning of the semester, and should discuss with them, in advance, acceptable ways of making up any work missed because of the absence. (See University Policy No. 1.9.)  Excused Absences for University Extracurricular Activities: Students participating in an officially sanctioned,
scheduled University extracurricular activity should be given the opportunity to make up class assignments or other graded assignments missed as a result of their participation. It is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements with the instructor prior to any missed scheduled examination or other missed assignment for making up work. (University Undergraduate Catalogue). Note: An absence in this class for an athletic event or other SMU activity is not waived and will be counted as an absence with respect to the attendance policy.  Scholastic Dishonesty: All work undertaken and submitted in the course is governed by the University’s Honor Code. All
work in this course should be the original work of the student. A violation of the Honor Code may result in an “F” for
the course, and the student may be taken before the Honor Council. If you are unclear about this policy, either in general
or in its specific application, please see me. The Honor Code is in the SMU Student handbook and may be viewed on-line
at : http://smu.edu/studentlife/PCL_05_HC.asp
 Scholastic dishonesty includes plagiarism, which according to Webster is: “to take (ideas, writings, etc.) from
(another) and pass them off as one’s own.” Therefore, handing in a paper written by someone else is a clear example of plagiarism.  However, even the act of writing one sentence in your paper word-for-word of what someone else has written or
only changing one or two words is also a form of plagiarism. If you use a direct quote then put the statement in
quotation marks and cite the author. If you use the ideas of someone else, then re-write the ideas into your own
words followed by the author’s name in brackets. Information taken from the Internet is no exception.
 In general, always try to paraphrase (write in your own words) the ideas of other people and be sure to cite
their names within the body of your paper. Be careful. If you are unsure, please see me.
 All class material is Copyrighted (i.e., lectures, overheads) and may not be web posted or sold for profit.
 Laptops cannot be used in class. Turn off all cell phones, pagers, iPods and messaging devices while in class.
TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE *
Date
WEEK 1
Introduction to Course: Ethics & The Institution of Advertising
Advertising as an Institution – (Lecture) TH-Jan 19
Why is ethical behavior important?
Sheehan, Kim (2004), “Advertising, Its Supporters, and Its Critics,” in Controversies in
Contemporary Advertising, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., 1-15. (S) T – Jan 24
Beliefs about Human Nature & Advertising’s Rightful Place in Society
Rotzoll, K. B., J. E. Haefner, and S. R. Hall (1996), -“Idea Systems-Institutions:
Advertising and Classical Liberalism” in Advertising in Contemporary Society: Perspectives Toward Understanding, Chicago: The University of Illinois Press, pp 15-32. (On Blackboard) TH – Jan 26
Beliefs about Human Nature & Advertising’s Place ……in the 21st Century
Rotzoll, K. B., J. E. Haefner, and S. R. Hall (1996), -“Idea Systems-Institutions:
Advertising and Neo-Liberalism” in Advertising in Contemporary Society: Perspectives
Toward Understanding, Chicago: The University of Illinois Press, pp 33-56. (CP)

Advertising’s Role in the Economy & in Media
T – Jan 31
Advertising Ethics and The Economy
Rotzoll, K. B., J. E. Haefner, and S. R. Hall (1996) -“Advertising and The Economy” in
Advertising in Contemporary Society: Perspectives Toward Understanding, Chicago: The University of Illinois Press, pp 93-112. (CP) TH – Feb. 2
Advertising Ethics and Media
Sheehan, Kim (2004), “The Chinese Wall: Advertising and The Mass Media,” in
Controversies in Contemporary Advertising, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., 35-49. (S) Free Speech vs. Commercial Speech: Free Flow of Information
T – Feb. 7
Ethical Issues Related to Free Speech
Trager, Robert and Donna L. Dickerson (1999), “Prologue,” in Freedom of Expression in
the 21st Century, Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press, 1-9. (CP) TH – Feb. 9
Ethical & Regulatory Issues Related to Commercial Speech
Sheehan, Kim (2004), “Checks and Balances: Government & Self-Regulation,” 51-57. T – Feb. 14
ADVERTISING ETHICS & THE LAW
TH – Feb. 16
Introduction to Advertising Regulation - Government, Self & Consumers…
Fueroghne, Dean K. (2007), Chapter 1 (pp. 1-14) - “The Development of Control Over Advertising” in Law & Advertising, Pasadena, CA: Yellow Cat Press. (CP) Forms of Regulation: Gov., Industry (NAD, Media & Assoc.) & Consumers (Lecture) T – Feb. 21
Advertising - Federal Trade Commission (FTC) & Deceptive Advertising
Fueroghne, Dean K (2007) - Chapter 2 (read pp.16-41 & 48-50 / skim 41-46) - “An
Overview of the FTC’s Role in Advertising Regulation” (CP) TH – Feb. 23
Federal Regulation - FTC Specifics – Literal Untruths, Puffery, etc.
Fueroghne, Dean K. (2007) - Chapter 3 (read pp. 59-78; 85-92; 97-104) - “Specific
Areas of Concern Under the FTC Act” (CP) T – Feb 28
Advertising Ethics & Copyright Regulation
Fueroghne, Dean K. (2007) - Chapter 6 (pp. 170-196)- “Copyright Regulation” (CP)
TH –March 1 Advertising Ethics & Trademark Regulation

Fueroghne, Dean K. (2007) - Chapter 7 - (pp. 198-237) “Trademark Regulation” (CP) T – March 6
Ethics Online & Regulation
Sheehan, Kim (2004) – Chapter 16 – (only read regulation) – “Online Advertising” (S) TH -March 8
T – March 13
NO CLASS - SPRING BREAK
TH –March 15
NO CLASS - SPRING BREAK
SOCIAL & ETHICAL ISSUES IN ADVERTISING
T – March 20 Advertising, Ethics & the Letter of the Law
Martinson, David L. (2001), “Using Commercial Advertising to Build an Understanding of Ethical Behavior,” The Clearing House, Jan/Feb, 131-135. (CP) TH –March 22 Ethical Principles: Deontological, Teleological & More
Spence, Edward and Brett Van Heekeren (2005), “Ethical Reasoning & Ethical Principles,” in Advertising Ethics, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, pp. 1-16. (CP) How Does Advertising Affect American Society & Culture
T – March 27 Sheehan, Kim (2004), “Are Goods Bad? Living in a Consumer Culture,” in
Controversies in Contemporary Advertising, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., 17-33. (S) TH-March 29 Subliminal & Neuromarketing: Reality from Myth
Sheehan, Kim (2004), “Beyond Subliminal” in Controversies in Contemporary Advertising, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., 65-68. (S) T – April 3
Advertising to Children
Sheehan, Kim (2004), “Getting Older Younger: Children and Advertising,” in Controversies in
Contemporary Advertising, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., 159-176. (S)

TH – April 5
Ethics in Advertising: Advertising & Stereotypes
Sheehan, Kim (2004), “Influences of Stereotypes and Taste,” in Controversies in
Contemporary Advertising, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., 77-89. Chapter 6 - (S) Ethnic Minorities in Advertising
Sheehan, Kim (2004), “Advertising Portrayals of Asians, African Americans, and Hispanics,” in Controversies in Contemporary Advertising, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., 115-136. Chapter 8 - (S) (continued on April 10th) T – April 10
Minorities in Advertising
Sheehan, Kim (2004), “Advertising Portrayals of Asians, African Americans, and Hispanics,” in Controversies in Contemporary Advertising, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., 115-136. Chapter 8 - (S) (continued from April 5th class) TH –April 12 Reading Ads Critically….
Frith, Katherine Toland (1998), “Undressing the Ad: Reading Culture in Advertising,” in Undressing the Ad, Katherine Toland Frith, ed., Peter Lang, 1-14. (CP) T – April 17
Women in Advertising
Sheehan, Kim (2004), “Cats and Dogs on Venus and Mars,” in Controversies in Contemporary
Advertising, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., 91-113. Chapter 7- (S) TH –April 19 Socially Responsible Advertising
Sheehan, Kim (2004), “Really Good Goods? Socially Responsible Advertising,” in Controversies in Contemporary Advertising, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., 243-262. Chapter 15 –(S) T – April 24
Where Do Advertisers Go From Here?
Sheehan, Kim (2004), “Advertising: Agencies, Values and the Commons’ Dilemma,” in
Controversies in Contemporary Advertising, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., 285-295. Chapter 17 - (S) Snyder, Wally (2007), “Include Advertising Ethics in the Mix,” Journal of Advertising TH-April 26
Last class day.
Advertising is Just a Tool: The Choice for Change is Yours
Griffin, W. Glenn and Deborah K. Morrison, “Beyond Obligation: Advertising’s Grand
Potential to Do Good,” in Reichert, Tom (Ed.), Issues in American Advertising: Media, Society, and a Changing World, pp., 265-281. (CP) Exam Week
Final Test
THURSDAY MAY 3 from 3-6 p.m. in our regular classroom.
*The schedule indicates approximate dates when selected topics will be discussed. Students are responsible for schedule
changes announced in class and/or extra readings that may be assigned. Always check SMU email & Blackboard.

Source: http://people.smu.edu/laferle/ADV2375Syllabus.pdf