A Comment on the Pontifical Council for Social Communications' Ethics in Advertising

Advertising may inform the decisions to initiate consumption of an innovative product category. If executed well, it may assist consumers in distinguishing among brands in a mature product category. But it is important to remember that the information conveyed by advertising is evaluated in the context of the larger information environment, the perceived consequence of a particular choice in a particular circumstance, and consumer values influenced by family, peer groups, religion, ethnic background, education, and the like. Advertising is but one, relatively weak, influence in the consumer decision-making process. The Pontifical Council for Social Communications' document entitled Ethics in Advertising grossly overstates advertising's power to create needs.