Misplaced marketing commentary: Ethics in advertising: a report from the Pontifical Council for Social Communications

This paper summarizes a report from the Pontifical Council for Social Communications on the state of ethics in advertising worldwide. The paper begins with the assertion that advertising profoundly impacts the way people understand themselves and the world around them. It then looks at the potential benefits of advertising on society and the harm done by advertising. Moral principles that are essential for ethical advertising are then identified. Finally, the paper looks at who is responsible for ensuring that advertising is ethical.