Socially Responsible/Irresponsible Ads

3 ADS THAT ARE SOCIALLY OR ETHICALLY IRRESPONSIBLE

Crispin Porter is an agency known for their sometimes off beat and edgy advertising, but in this ad for Molson Beer they have crossed the line and acted in an irresponsible manner. Although the concept is funny, it is completely unethical. The ad promotes one-night stands and casual sex, two things that do not need to be praised or celebrated in a beer advertisement, especially one on a billboard that is completely exposed to the public. Both Crispin Porter and the Molson brand should have taken a second look at this ad and realized the ethical irresponsibility that it promotes. Crispin Porter + Bogusky.

Volkswagen usually advertises in such a highly respected and socially responsible way, but this ad that they are using to promote their Golf GTI has put a serious blemish on their reputation. The ad promotes reckless driving and resisting arrest by the police. They got their point across that the car is fast, but they did so in an unethical way. DDB Berlin.

You've got to be kidding me. This is probably the most irresponsible form of advertising that I have ever seen. Fly Pizza has put their business card on a rolling paper package. Not only are they distributing this irresponsible advertising to the public, but also they are praising their campaign's success as well. They try to justify their ad by saying that the target market is tobacco smokers, even though the ad is clearly aimed at marijuana users. Tobacco doesn't even make you hungry, it actually curbs your appetite. Marijuana users are the ones often labeled with having "the munchies," and that is clearly the strategy that Fly Pizza is working off of. And even if Fly Pizza is actually targeting tobacco smokers, that is still irresponsible because a pizza parlor has no reason to condone and promote tobacco use. Publicis Italy.

3 ADS THAT PROMOTE A PRODUCT OR SERVICE IN A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY

This outdoor ad shows how Hellmann's Mayonaise is making a socially responsible decision to use free range chicken eggs in their products, rather than eggs from closely confined chicken farms. This ad will appeal to consumers in two ways. First, it promotes an ethically responsible choice made by the company, and secondly, it shows that they are using the highest quality ingredients in their mayo. The more a company shifts towards being ethical, the more their brand is respected and recognized. Ogilvy & Mather London.

Citibank has recently done a lot of advertising that is labeled "unbanklike" in its approach. Fallon has created a series of ads that share the idea that money may not be a priority in everyone's life. They did a lot of research into conventional bank advertising, which typically focuses on how a bank can increase the size of someone's bank account, and they chose to take a more socially responsible approach. Citibank wants to make an emotional connection with their customers, and explain to them that they understand that there are more important things in life than money. Fallon Minneapolis.

Starbucks has recently taken a "fair trade" approach to the way they do business, and have been promoting the fact that they are now one of the largest buyers of Fair Trade Certified coffee in the world. Fair Trade is an alternative way of doing business. It is a trading partnership that involves paying the farmers for the coffee directly, without having predatory intermediaries get in the way. Fair Trade business establishes a good relationship between the coffee producers and the consumers, and is a smart business strategy that should help build Starbucks' reputation as an ethically concerned company. AMV/BBDO.

3 ADS THAT PROMOTE A SOCIAL ISSUE OR CAUSE IN A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY

This ad for the Juvenile Protective Agency is promoting child abuse awareness in a responsible manner. The ad shows how verbal abuse of a child is just as wrong as physical abuse. They used a strong visual with the hand made out of abusive phrases pulling the child's hair. The look on the child's face shows exactly how much verbal abuse hurts kids, and hopefully the ad's message will be seen by future and current abusers and make an impact on their actions. EuroRSCG Chicago.

This ad for the Special Olympics carries a very powerful message. It is drawing attention to the fact that many people use the word "retard" in a very irresponsible way, and that it is often viewed as a word with negative connotations. They compare the effect of using the word "retard" to the effect of using words like "chink" and "faggot." Although the ad is promoting awareness for this cause in a shocking manner, it really displays the Special Olympics' message loud and clear. BBDO New York.

Pollution ranks high up on the list of important issues worldwide. This ad for the Akatu Institute for Conscious Consumption has a great visual that shows pollution's effect on the environment and all of its living inhabitants. The image is saying that pulling resources from the wild to further industrial advancement causes pollution that kills off a large portion of the living environment. The client's message is that more pollution equals less life, which is a powerful statement that needs to be heard by the masses, especially those responsible for this detrimental pollution. TBWA Brazil.