I didn’t want to go anywhere near the oil spill with these blogs. It’s just not an issue that I wanted to touch here; and on its own, it’s not really relevant either. However, I didn’t find much this week, and this article was really the only one that caught my eye. It’s not really about the spill though; it’s about a piece of advertising. It sort of got me thinking about how much freedom advertisers should have in what they say.
The article here is talking about an advertisement for New Orleans tourism that has been pulled because it was deemed “anti-British.” The ad was to let tourist know that the entertainment area is still “open for business.” This is a quote from the article: “‘This isn’t the first time New Orleans has survived the British,’ it read alongside a photo of Jackson Square in the French Quarter.” Representatives said that the ad was not meant to be offensive, but rather humorous. Should they have let the ad stand? They say it was meant to be humorous, but is that effective or is the oil spill too serious an issue to be making jokes about?
We all know about “false advertising,” but is it okay to “bend the truth” in advertising? I’ve heard things like when ads or labels say “Fat Free!” that the food may not really contain no fat, but that the company is not charging you for whatever fat content it has. These are only a couple of examples, but you get the idea. Should advertisers have freedom to say whatever they like, as long as it’s not an outright lie?
Caveat emptor. Yes, I think advertisers should be able to say what they want. Of course, this all hinges on what you mean by "be able." I think of it as "be legally able," as in New Orleans is free to publish this particular advertisement, and the British are free to be offended and boycott.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think any Brit thinking about coming here should mentally prepare themselves for the inevitable onslaught of post-Revolutionary War/Battle of New Orleans gloating that we just never really get bored of ribbing British visitors with.
I find the add slightly humorous. A little bit of humor can go a long way in the face of something as tragic as the oil spill. It sounds like the same people that made the add were just trying to avoid any more bad press. Offending some potential customers isn't the best way to make money.
ReplyDeleteAs Derek said, yes, legally advertisers should have the right to say whatever they want, barring an outright lie. In reality, it is counterproductive for them actually live by a policy like that. They have a job to do--sell a product--and if a particular ad is going to do the exact opposite then it is one that should be pulled. In this case, the advertisers apparently know a large portion of their audience are Brits, and to offend the Brits means not selling their product--the city of New Orleans--well. Makes sense to pull the ad in that situation. The ad would likely have worked if their audience was primarily Americans, but it wasn't so they made the smart business move and pulled it with apologies.
ReplyDelete~Lynn