Inappropriate nature of adverts

[CandOdad]

Is it me or do adverts get more and more immoral? Over the last few years they seem to have gotten worse. They don't just advertise a product but lay serious moral worries into peoples hearts, at the time of day as well when vulnerable people could have these issues play on their minds? If its not some older person telling us how they have seen the light and laid financial plans for their death or left money for others. I have just seen, what I consider the worst case of this with a group of children basically saying that mummy and daddy care more about insuring the TV and the car over buying life cover in case the worst should happen.

I wont even get started on the adverts for charities that are on during children's TV that have more than once made my daughter cry.

Is it unreasonable to think adverts should pass a morality test just like those that say they do something need to be able to prove that they actually work?

[MrsHathaway]

I agree that they're often awful.

That's why we watch almost everything from catchup or recorded (ff through ads) and the DC only watch BBC children's channels.

[LurkingHusband]

Is it unreasonable to think adverts should pass a morality test

Of course it isn't.

Oh hang on, whose morality ?

[TheBestChocolateIsFree]

I think that for example the Safe the Children fund would claim that it was very moral to prioritise raising money to save children's lives over worrying about whether their adverts upset the protected and beloved children of the developed world for a day.

Some adverts are immoral, but that's mostly the gambling ones IMO. Reminding parents to get life insurance seems fair enough, but the funeral insurance ones aimed at the elderly are a bit iffy.

[notquitehuman]

Ads are getting more manipulative and mawkish. We watch less ads with catch up services etc, and people are much more cynical about what they watch, so I think advertisers are trying so much harder to tug on our heart strings.

I like this spoof of life insurance commercials:

[kissmethere]

I despise adverts. Thank goodness for TiVo and being able to skip through.

[CandOdad]

Charity adverts shouldn't need to tug on heart strings though. Ask to donate and that's it. As for how to "morality" test. I would hope that when something is clearly using emotional blackmail then that's the test.

[sElizabeth]

YANBU, I used to work in the charity sector and the kind of charity adverts being shown during children's programmes/on children's channels was one of the (many) things that made me want to completely change career.

[ifgrandmahadawilly]

YANBU. In my opinion the BHF advert is currently the worst for this. The one that shows the little boy waiting for his father to come home with his father's ghost.

As someone with a heart condition and a family history of sudden death due to cardiac problems, this makes me really, really angry.

How dare you tell my child that she has to worry that I'm dead any time I'm late / not around. How fucking dare you!

[ABetaDad1]

I mentally tune out of adverts but the charity ones really grate. Charity fund raising is a business pure and simple and the TV was inundated with the adverts for them over Xmas. I wont be donating.

Morality does not come into it as long as they meet the relevant legal standards but maybe the law needs revising.

[Doublebubblebubble]

I'm watching a lot more tv (on mat leave) and have noticed this... Have to agree with the stc ads having to be the way they are. I agree that the gambling/candy crush ads are morally reprehensible

[Jw35]

Hate adverts. The worse one was the dating site for married men or women to encourage affairs and the one that goes 'if you're single or even if you're not' it's just wrong! Charity ones make me sad but I can at least understand the point in them, I don't really need shocking into caring though. Or not to drink drive! Those are awful for kids to watch!

Also why are toothpaste ads always got a white screen over them and only women eat yoghurt! Lol

[finetonive]

The worst ones are the cancer charity adverts.

Way to go to make someone with cancer feel even shitter than they already do, not to mention making them feeling awkward in front of their family when these adverts come on.

Even more despicable when they have these adverts on over the Christmas period. - The one time when most cancer patients are trying their best to put it to one side for a while and concentrate on the good things.

[NorthernRosie]

I particularly liked the baby with cancer advert they showed in the cinema the other day at the special baby showing....