JAR Call For Papers – Advertising Ethics

Journal of Advertising Research Call for Papers

For a Theme on Advertising Ethics

Guest Editor:
Dr. Richard F. Beltramini
Wayne State University
(R_BELTRAMINI@WAYNE.EDU)

The Journal of Advertising Research invites practitioner and academic authors to submit papers for review and potential publication in an upcoming issue with a theme devoted to advertising ethics. The primary goal of this special issue is to build upon prior research in the JAR and others enhancing our understanding of ethical business practices, and to evaluate the new ethical challenges facing the advertising business. The deadline for submission of completed papers, not previously published nor currently under consideration for publication elsewhere, is December 1, 2010.

Both theoretical and empirical papers from various disciplines/theoretical perspectives and utilizing various research methodologies are welcome, emphasis will be placed on high quality conceptual papers based solidly on theoretical foundations, and empirical papers based on generalizable samples that have significant practical, managerial, and/or public policy implications. Authors are strongly encouraged to elaborate specifically on the contributions to learning/practice based on their findings.

Previous research on advertising ethics has addressed a wide range of issues, including advertising “creep,” commercial spamming, regulatory perspectives, technological advances, teaching advertising ethics, and future challenges anticipated. While papers on these topics are certainly welcome, much remains to be learned, and several suggested areas of inquiry are included below as a starting point only.

• Do consumers today trust advertising? To what extent has this changed over the years, and what can be expected in the future?
• What are the key ethics challenges of online and other “new media” advertising?
• What self-regulatory practices are needed to encourage ethical practices in the advertising industry? What additional regulatory actions are needed?
• How do “free speech” versus privacy concerns need to be balanced in evolving social media applications? Do “do not call” and opt in/opt out policies work?
• Advertising and minors:  What impact (e.g., violence, obesity, smoking/drinking, etc.) has been reliably linked to such targeting? What ethical implications and/or additional oversight are warranted regarding “kidnabbing,” “social media/buzz marketing,” etc.)?
• Are specific areas (e.g., political advertising, stealth advertising, viral marketing, etc.) more prone to ethical violations?  What should be done?
• Do implied (versus overt) product performance claims circumvent truthfulness in advertising? Does the provision of disclosures provide sufficient clarification in setting appropriate consumer expectations?
• Is the advertising industry sufficiently sensitive to sustainability/ecological concerns?
• How do domestic advertising ethical concerns compare to those in other countries? What regulatory differences exist, and how do they work in comparison?
• How should advertising ethics be addressed in schools and universities and within advertising agencies?  Can ethical practice be taught? What innovative approaches have worked?

Manuscripts must be received no later than December 1, 2010.

Dr. Richard F. Beltramini, R_BELTRAMINI@WAYNE.EDU.