Catholic Advertising Principles: The Cultural Benefits of Advertising

The Pontifical Council for Social Communications' document, Ethics in Advertising, provides a useful ethical frame of reference for individuals and organizations, regardless of their religious affiliation. The report looks at the profound impact of advertising - harms and benefits - and highlights moral principles and norms that can help to ensure its impact is positive rather than negative.

As for the benefits of advertising, the document discusses economic benefits, cultural benefits, benefits of political advertising and moral and religious benefits.

I'd like to take a closer look at the cultural benefits of advertising by quoting from that section of the document:
" Because of the impact advertising has on media that depend on it for revenue, advertisers have an opportunity to exert a positive influence on decisions about media content. This they do by supporting material of excellent intellectual, aesthetic and moral quality presented with the public interest in view, and particularly by encouraging and making possible media presentations which are oriented to minorities whose needs might otherwise go unserved."

"Moreover, advertising can itself contribute to the betterment of society by uplifting and inspiring people and motivating them to act in ways that benefit themselves and others. Advertising can brighten lives simply by being witty, tasteful and entertaining. Some advertisements are instances of popular art, with a vivacity and elan all their own."

There are, therefore, two primary cultural benefits according to Ethics in Advertising, the first of which is the impact advertising has on supporting quality media content with the public interest in view.

This is a point worth considering for organizations who are only thinking of advertising as a means of self- or brand-promotion. The best advertising, if aligned with Catholic principles, is always done with the public interest, hopefully served by the media where the ads appear, in mind.

As an advertiser, you have the opportunity to be a patron of the common good - through the media outlets your ad dollars support.