AND NOW, A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR

 Maybe it’s just me, but I find the juxtaposition of certain recent TV ads to be more than a little strange.

 Take for example the series that was aired during a pre-game sports show in advance of one of the holiday football bowl games.  The initial ad was a series of individual investors, telling the business leaders of America that they expected – no, they actually felt entitled to -- honesty, integrity, accountability and truth, before they would put their hard earned money into an investment opportunity. The pitch was, if they invested through the major US stock exchange that sponsored the ad, they would find companies with the characteristics they were after.  This stock exchange could be trusted, and so could the companies whom they listed!  Great.  Very impressive.  The ad seems to show the business world is reacting to the small investors’ concerns about last year’s accounting scandals. 

 But then, this ad was followed by these;

·         A major beer company’s ad that has two young guys cutting through their wall and into the back of refrigerator in the adjoining apartment to steal a six-pack.  The obvious implication is this beer is worth doing anything to get, even breaking and entering and petty theft!  So, rather than running out to the local store, spend your time at larceny.

·         That stupidity was closely followed by a big fast food company whose ad featured a fellow coming to the drive-up window and being offered a dessert for just an additional dollar when added to his order.  The customer figures it’s too good to be true, so it must be that the inside guy is pulling something off on the company for which he works.  The customer tells him “thanks for hooking me up—this conversation never happened”  (wink, wink).  I guess the message is “OK fella, as long as I’m getting something out of it, I’ll help you with your scam against your employer, just keep me out of it.”

·         The last ad featured two young men at a supermarket checkout counter, who spy a case of premium beer coming down the conveyor right behind their own groceries. They look at each other, then quickly look around to see who’s watching, and then they move the plastic divider bar from in front of beer to behind it, so it is now included with their groceries.  Now, they would end up paying for it so no theft is involved here.  But rather than go back and get a case of their own which would take all of two, maybe three minutes, they steal it from the person behind them in line.  The implication here, “take advantage of the other person, just as long as you don’t get caught, the beer is worth the risk”.

 Now I know these ads are suppose to be funny, and perhaps I’m taking it all too seriously.  But when people are justifiably demanding higher standards from the business leaders of this country, one must question who, within those companies is reviewing and authorizing ads that promote products via the implied use of theft, fraud and deception.  And perhaps just as importantly, who is writing those ads and what market research is causing them to think consumers will decide to purchase the products being advertised based on having those kinds of buying motives stimulated.

 Maybe the creators and sponsors of ads that glorify questionable practices missed the turn, but things are different now.  The atmosphere in businesses all over the country has changed. Values are important.  Integrity matters. Character and responsibility are relevant.  Ethics and ethical practices are good business.  These are the things that are very much in vogue today.  Business is getting its “soul” back because investors and consumers alike are disgusted with the alternative, and are tired of being taken advantage of.

 Companies that continue to tolerate, practice and promote “sharp” business methods and questionable business actions will someday wake up to find they have been the victim of a theft.  The more responsible and ethical competitors will have stolen their market share!