Includes bibliographical references (p. 279-302) and index.

A student focused exploration of economic, political, social, and ethical perspectives on advertising, covering issues such stereotyping, controversial products, consumer culture, and new technology.

1. Advertising, its supporters, and its critics -- an approach to advertising and ethics -- Advertising's role in society -- Economic role -- Information role -- Entertainment role -- Role of critics in society -- Types of advertising criticism -- Case study : Groupon -- 2. Living in a consumer culture -- Advertising : informational and transformational -- Advertising and brands -- Branding -- Globalization, advertising, and meaning -- Active and passive consumers -- Consumers and manipulation -- Case study : McDonald's -- 3. Advertising and the media : changes and challenges -- Global media landscape -- Vertical integration -- horizontal integration -- Blurring content lines -- Influence of the Internet -- Advertisers' challenges an concerns -- Case study : Converse and CGM -- 4. How advertising is regulated : government and industry -- Advertising regulation in content -- Advertising and freedom of speech -- First Amendment protection of advertising in the United States -- False and deceptive advertising -- Advertising self-regulation -- Case study : Hyland Auto Sales -- 5. Beyond subliminal : the pervasiveness of persuasion -- Persuasive content and subliminal messages -- Product placement -- Product placement in film -- Product placement in television -- Advertising and editorials -- Intended effects -- The Von Restorff effect -- Unintended effects -- Case study : green product placement -- 6. Advertising choices : influences of stereotypes and taste -- Stereotypes in advertising -- How stereotypes work -- Cultivation theory -- Social identity theory -- Expectancy theory -- Sensitivity, taste, and advertising -- Choices in advertising -- Case study : aspirational messages in China -- 7. Gender and advertising : how gender shapes meaning -- Gender and information processing -- Gender and stereotypes -- Role portrayals -- Beauty stereotypes -- Decorative and sexual stereotypes -- Role-product congruity -- The theory that sex sells -- Objectification -- Advertising's responsibilities to men and women -- Case study : Seventeen Magazine -- 8. Advertising and race : examining the melting pot -- Minorities in the United States -- Marketing and advertising to minorities -- Portrayals of ethnic groups -- Assimilation and acculturation -- Marginalization and invisibility -- False perceptions of diversity -- Fetishization -- Advertising, minorities, and the future -- Case study : Fair & Lovely -- 9. Advertising and age, sexual orientation, and ability : marginalized or mainstreamed? -- Advertising and elders -- Person with disabilities -- Lesbian, gay, transgender, and bisexual populations -- Invisible populations -- Case study : Liberty Mutual -- 10. Children and advertising : emerging consumers, problematic strategies -- Children as consumers -- Children as brands -- Children as vulnerable consumers -- Children, advertising, and the learning process -- Social learning theory -- Media as curriculum -- Regulation of advertising directed to children -- Criticism of advertising directed to children -- Case study : should sodas be taxed? -- 11. Advertising controversial products : bans and beliefs -- Nature of controversial products -- Rite-of-passage products -- Sexually oriented products -- Company philosophy -- Ban or not to ban advertising of controversial categories? -- Freedom of speech -- Approaches to controversial advertising -- Temperance or moderation messages -- Warning labels -- Content restriction -- Tax issues -- Case study : advertising guns -- 12. Tobacco and alcohol advertising : industries in flux -- Regulation of tobacco and alcohol advertising -- Criticisms of tobacco and alcohol advertising -- Case study : tobacco and LGBT consumers -- 13. Advertising prescription drugs : healthy tactics or risky propositions? -- Types of DTC advertising -- Guidelines for DTC brand advertising -- Creation of distrust -- Case study : EpiPen and the FDA -- 14. Political advertising : do "we the people" still matter? -- Definitions of political advertising -- Freedom of speech and political advertising -- Process of political advertising -- The future -- Free airtime -- Regulate the Internet? -- Public financing of campaigns -- Longer spots -- Codes of conduct -- Case study : broadcasting disclosures of political advertising -- 15. Socially responsible advertising : does a brand have a conscience? -- Corporate images and values -- Socially responsible advertising -- Increase in socially responsible messages -- Increased interest in causes -- Stakeholder concerns -- Creating socially responsible advertising -- Relevance -- Clarity -- Demonstrate caring -- Assess commitment -- Balance of cause and company -- Provide solutions -- Track results -- Case study : greengrocers -- 16. Online advertising : the ever-evolving landscape -- Brief history of the Internet -- Internet today -- Global medium -- Interactive medium -- Lightly regulated medium -- Influential medium -- Ubiquitous medium -- Current challenges -- Context issues -- Data collection and privacy -- Copyright issues -- Transparency -- Crowdsourcing -- Case study : behavioral targeting -- 17. Advertising : being ethical advertisers in a challenging age -- Becoming authentic -- Agencies and advertising -- Case study : a personal brand.