EOC Week 2: Ethics in Commercials

I found the above commercial to be highly unethical for two reasons. The part that was mainly unethical was how the message of the product was delivered. It starts off with a little kid, around seven years of age, and he’s doing all of this obnoxious things for a kid his age. He’s getting a tattoo, trying to fly a jet, getting pulled over by the cops for driving a car, has a chainsaw in class and cuts a desk, etc. At the end of the commercial, he runs up to his mom’s bedroom door and asks his mom a question while the door was closed. He asked his mom if he could put the cat in the washing machine and she said “Yes! Yes! Yes!” and the little kid ran off happy that he’s able to put the cat in the washing machine.

I found this highly unethical because they shouldn’t have incorporated a little kid into a commercial like that; especially in that manner. The company could’ve got the same message out with a more appropriate approach. The second reason was the chainsaw scene. I feel as if the chainsaw scene was a little too much. I know they’re trying to make it seem like the kid is dangerous because his mom keeps telling him that he can do things, but there’s a certain line companies shouldn’t crossed and they crossed it! Having that young of a kid with a chainsaw cutting a desk in half is almost as bad as a gun but worst than a knife. If you ask me, they should have found a better scene to shoot than that.

In conclusion, I feel as if this company could’ve taken a more professional and appropriate approach to convey the message: “Hansaplast Condoms are pure pleasure.”