Ethics and Regulations in Strategic Communication

Ethical Decision-Making Steps

Define problem, assess options, evaluate fairness.

Public Trust

Confidence in ethical conduct of professionals.

Professional Reputation

Public perception of an individual's ethical standards.

Ethical Stewardship

Responsibility to care for both client and public.

Regular Review of Ethics

Update codes every 5 years for relevance.

Challenges in Ethics

Diverse morals and values complicate decision-making.

Cultural Influence on Ethics

Upbringing and culture shape individual moral codes.

Long-term Benefits

Consider societal impact over short-term popularity.

Half-Truths

Incomplete truths that breed suspicion.

Golden Rule Test

Evaluate actions based on treating others fairly.

Light of Day Test

Consider how decisions appear in public scrutiny.

Ventilation Test

Seek input from others to evaluate decisions.

Right-vs-Right Dilemma

Conflicts between equally ethical choices.

PRSA Code Provisions

Guidelines for ethical public relations practices.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Integrate social concerns into business operations.

Enhanced Public Image

Positive perception from community engagement.

Behavioral Targeting

Ads tailored based on user online behavior.

Ethics in Advertising

Moral principles guiding advertising practices.

TARES Test

Framework for ethical persuasion in advertising.

Libel

Written falsehood damaging reputation.

Ethics

Standards guiding right and wrong behavior.

Values

Principles important to individuals or cultures.

Kant's Categorical Imperative

********* your action should be universal.

Existentialist Ethics

Seek balance between extremes in decisions.

Aristotle's Golden Mean

Virtue lies in moderation between extremes.

Mill's Principle of Unity

Greatest good for the greatest number.

Relational Ethics

Ethics rooted in relationships and emotional connections.

Golden Rule

Treat others as you want to be treated.

Code of Conduct

Guidelines for handling professional dilemmas.

Professional Code of Ethics

Document outlining organization's core values.

PRSA

Public Relations Society of America; ethical standards provider.

Transparency

Openness to public scrutiny to build trust.

Misrepresentation

Providing false or misleading information.

Loyalty Balance

Caring for both client and public interests.

Crisis Situations

Moments tempting dishonesty, risking long-term trust.

Morals

Personal principles determining right from wrong.

Right vs. Right Dilemma

Ethical conflicts with no clear solution.

Absolutist Ethics

Belief in absolute right or wrong decisions.

Situationalist Ethics

Decisions based on least harm or most good.

Slander

Spoken falsehood damaging reputation.

Defamation

False statement causing public contempt or injury.

Trademark

Symbol identifying a product's origin.

Commercial Speech

Promotion of products and services through advertising.

Time Constraints

Limited time affecting ethical decision-making.

Conflict of Loyalties

Divided allegiance between competing interests.

Public Interest

Welfare of the general public in decisions.

Consumer Preference

Favoring companies that support community initiatives.

Cultural Differences

Variations in advertising approaches across cultures.

Ethical Hot Buttons

Controversial topics in ethical advertising practices.

Fair Use

Limited use of copyrighted material without permission.

Conspiracy Liability

Legal responsibility for supporting illegal actions.

Social Responsibility

Organizations' obligation to act for societal good.

Advertising's Demand Creation

Influencing unnecessary consumption through persuasion.

Shape-vs-Mirror Debate

Advertising's role in shaping societal values.

Positives of CSR

Benefits like enhanced image and employee engagement.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

Enforces truth in advertising regulations.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Regulates broadcast media including radio and TV.

Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

Oversees advertising of drugs and cosmetics.

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

Grants public access to government records.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF)

Regulates advertising for alcohol and tobacco.

National Advertising Review Council (NARC)

Alliance of major advertising organizations for self-regulation.

Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU)

Investigates deceptive advertising aimed at children.

National Advertising Division (NAD)

Settles advertising disputes, 95% cases resolved.

Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)

Regulates online advertising practices since 1996.

Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WMMA)

Promotes ethical buzz marketing practices.

Direct Marketing Association (DMA)

Helps consumers avoid fraudulent marketing practices.

Strategic Communication Strategy

Guides campaign planning through research.

Research Process

Identify, design, collect, analyze, report data.

Secondary Research

Uses existing information for initial insights.

Primary Research

Generates new data to answer specific questions.

Qualitative Research

Gathers rich insights, not generalizable.

Quantitative Research

Collects numeric data for broad generalization.

Basic Research

Advances knowledge through theory testing.

Applied Research

Addresses specific real-world problems.

SWOT Analysis

Evaluates strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats.

In-depth Interviews

Systematic conversations for detailed data collection.

Focus Groups

Group discussions to gauge attitudes and perceptions.

Ethnography Studies

Research method observing subjects in their environment.

Advertising Review Process

Media can reject ads deemed objectionable.

Children's Advertising Guidelines

Regulates glamorization and endorsements in ads.

A/B Testing

Compares two versions to determine effectiveness.

Communication Audit

Collects all marketing communications for analysis.

Market Research Databases

Sources like Statista for market insights.

Moderator

Key facilitator for effective focus group discussions.

Self-disclosure

Participants share personal information in similar groups.

Participant Observation

Research technique observing natural behavior directly.

Ethnography

Researcher immerses in culture to study behaviors.

Surveys

Structured questions to gather public opinions and behaviors.

Sampling

Method of selecting participants for research studies.

Random Sample

Each participant has equal chance of selection.

Nonprobability Sample

Participants selected based on specific characteristics.

Experiments

Establish cause-effect relationships between variables.

Copy Testing

Evaluates materials before mass production.

Concept Testing

Feedback on ideas before finalizing products or ads.

Physiological Data

Measures physical responses to assess consumer reactions.

Eye-tracking Technology

Tracks where consumers look during ad exposure.

RACE

Framework for planning effective communication campaigns.

Goals

General statements of desired outcomes for campaigns.

Objectives

Specific, measurable outcomes to achieve campaign goals.

Tactics

Specific actions to implement strategies in campaigns.