The End is Near

Geez, is the semester over already? It feels like just yesterday that I was dreading coming into this class. I know that seems harsh, but to someone who considers herself to be extremely conscientious, a mandatory course in ethics can initially seem pointless. But I have to say that by the end of it all, this class proved to be indeed valuable, and I am thankful that I was forced to take it.
            
I had taken a course in philosophical ethics back in junior college in 2006, so I was familiar with most of the ethical theories (however, considering the time lapse, a refresher didn’t hurt). In that class we mostly applied these theories to general life situations, which made for some very interesting class debates when we got to topics like assisted suicide and homosexuality. Although in this class the situations to which we applied the theories were more professional, I feel that this kind of study seems more real in the fact that many of the cases we examined will be similar to experiences I will encounter in the real world as an advertiser.
            
I learned, much to my dismay, that a lot more unethical, underhanded behavior occurs in the communications industries today than I would have imagined. This was a bit disheartening, and I hope that I do not someday work for a company that makes some of the more heartless decisions that we have discussed. While most of the cases we looked at were issues of tremendous impact, I know that at the very least, there will be issues of a smaller scale that I will encounter everyday in my professional pursuits. As we joked about in class, I will probably never sit down and make out a Potter’s Box to assess all the facets of the situation, but being familiar with the different methods of ethical evaluation will prove useful in making a decision in which I will be confident.
            
I learned quite a bit form the coursework, too. Although there were times that the case studies seemed like an absolute nightmare, this kind of group writing taught me a lot (mostly that people can’t write). I feel that a group paper is one of the hardest things to do and even harder to do well. Depending on so many different people with different schedules and work habits was nerve-racking at times, but it was satisfying to get all of our ideas together in a cohesive manner in the end. Since I will be starting graduate classes in journalism next spring, it was good practice to write with others and spend hours editing my brains out.
            
I have also enjoyed writing these blogs. I firmly believe that to be able to write conversationally is an important skill to have, and these assignments provided some great practice for just that. While I write my own personal blogs about the craziness behind the service industry and weekly write blog entries for the web development agency for which I work, I liked creating work that was actually graded. This constructive criticism has really helped me to become more aware of some of my more common mistakes, and I truly hope to continue to grow and improve as a writer (thus the grad school immediately following graduation). I enjoyed the challenge of writing in an attempt to meet the rigid standards and from this, have truly learned a good deal about writing just in the course of this class.
            
As droning as the legal stuff towards the end of this semester seemed, there was much with which I was not familiar. Not only did I learn a lot by studying the legal aspects we examined in class, I also learned that there is much more for me to learn in order to be well versed in the industry regulations by which I will have to abide. In order to move forward, one must understand the past, and these regulations are in place because of past mistakes and abuses of freedom. To ensure that I do not unknowingly repeat these mistakes, I now realize that I need to thoroughly understand the legal implications of advertising. I want to work in a way that is not only ethical, but also legal. I would hate to one day be in the midst of a crisis like one of those presented in class simply because of uninformed negligence.
            
As the industry faces a new set of challenges ushered in by the Digital Age and the rise of social media, the rules of privacy, slander and libel are forced to quickly evolve to regulate the relatively new online world. This creates a whole new realm of ethical dilemmas, and as a part of the new generation of communications professionals, I will help in shaping the future of this budding medium. I feel that the knowledge I have acquired in this class has prepared me to direct this medium in a positive direction.
            
While this course sometimes proved stressful, looking back I see that I have truly learned from it in a way that will make me a better and more ethical advertiser. Maybe I just will make a Potter’s Box at work sometime in the future, who knows?

Saving Private Info

I laugh at the fact that there are people who want to argue the issue of privacy on a website where they voluntarily pour out their entire lives online—that’s right, I’m talking about Facebook. I remember the first time I realized that the advertisements on the right side of my Facebook homepage were strangely customized to my personal interests, but instead of the rage and violation many experienced, I felt joy.

            
Granted, this was after I had made a personal commitment to a life in advertising. Some would say my positive response was out of empathy for the profession. While this might have had some kind of effect on my reaction, I honestly feel that I would have felt more or less the same way otherwise. Instead of being presented with ads for hair re-growth miracle products and trips to locations I’d love to visit but could never afford, I was receiving advertisements for tickets to my favorite band’s Dallas tour date and sales at local running-shoe stores. How could this possibly be a bad thing?
            
It turned out there were a good amount of people who did not regard this extraction of personal information to be such a marvelous occurrence. Not only do I defend this marketing mining with its usefulness, but I also would very much like the opportunity to remind these naysayers that the Internet is no place for information they wouldn’t want, or expect, to be public.
            
But alas, there are still those naïve enough to believe in a magical world where the Internet is a safe and secure place. Those poor rubes, I assume they are the same ones who make identity theft a simple task for digital thieves. It’s not that I wouldn’t want a world where this wishful thinking was a reality, but it is simply not possible.
            
I can (sort of) understand how some would regard Facebook’s move to sell off its users’ marketing information as a violation of privacy. There is this kind of perceived safety under the veil of a “private profile,” but still, I would never think that this kind of privacy was extended to the administrators of that site. I would assume that they had the right to access my information, or even sell it, in exchange for providing me and hundreds of millions of others with a free social networking website. I do suppose that I have always been leery of anything “free,” assuming that there always has to be a catch—and there almost always is.
            
The creators of sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others like them did not put the time and effort in creating a site that provides a service free-of-charge to simply bring joy to its users. No, they of course invested their time and money for the same reason most people do—to make money. And to make money, this often implies one of two things: the consumer pays for the content or the advertisers pay for the content. I, for one, still prefer the latter, even if that requires marketers rustling through my personal interests and contacts. I use the word “personal” loosely considering it is information voluntarily posted on an online venue.
            
The Digital Age has certainly altered the idea of privacy. Just the other day I was thinking about how my cell phone is constantly giving away my geographic location and preventing me from ever getting away with the murder of my mortal enemies (Damn!). But at the same time, I no longer waste time driving around lost, I can find local businesses right when I need them and I am even made aware that my friends are at the bar just next door so I can join them instead of continuing to spend the rest of my night alone. (That last one is based on a true story.)
           
While there are compromises to privacy in exchange for a life with this kind of convenience, I personally feel that it is worth it. I love being able to connect with distant family, people I’ve encountered throughout every stage of my life and new contacts halfway around the world that I may never even meet in person. I like having the opportunity to share my life with others and display my interests. If marketers are interested in that information and want to use it for targeting purposes, let them. Advertisements will plague me everywhere anyway, so it might as well be messages that might actually appeal to me. It’s ultimately up to me whether or not I buy the advertised products anyway.
            
It seems as if privacy is now practically limited to what goes on within one’s own head and heart, and the only true gatekeepers to this information is one’s own mouth and hands. It has become a personal responsibility of each person opting into an online presence to control what information is shared and that that is not. I feel that it is time for people to understand that this kind of restraint is the only way to ensure privacy in today’s digitalized world.

Code to Joy

I find the slideshow title “Ethics in Advertising: The Ultimate Oxymoron?” to be quite humorous but at the same time a bit disheartening. As someone who grew up aspiring to have a career that would benefit society, I often battle with my decision to pursue advertising. I like to believe in my heart of hearts that I can still do some good as an advertiser, but it’s disappointing that others before me have given the field such a bad name.
            
I feel that many of the guidelines for ethical behavior should be common sense, but they wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for instances in which unethical behavior has taken place by others in the past. As patronizing as the industry code seems to someone as conscientious and responsible as myself and others like me, it is unfortunately necessary.
            
The PRSA Member Code of Ethics attempts to instill a sense of moral duty among professionals in order to preserve the integrity of the profession. The code preaches values like honesty, respect and fairness, which I feel should be present in anyone’s personal code of ethics. Values like advocacy, expertise, independence and loyalty guide behavior to be as the role of the ideal public relations professional should be.
            
Unlike advertisers, public relations professionals must show a sense of objectivity to uphold the standard of the free flow of information. As a liaison between the client company and its various stakeholders, PR professionals must walk the tightrope of providing information to the public while remaining loyal to clients. This seems impossibly tricky, and I have the utmost respect for those who succeed in doing this.
            
In this sense advertising just seems easier. And maybe that’s because less is expected from advertisers when it comes to being objective—and even worse, when it comes to being ethical.
            
Given advertising’s past I can understand why expectations are so low. With the ruthless promotion of cigarettes that only lessened when legislators stepped in and with ads constantly run even today that are deemed as harmful to some degree, future advertisers face an industry that its audience views with contempt. This is unfortunate considering we will be expected to persuade and communicate with these people who have rightfully became wary of our messages.
            
The in wake of the Digital Age, regulating ethical behavior in the industry has become even more complicated. Again it seems that professionals are trying to get away with all they can until laws are passed that will restrict them from doing so.
            
Fortunately organizations such as WOMMA have stepped in to help guide those who cannot themselves act ethically in the online world. Respect and honesty are also present in WOMMA’s code along with responsibility and privacy. (I just want to say that I think the fact that “responsibility” has to be included in any code and isn’t simply common sense to any professional is just sad.)
            
Privacy is an important aspect in online marketing. In just the few short years that the Internet has been around, so many have abused the information that is available to them. But maybe I’m the fool for not thinking to access this information. I mean, people volunteer this information on a medium that they know to be public. Shouldn’t they expect that marketers and advertisers would dig up this marketing gold? Probably. But the real question is, is it right?
            
Some would argue that it is acceptable, but I stand by WOMMA and the AAF’s stance on transparency. I feel that professionals in both advertising and public relations should never act in secret when it harms the public, and I feel that encroaching on privacy is harm to the public. Not only that, invading privacy online only generates more negative feelings towards advertising, and that is the last thing this industry needs.
            
Even with codes of ethics and regulatory laws, there are still advertisers who are searching for the loopholes before they close. This kind of behavior is incredibly retroactive for the industry. We need to advance as advertisers. Good marketing messages are those that have the power to persuade while still being ethically executed and do not inflict harm.
            
This brings up the other thing about advertising that bothers me—those in the audience who deem messages harmful due to their lack of personal responsibility. We have discussed this in class and seem to all agree that there are many who wrongfully protest advertising messages and their effect due to their own lack of personal accountability.
            
There are those who blame advertising on every social problem from childhood obesity to their own financial crises. Advertising made their kid fat. Advertising made them spend money they didn’t have. Excuse my language, but that is total bullshit.
            
These kinds of accusations against the advertising industry anger me. Even when acting ethically, it seems that advertisers can still cause “harm” to the public. I suppose this is a case of deontological ethics versus teleological ethics. One can abide by ethical values in his decision making yet still produce consequences that are negative.
            
This worries me. I fear that I could one day be at the other end of one of these accusations. I love humor and especially hyperbole, but I could one day produce a message that’s humor is deemed offensive or that’s obvious hyperbole is seen as misleading. That’s seems to take a lot of the fun out of advertising. I wouldn’t use these treatments with the intention of causing harm, but it seems as if anyone can be sued for anything these days.
            
I suppose the only way to avoid this is to take it one decision at a time. I will have to act not only as I feel right but also have the foresight to consider any possible harm to follow that may not be immediately obvious. I guess being able to see into the future will prove to be just as difficult as the job of the PR tightrope walker. Boy, making everyone happy sure isn’t easy.

The Real Beauty of Advertising

In today’s advertising landscape the pressure is on, now more than ever, to deliver results and to be able to support campaign efforts with measurable increases in sales and brand development. With these kinds of results-based expectations, it’s hard not to feel as if most if not all “ethical” decisions currently made in the industry fall under teleological theories of thought.

            
Utilitarianism is probably a likely defense—if anyone is ever even required to formally give one—claiming that actions taken in executing a strategic idea are justified in bringing about the greatest good to the greatest number, that “greatest number” either referring to the public being informed of a product or service or simply our capitalist society itself. While some might be hesitant to admit it, many decisions are also likely to fall under the scope of egoism, providing long term gain for the client company or agency despite any harm done to a potentially offended demographic or even societal values as a whole.
            
With this opinion of real world advertising being a very financially driven consequentialist work environment, I often ponder the motives behind seemingly genuine ads claiming to boost public morale.
            
One example on which I wish to focus is Dove’s 2004 launch of its “Real Beauty” campaign thought up by Ogilvy & Mather Toronto. This acclaimed advertising effort went against the grain of unrealistic ideals that had become all too common in the marketing of beauty products and attempted to empower real women by portraying the average female form and her variety of shapes and sizes as something to embrace with confidence and pride. In class we’ve discussed similarly stated efforts behind campaigns such as the Richard’s Group’s take on the Summer’s Eve product line in an attempt to advance women’s confidence in their bodies.
            
This does sound very well and good, but even with such seemingly noble motives, was this idea really rooted in means rather than ends? And of course the ends I’m referring to are sales of a product and the rise of a client brand’s name. Would the campaign still be considered a success if it brought about advancement for women but not an increase in sales for the client whose name was attached to the advertising? Was the client really all that concerned about empowering women or could they have cared less? Let’s not forget that Dove is under the umbrella of Unilever, the same company that simultaneously released racy ads for their brand of Axe body spray that many saw to be shallow and sexist.
            
I’d like to think that the effort behind the Dove campaign was truly genuine and motivated by commendable ethics that could be seen as either deontological and viewed as an act of good will towards womankind or even teleological and executed with the hope of bringing about positive consequences for the female population. However, my wariness of advertising tells me not to be so quick to give praise. This beautifully executed campaign could very well have been created in vain with nothing more but the motive to do a good job for the client, make the client look good, make some money, get some credit and win some industry awards.
            
And I really do hate that I feel this way, especially since I will soon enter this field that is seen by so many as untrustworthy and slick. I don’t want to believe that any of my ethically sound efforts in my professional career will always be thought of as nothing more than egotistical means to an end at the cost of the good of others and the well being of society. I also worry that the increasingly intense focus on results will pressure me to compromise what I feel is ethically good in order to simply keep my job. I have struggled with this issue ever since I decided on this major and future career.
            
For now I chose to believe that advertising can still be a place for good and ethical standards to exist and even be encouraged. Even if ethical dilemmas are solved via consequentialist ethics, I’d like to think that the intended consequences are positive results for those involved and harm is always dramatically minimized. I don’t feel that an egoist mindset will produce effects of which I can be proud. These kinds of decisions often put the public at risk and are the type of actions that I feel have earned advertising its less than favorable public opinion.
            
The Bivins book warns that most students walk out of college with their ethics course fresh on their minds and so sure that what they believe is right will never be compromised but that these same students soon realize that real world pressures will have them wavering their ethical standards in order to meet deadlines and advance in their careers. I hope that I can be the exception to this expectation and still succeed. Wish me luck.

Let's Get Ethical

Most, if not all advertising students have heard the glaring statistic that ranks their chosen profession as the third least trustworthy among public opinion, outdone only by politicians and attorneys. 
           
            
As an advertising hopeful, this hurts. It really does. I consider myself an extremely trustworthy person. I practice transparency and open-channel communication in my everyday personal life: my phone has no password lock, my social network pages are open to the public and my tweets have always been unprotected. 
           
            
Furthermore, the thought of cheating or stealing has always made my stomach churn. My ethical convictions are so strong that I have never even movie hopped. That seems silly, I know. And I’ll admit that cheating a billion-dollar corporation out of ten bucks falls into an area most would call gray and even inspires a Robin Hood-like rebellion among most, but for some inexplicable reason, this and similar situations have just always given me a feeling of unease. 
                       
            
So considering all this, understand why I take offense to a statement criticizing my future profession before I even get the chance to prove the stereotype wrong. But I will prove it wrong. 
           
            
As purveyors of information, media professionals are given a big responsibility--- to not lie. And yes, I was indeed being facetious just then when I acted as if this expectation is one that is difficult to meet. Come on, people; it’s not that hard. I am all about competition, but I’m even more about fairness.            
            
Getting ahead in the short term by fudging numbers, reporting unconfirmed news, falsifying facts, stealing work or using other unethical methods has been proven in history several times over to simply not be worth it.
            
Our American work culture, which is focused on increasingly higher expectations that are nearing humanly impossible, is creating pressures that when faced can make dishonesty seem like the only way to deliver and achieve success or simply keep a job. Especially with today’s economic climate, a small lie or an undetected use of another’s work can seem like justified means if it means keeping food on the table.

            
And that’s why an ethical mindset is such an integral part of media communications: one’s ethics can so easily be compromised when the stakes are high enough, and advertising is a particularly high stakes game. And again, there’s the country’s looming economic crisis and an unemployment rate that keeps millions up at night playing into employee behavior as well.

In 2009 Time.com posted results from a Harrison Interactive survey of 1,200 employed Americans that revealed “fully 28% of respondents said they would act immorally… to keep their jobs” (What People Will Do to Keep a Job). 
            
            
That is a serious statistic. While I may empathize with that 28 percent’s intentions (considering that they may have a family or other dependents for which to provide), their seemingly small lies and dishonest behavior could be the first domino to fall that ultimately causes a catastrophic disaster that could harm millions. 
           
            
Most of the scandals and corporate controversies of the last century can be attributed to attempted financial gain. And while they not only led to huge losses, negatively affecting capitol as well as reputation and brand equity, in several of these instances, the environment was destroyed and/or human lives were lost, as was seen in the blunder caused by BP in 2010.
           
            
As media professionals, we are the disseminators of information, and our dishonesty can be just as disastrous. To think that this is not true would be irresponsible and ignorant. Ethical behavior should be the guiding force in all we do. If not for the greater good, then for others. And if not for others, then for ourselves.
           
           
“With great power comes great responsibility.” ---Uncle Ben, Spiderman

The Top 10 Phrases No Server Ever Wants to Hear Her Customer Say

10. "I've been drinking all day!"

9. "So, what all do you have here?" (menus provided)

8. "It's my birthday---don't I get something for free?"

7. "Let me know if that card is declined."

6. "Can I have the largest water you have?" (as if pint glasses come in different sizes...)

5. "There's not any alcohol in this drink."

4. "Can my friend get your phone number?"

3. "There's this drink that I want, but I don't know what it's called or what's in it."

2. "What's the cheapest thing you have here?"


And the number one worst thing to hear a bar customer say...

1. "Can I get something to drink?"


There you have it, folks. Goodnight.

Work and Play-offs

Call me a fair-weather fan, but when a home team's success improves my income, I will whole-heartedly cheer them to more games---I mean victory. The Dallas Mavericks' intransigent progress through the NBA bracket has made every night they play into a goldmine. I'm hoping this trend continues, and on that note---let's go Rangers!

Things Get Heated

Friday night's big spectacle involved a stalled car down the street that slowly became consumed in flames. What started as a small fire below the carriage and an interested few soon became a possible explosion as the front half was aflame and an entertaining event for everyone on the patios of the three surrounding bars and countless others who had come outside to witness the horror.

Firefighters quickly arrived on the scene and doused the flames and apparently some spirits; among the applause for the rescue, I heard several boos. I think deep down, everyone was secretly hoping it would blow up.

Behind the bar, we started our own flame war on a picture posted by a fellow bartender on Facebook earlier that day. Reminiscent of a senior portrait, the bartender modeled a stoic expression while the acoustic guitar he held gently wept (I'm assuming). Not able to let this opportunity to harass escape us, we proceeded to print off at least 20 copies of the photo and place them in various humorous spots all over the bar, which included---but were not limited to: the cash register drawer, the shift schedule, the beer taps, the specials board and in several cases where only his head was cut out, on various framed wall pictures.

Most are still up, and I hope they remain up for a while---at a job like this, I could use all the help I can get to evoke a smile sometimes.

Royally Bored

The shifts are increasingly quieter these days, but the staff finds ways of having fun to keep up morale.

Yesterday involved a fancy-hat theme in honor of the royal wedding that all day had been the buzz of celebrity, style and gossip writers/reporters/bloggers worldwide and people in general who are under the impression that their opinions posted via Facebook have clout. The idea---dreamed up by our head waitress--- reminded me a bit of a gimmicky spirit day in high school, but won over even the most disgruntled of customers. Everyone loved it.

A slow day, but a fun day. Tonight I'm crossing my fingers for both high spirits and high volume---is it too much to ask for both?

The Terrible Tuesdays

Tuesdays are both the grossest and lowest grossing day of my work week.

Case and point: The guy who couldn't say a sentence without garnishing it with a profanity nor speak at a reasonable amount of decibels. His friends apologized, but apparently their apology was preemptive of their super sub-par tipping. Thanks for nothing. Oh wait, you did make my night worse, so thanks for that. And yes, I am being sarcastic.

Taking a Shot at Easter

This year marked the third Easter in a row that I've spent working in a bar. No matter the weather, it's always painfully slow, and today was no exception. The most productive thing I did was create a display of fake drink specials involving the Easter candy our manager had put out for customers. It was a lot like a dessert tray except that it was pretty much a given that no one would be interested. Oh, wait... it was exactly like a dessert tray.

It all started with "The 'Peep'le Pleaser" which evolved from the entertaining idea of simply using the chick-shaped marshmallow Peeps as a drink garnish. We later decided that "The 'Peep'le Pleaser" was nothing more than a shot of Rumplemintz with a blue Peep shoved onto the rim of the glass.

When we discovered that we also had purple Peeps available to us, the idea for the next shot was instantaneous---"The Purple 'Peep'le Eater." Basically it was a Purple Hooter shot with a purple Peep predictably serving as the garnish.

We started to realize that we were failing to incorporate the wide variety of candy we had at our disposal, so the next shot involved a Reese's peanut butter and chocolate candy molded into an Easter bunny straddling a shot of expresso-flavored vodka. To add a little more to it, we also threw a couple of candy eggs in there. The given title of "Hop On It" nicely conveyed the sexual undertones we were going for.

Of course no one took us up on these "special" offerings, but it sure did make five hours go by a hell of a lot faster. Oh, and did I mention that at the end of my shift I filled a 10-inch hallow chocolate Easter bunny with Guinness and proceeded to drink out of it? Oh, well I did.

Happy Easter.

I Traveled Back In Time Last Night

The topic for my first entry presented itself most unwelcomely immediately upon my arrival to work yesterday. Little did I know that the blinking red light at the last intersection I cross on my route to work cruelly foreshadowed the lack of power that extended to include the bar. Had I recognized the warning, I might have just turned back then.

This is something that I've only had to deal with maybe a few times in my six years in the service industry, and while I consider myself a seasoned pro in the biz, I am notorious among my coworkers for being the first to lose my cool in these conditions. Why? Because the jaded self-proclaimed "beer connoisseurs" of Dallas do not care if a power loss means you have to do the same job harder which thus, takes longer; they are far from compassionate and anything but patient in these situations. So during these shifts, my tips suffer, my spirit dies and the phrase "fuck my life" runs through my head repeatedly.

Several people leave due to our limited menu, then we lose draught beers to heat. Half of the computers come back up---a much appreciated miracle---but all in all, the shift predictably proved tiresome and unrewarding.

The quaint and simple ways of the 1950s have no place in the fast-paced modern Metroplex. Sure, our reliance on computers can always be criticized with the hypocritical statement of "the world managed without them before." And yeah, it did. But waitresses in the 1950s weren't averaging $1500 sales on weekends.

My sister works the day shift today and just sent a text to let me know that the power is back on. It's a good thing too because I'm not sure my will could withstand another trip back to the past tonight.

Back to the Ol' Grind

I should've done this a long time ago, but I'll just start now.

My name is Savannah, and I am a cocktail waitress at a bar in Dallas. This line of work generates some spectacular stories, but most are expressed in petty complaints to co-workers and then quickly forgotten.

You would not believe some of the stuff people do in bars. You wouldn't know because I am assuming that you are one of those stand-up people, the ones who can civilly have a few, pay the bill without contest and be responsible enough to find the safest way home---not the ones breaking pool cues on a punching bag, slitting his best friend's throat with a broken bottle or hiding in the bathroom till after close to strangle the guy who tried to calm him down (all true stories).

I go to work the Friday night shift in two hours, and today will mark the first day of many where I will be chronicling my misadventures in this crazy job. To remain sane, I have to remind myself daily, "you'll get out of this, that's why you're going to college." It doesn't always work, but maybe this will help.