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advertisements include advice about how these can be done. This type of advertising is done

mainly by governments.
social responsibiliTy of aDverTisers

The producers of goods and services have to compete with a large number of rival producers
to sell their products. So, producers who advertise always try to show that their products
are better than those of their rivals. However, in their urge to do so, they should not harm
the consumers (ultimate users). Social advertising is done as a part of social responsibility
by the government as well as business organisation, NGOs etc. So, they should not―

• make false claims about their products or mislead consumers;

• go against moral values and accepted standards of decency;
• hurt the feelings of people of any race, caste, sex,
religion or country;
• encourage people to take part in violent or dangerous
or illegal activities; or

• contain unfair remarks about rivals or about any other
person or organisation. Social Advertising
consumerism

Protecting consumers against harmful or low-quality products, misleading advertising,
unfair price, false and incomplete information, rough behaviours and undue conditions,
etc. is known as consumerism.
Organisation for protecting consumer’s interests are found in most countries. Often such
organisations are set up by the government.

In order to protect the interests of the consumers, the government passed the Consumer
Protection Act in 1986. The act has led to setting up of separate Departments of Consumers
Affairs in central and state governments, which focus exclusively on the rights of the consumers
as enshrined in the Act. Most important feature of the Act is the provision for setting up a
three-tier system, popularly known as Consumer Courts at national, state and district levels.
Consumers can seek justice through these Courts. Besides, they can make free telephone calls
and get advice through the National Consumer Helpline. They can get online information and
advice through the Consumer Online Research and Empowerment Centre.
The communication media plays a significant role in promoting consumerism. Consumers
often use the media to complain about products or companies. Companies too use the
media to defend their products and policies. Besides, the media give information that
benefits consumers. You must have seen different articles in magazines and newspapers
and programmes on television that give us information about the products and their prices,
laws of protecting consumers and so on.

aDverTisinG anD Democracy

Most of the product categories are overcrowded with products. We get to see numerous
advertisements for a particular type of product. Companies have to show advertisements
day in and day out to constantly remind people about their presence in the market. Making
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