RESUMEN: El trabajo se ha llevado a cabo mediante una visión de la evolución de la publicidad a lo largo del tiempo, de su capacidad para influir en los consumidores y, de cómo su función principal ha pasado de persuadir al público objetivo a convertirse en creadora de deformaciones éticas y sociales. En la primera parte del trabajo se pueden ver los diferentes mecanismos de regulación de la publicidad que hay en la actualidad y que se encargan de controlar que la publicidad no sea inadecuada, discriminatoria o atente contra la dignidad de las personas. Además, se incluye una reflexión de los principales aspectos a tratar, como son la publicidad y la ética, así como la dimensión ético-moral existente en publicidad, para comprobar cómo algunos estudios critican y definen cierta publicidad como vulgar, simple, degradante y, en definitiva, de mal gusto, enfrentándose a quienes reconocen su carácter estético, artístico y simbólico. En la segunda parte del trabajo se analizarán diferentes ejemplos prácticos de anuncios y campañas publicitarias, la gran mayoría de firmas reconocidas a nivel mundial, que han suscitado una gran controversia por ser cuestionados éticamente, en tres sectores considerados los más débiles y vulnerables, como son la infancia, la mujer y el racismo. Finalmente se incluye una conclusión de los temas tratados, que pone de manifiesto la importancia del trabajo, así como una opinión y valoración personal.
ABSTRACT:Advertising is one of the most important sociocultural phenomena today. It is able to reach the whole world through the mass media and to influence audience behaviour that receives the information. In the present study the main legislation, currently in force, that regulates its activity in Spain will be studied. We will also discuss the important role that performs self regulation, which is in charge of controlling the activity carried out by the different subjects involved in the advertising process, which can be considered, from an ethical perspective, as inadequate, discriminatory or that attempts against the dignity of the person. Furthermore, it includes an overview of the key topics to be discussed, such as advertising and ethics, as well as the different aspects that advertising has to take into account to address the target audience, because many times the advert does not act according to the dictates of advertising ethics. To finish the work, a study of the advertising evolution is presented throughout history with various advertising campaigns known worldwide. These campaigns have been subject to criticism by different collectives, being considered as a way of attacking certain sectors of population which deserve special attention, as women, children and people of certain races, ethnicities and religions, because they are considered the weakest and most vulnerable collectives. The same campaigns have been hailed by those who consider advertising as a part of art and therefore they see it completely harmless from the point of view of ethics. This controversy raises the following question: what is considered ethically correct or incorrect?
