As I remember, “honesty is the best policy” was drilled into my head by my mother when I was very young. It is a simple guideline on how to behave that has stuck with me for my whole life.

Now why is it so difficult for some companies to follow this childish guideline?

The answer is: profits. The growing trend of money-hungry corporations is consuming the Americas. The line between “doing business” and deceiving consumers is becoming blurred, and the question of where to draw the line needs to be taken into consideration.

The general rule is that advertising cannot be deceptive. It should be fair and consist of only the whole truth. According to the FTC’s Deception Policy Statement, it is considered deceptive “if there is representation, omission, or practice that is likely to mislead the consumer…”

In recent news is the Johnson & Johnson drug-marketing scandal. It is a prime example of marketing campaigns that mislead consumers.

Johnson & Johnson sold several drugs – which they paid pharmacies & physicians to recommend and prescribe – that were marketed for uses/ disorders that were not FDA approved and could be harmful to consumers. Their marketing targeted vulnerable consumer demographics, including young children, the elderly, and the disabled.

It is evident that Johnson & Johnson have placed profits above consumers’ health and well-being. These types of marketing/ company behaviours corrupt medical decisions made by health care providers, jeopardize public health, and ruin the brand image and consumer perception of the company.

In today’s society, the rising trend of being ethical is becoming increasingly important. Engaging in deceptive marketing not only ruins the brand image, but is also a monetary detriment to the company. It is important for companies to acknowledge and take this into consideration for future decisions.