Question

In many Asian countries, culturally, fair skin is associated with positive values that relate to social status and beauty, particularly for women. Is it ethical to exploit cultural norms and values to promote a product (e.g. whitening products)? Please discuss.

Answer 1

It is unethical to exploit cultural norms to promote a product. The cultural issues are treated with a certain level of sensitivity. Using one’s culture for promotion purposes may be perceived to be disrespectful and offensive act.

Exploiting cultural norms as seen in the case of promoting whitening product is demeaning to women. It shows that women seem successful or better just because of their complexion or fairness of skin. It define a beautiful woman as one who has fair skin. Women who are dark are not beautiful. In this case, a woman is likely unable to get a husband or a good job until she starts using the product.

For example in India where we have the caste system, where it is said the lower castes are of darker skin color also makes this unethical. In India, this goes beyond discrimination and racism since women do not enjoy the same rights as men.

Answer 2

Marketing and propaganda are all based upon cultural values. They are meant to sell and to promote people to buy. It is not necessarily unetical to use strategies to suggest people into buying things. The archetips, which are certain images valued in society are used in this type of marketing.

Language and images are a way of manipulation, and commerce uses both to sell.

It is not unetical to try to convince someone to buy something using certain persuavie methods. It is not unetical becasue whitening products are not harmful to society. When propaganda was for instance used to sell the war during first and second world war, that has unetical. It was so because it could harm people.

Step-by-step explanation:

It is unetical if what people are promoting cause real harm into society. If not people should not let themselves be manipulate into buying everything. It is both the producer and the consumer that have to be responsable, both with how they sell and people of what they beileve and what the choose to consume.