By: Mike Vangel and Brooke Omar

But even though the industry’s fundamental purpose is to convince shoppers to buy a product they may not actually need, such persuasion can be done in an “ethical and tasteful” way.

Wow. This from someone at our very own University of Missouri—on the need to launch an “Institute for Advertising Ethics.” (Read the whole article here.)

Really?

Have they been watching too much Mad Men?

You kind of expect the denizens of academia to turn over rocks looking for signs of rot in business and society, but this really does look like someone trying to “Super-Size” a non-issue. Quick–someone grab the ShamWOW! and clean up this mess before it gets all over the carpet. Not that anyone really needs carpet. Let’s just talk-up the benefits of dirt floors and we can eliminate the need for the Electrolux and the Scrubbing Bubbles, too.

Are Americans really a band of zombies hypnotized by clever copywriting and subliminal messages? (Are you thirsty?) Are consumers today—armed with instant access to consumer-generated product information and social media tools—really victims of the advertising industry?

Really?

Here at VANGEL we eliminate the guilt and angst associated with such a tawdry industry, by choosing our clients carefully. We ask: Who are they? What industry do they represent? Do they have a solid reputation for product and service excellence? Will we be proud to represent them?  If the answers to any of those questions leave us in doubt, we walk away.

That’s how we maintain the “ethical and tasteful” standards we want the industry to reflect.

In the past year, we’ve been proud to help House of Brokers strengthen their brand in the local marketplace. We’ve created a public service campaign for First Chance for Children about the importance of reading and talking to babies. And we’ve made it easier for the underinsured in our community to find a medical home with our work for Family Health Center.

But come on. Do you really need a house to live in? Do you really need to read with your baby? Do you really need quality medical care?

Please, people from the Institute of Advertising Ethics: don’t assume you know what we need. Unless you’re selling us ShamWOWs. Everyone needs one of those.