Review ad ethics: Soeharto

Review ad ethics: Soeharto

NUSA DUA, Bali (JP): President Soeharto opened the 19th Asian Advertising Congress yesterday by suggesting that advertisers review their practices and consolidate the ethical foundations of advertising.

Soeharto acknowledged the great role of advertisement in sustaining economic growth and enhancing competitiveness.

He noted that the rapid economic growth in the Asian region has resulted in fierce competition and in such a situation advertising plays a crucial role.

"Asia's advertising has the responsibility to take into consideration the social, humanitarian and spiritual aspects that are in line with the cultural values of this region," he reminded his listeners.

He stressed the importance of preserving the nation's identity amid efforts to further develop the economy to reach the level of progress of more advanced nations.

He cautioned that great economic progress will be meaningless if, in the end, "we will be deprived of our own culture".

"A nation deprived of its own culture will always be an uneasy, weak and unhappy nation," Soeharto told 1,200 advertising executives and officials from more than 17 countries in Asia, Europe and North America.

He said that with the advancement of communications technology, advertisements have entered the lives of people all around the world with the ultimate goal of influencing the minds and attitudes of societies so they are attracted to buy the products and services being promoted.

That is precisely the reason why the advertising community should never overlook its responsibility towards the public, Soeharto said.

Inconsistent

Soeharto observed that the advertising world is easily tempted to indulge in the practice of drawing the public's attention in ways that are sometimes inconsistent with national cultural values and traditions.

The President reminded the advertising executives of their moral and social responsibilities to see to it that ads will not become a means to dictate to the public and to cause irrational purchases of products and services.

"Advertising must avoid practices that degrade human dignity and standing, especially that of children and women," he said.

Soeharto also said advertising services should be further improved to increase their contribution to the promotion of the competitive edge of products and services.

But such improvement should be achieved not only through the enhancement of the professionalism of resources, means and infrastructures, but also through the consolidation of the ethical foundation of advertising, the President added.

Soeharto pointed out that without a strong ethical foundation, advertising will become no more than a tool for reaping the greatest possible profits at the expense of the public interest.

He said he hoped that advertising would also be able to contribute to the narrowing of the social and economic gaps in society that could otherwise lead to undesirable social unrest and upheaval.

"Only with such an attitude will our advertising world emerge as a positive force for the advancement of our people's physical and spiritual wellbeing," Soeharto asserted.

After the official opening yesterday, the first day's session discussed up trends in Asia from the economic, cultural and public policy points of views. Subroto, the former Indonesian minister of mines and energy and former secretary-general of OPEC, was the main speaker.

The second day's session today will focus on the role of the advertising industry in the up trend and the third day will discuss the media's role and interaction with the advertising industry.

The last session on Thursday will explore the challenges and opportunities in the media industry generated by rapidly expanding new technologies.

The four-day AdAsia'95, the second Asian advertising congress in Indonesia after the first one in Jakarta in 1974, is being held at the Bali International Convention Center.

The opening ceremony was attended by Minister of Information Harmoko, Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono and Minister of Trade B. Satrio Joedono. (vin)

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