The ethics of advertising: do investors care?

The field of ethical and green investment has grown considerably in Britain over the past decade. This paper considers the possibility that ethical views of advertising influence investment decisions and, in particular, presents and discusses the preferences of 125 'ethical investors'.

The ethics of advertising: do investors care?

Christopher J. Cowton

The field of ethical and green investment has grown considerably in Britain over the past decade. This paper considers the possibility that ethical views of advertising influence investment decisions and, in particular, presents and discusses the preferences of 125 'ethical investors'.

INTRODUCTION

The debate over the ethics of advertising has a considerable history (Fullerton and Nevett, 1986) and has been conducted from a variety of perspectives. While some commentators view advertising as an important informational lubricant of a capitalist economy or a vital element of commercial free speech, others believe...

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