Chan Florence. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [93-97]). / Chapter SECTION I. --- AN OVERVIEW / Chapter CHAPTER 1. --- THE ENVIRONMENT & BACKGROUND OF ADVERTISING / Chapter 1.1. --- Overview --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2. --- Viewpoints on Advertising --- p.3 / Chapter 1.3. --- The Marketing-Advertising Connection --- p.4 / Chapter 1.3.1. --- A Historical Review on Changing Concept of Marketing / Chapter 1.3.2. --- What is Marketing ？ / Chapter 1.3.3. --- What is Promotion ？ / Chapter 1.3.4. --- Advertising in the Promotion Mix / Chapter 1.4. --- Advertising Planning --- p.8 / Chapter 1.5. --- The Communication / Persuasion Process --- p.9 / Chapter 1.6. --- Summary --- p.9 / Chapter SECTION II. --- COMMON DEFENSES OF ADVERTISING / Chapter CHAPTER 2. --- "CAN ADVERTISING BE SELF-REGULATED BY THE ""INVISIBLE HAND"" ？" / Chapter 2.1. --- A General Interpretation of Smith's Invisible Hand --- p.13 / Chapter 2.2. --- A More Complete Picture of Smith's Theories --- p.15 / Chapter 2.2.1. --- Prudence / Chapter 2.2.2. --- Benevolence / Chapter 2.2.3. --- Self-Command / Chapter 2.3. --- Stoicism --- p.18 / Chapter 2.4. --- A Closer Look at Smith's Invisible Hand --- p.20 / Chapter 2.5. --- Can Advertising be Justified by Smith's Invisible Hand or Free Market Mechanism ？ --- p.22 / Chapter CHAPTER 3. --- CAM ADVERTISING PROVIDE INFORMATIONAL UTILITY ？ / Chapter 3.1. --- Advertising Provides Important Information for Consumers --- p.26 / Chapter 3.2. --- A More Complete Picture of Advertising's Reality --- p.27 / Chapter 3.2.1. --- Ambiguity / Chapter 3.2.2. --- Concealed Facts / Chapter 3.2.3. --- Exaggeration & Puffery / Chapter 3.2.4. --- Psychological Appeals / Chapter 3.2.5. --- Conclusion / Chapter 3.3. --- A Historical Explanation of Why Advertising Cannot be Pure Informative --- p.37 / Chapter 3.3.1. --- The Early Stage / Chapter 3.3.2. --- A Breakthrough / Chapter 3.3.3. --- The Mature Stage / Chapter 3.4. --- Can We Conclude that Persuasive Advertising is Deceptive? --- p.40 / Chapter 3.4.1. --- Gardner's Definition of Deception / Chapter 3.4.2. --- A Reasonable Man Standard of Deception / Chapter 3.5. --- More on Rational/Irrational Persuasion & Deceptive/ Non-Deceptive Advertising --- p.43 / Chapter 3.5.1. --- The Two Dimensions / Chapter 3.5.2. --- Various Combinations / Chapter CHAPTER 4. --- IS ADVERTISING A NECESSITY FOR INDIVIDUAL FIRMS / Chapter 4.1. --- Discussions --- p.47 / Chapter 4.2. --- Conclusion --- p.49 / Chapter SECTION III. --- ADVERTISING & SOCIETY / Chapter CHAPTER 5. --- THE ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF ADVERTISING / Chapter 5.1. --- Providing Informational Utility --- p.51 / Chapter 5.2. --- Employment --- p.52 / Chapter 5.3. --- Distribution Costs --- p.52 / Chapter 5.4. --- Advertising & Brand Names --- p.53 / Chapter 5.5. --- Media Support --- p.54 / Chapter 5.6. --- Effect on the Business Cycle --- p.54 / Chapter 5.7. --- Stimulating Product Utility --- p.55 / Chapter 5.8. --- Developing New Products --- p.56 / Chapter 5.9. --- Contribution to the Overall Welfare of the Economy --- p.57 / Chapter 5.9.1. --- A Common Misunderstanding / Chapter 5.9.2. --- "Advertising can be Counterproductive, Unproductive or Productive" / Chapter 5.10. --- Conclusion --- p.60 / Chapter CHAPTER 6. --- CULTURAL & SOCIAL PERSPECTIVE ON ADVERTISING / Chapter 6.1. --- Reviewing Advertising from the Social Context --- p.62 / Chapter 6.2. --- """Explicit"" Content vs. ""Implicit"" Content" --- p.63 / Chapter 6.3. --- Social Conditions Affecting Individual Autonomy --- p.64 / Chapter 6.3.1. --- A Brief Review on Individual Autonomy / Chapter 6.3.2. --- A Background of Social Influences on Individual Autonomy / Chapter 6.4. --- The Power of Marketing & Advertising : Technique- & Result- Oriented --- p.70 / Chapter 6.4.1. --- Techniques of Marketing / Chapter 6.4.2. --- Technique-Orientation on Advertising / Chapter 6.4.3. --- A Culture of Commercialization & Consumption / Chapter 6.5. --- The Real Evils of Advertising --- p.77 / Chapter 6.5.1. --- """Suppressing "" Autonomy" / Chapter 6.5.2. --- Effects on Future Generations / Chapter 6.5.3. --- Changing Values / Chapter 6.5.4. --- Consumerism / Chapter 6.5.5. --- Neglecting Public Goods & Services / Chapter 6.7. --- Conclusion --- p.90 / CONCLUSION --- p.91 / REFERENCES

The aim of this thesis is to examine advertising from the point of view of Christian ethics: how it works, what is wrong with it and how it might go right as a practice. It argues that much existing criticism of advertising is justified, but that its power to create desire might be turned towards serving the good of the education of desire, leading us towards, or strengthening, a love of God, and helping us relate to products and services based on this love. This is significant because learning to desire well is central to living a Christian life, and because advertising influences how many people desire today. In contrast to authors who simply criticise advertising, often as part of a general critique of consumer culture, this thesis offers a constructive and detailed examination of the practice itself, looking at how its techniques work and how they might be reformed into an 'art of advertising'. In making this argument the thesis draws primarily on Augustine, in addition to Plato, and modern critics of advertising. First, it describes desire, before examining how advertisements create desire, followed by an assessment of existing criticisms of this process. It then develops an account of the education of desire, identifying what an art of advertising should aim to achieve, before examining the techniques by which an advertisement might achieve this. The argument is intended to contribute to a project within Christian ethics of critiquing advertising, and presenting a workable ethical vision for the future of the industry.