Television advertising is breaking new ground in many areas of advertising, venturing into many areas previously considered too controversial, and the public and the government are responding with condemnation. Recently, Puma had to pull their ads which used chimps and which they said had been approved in the US by animal rights groups, a claim which proved false (Puma). Those objecting to the ads and asking for its withdrawal and a pledge from Puma not to use primates in future commercials objected because, in order to use the animals for commercials, they have to be separated from their mothers at a very young age. At around seven years of age, they are too big and strong to be used, so spend the rest of their 40 to 50 year lifespan "behind bars" in sanctuaries or zoos. This is the fourth time in two years that Puma has had to pull ads using chimps. Animal rights activists also object to the cruel training methods used to train the animals (beatings and electric shocks).
Religion is also coming under fire for television advertising. The United Church of Christ runs ads which show people of all kinds being welcomed at their church - the disabled, the blind, the aged, the young after being turned away from other churches. However, the ad also features two women with their arms round each other, and so the Bush administration is attacking the ad on moral grounds, saying it will upset those opposed to homosexuality (Nichols). Another controversial ad which offends many people is the one by the National Council oc Churches against the Iraq war, saying the war, "violates God's law and the teachings of Jesus Christ" (Cooperman).
Advertising to children is becoming very controversial because most advertising during children's programming is for food products. They are being enticed to eat huge amounts of unhealthful food, according to Caroline E. Mayer, a writer for the Washington Post (Mayer). The Institute of Medicine...