3 | Advertising Ethics

In a world where advertisements are around every nook and cranny, consumers are constantly influenced to purchase certain products or services. Whether they engage with content on social media, stumble upon billboards, or watch advertisements on television, consumers are exposed to persuasive messaging that shapes their opinions and purchasing decisions. While most advertisements are highly effective at presenting their product or service in appealing ways, some can mislead or exploit consumers for profit. 

Advertising ethics are the principles and morals that govern the creation, dissemination, and reception of advertisements, ensuring truthful, non-deceptive messaging. Brands are constantly building their identities around their products and how they can promote them, which requires balancing profit motives with responsibilities toward consumers. These advertisements demand transparency, accuracy, and fairness, aimed to create a relationship between the brand and consumer built on trust and credibility. 

However, not all brands adhere to these moral responsibilities. Misleading advertising raises significant ethical concerns, particularly when consumers are manipulated, exploited, and targeted. They may be led to believe false claims about a product or service, persuaded into thinking they need something they do not, or presented with information that is incomplete or exaggerated. Such practices only harm consumers and damage brand reputability, eroding relationships and breaking trust. 

The Willy's Chocolate Experience: When Marketing Fails Reality

A striking example of misleading advertising in recent years was the Willy's Chocolate Experience. As an unlicensed event based on the beloved Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the event took place in Glasgow, Scotland, in February 2024. The event was promoted through vibrant, AI-generated visuals that promised a spectacular, immersive experience for children––a real-life version of the fantasy world. 

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Individuals were promised an "Enchanted Garden," "Twilight Tunnel," and "Imagination Lab," where their chocolate dreams would come true. Tickets ran for £35 (or around $45 USD), and fans of the classic rushed to re-experience this fantasy. 

And well, some of it was true. 

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Upon their arrival, families were utterly disappointed, with one individual terming it a "little more than an abandoned, empty warehouse." The promised chocolate fountains and delights were absent, and actors tried to make the most of their sad-looking props and bouncy castle. To compensate, children were offered a half-cup of lemonade and a small ration (1–2) of jelly beans. 

Actors were given a day to learn the script (titled Wonkidoodles at McDuff's Chocolate Factory: A Script), and were offered £500 for two days of work. Many of the actors commented that the script felt like "AI-generated gibberish," but tried to make the most of the event. The plot line was as follows: 

Willy McDuff (a character based on Willy Wonka) would lead participants through the promised garden, tunnel, and lab. But once there, they encountered a character called "The Unknown," who is absent from the traditional Willy Wonka story and not in any promotional material. Described as an "evil chocolate maker who lives in the walls," he seeks to steal the magical "Graffiti Gobstopper" from the Imagination Lab. This gobstopper is a thing so powerful it can "make any room sparkle without lifting a finger." But McDuff defeats the villain by amplifying the gobstopper's power, causing The Unknown to be swept away by a robotic vacuum.

With tempers rising, the police were eventually called, and within hours, the event was cancelled. Parents were promised full refunds, with many of them accusing the director, Bill Coull, of "scamming children." Shortly after the event, Coull admitted that artificial intelligence was used when generating much of the marketing for the event.  

The organizers were House of Illuminati, an events company that specializes in crafting "extraordinary experiences." But after the catastrophe, they claimed it was an event "gone wrong," and would not be holding any more for the foreseeable future. Following the incident, they no longer have a website and have removed themselves from social media. 

When looking at Willy's Chocolate Experience through the lens of advertising ethics, it becomes clear how easily consumer trust can be broken when transparency and honesty are sacrificed for profit. By promoting AI-generated content that didn't reflect the actual experience, the organizers misled families and exploited emotional appeal. This event reinforces the importance of moral and ethical responsibility, demonstrating how false advertising disappoints consumers and damages brand credibility and trust.