Marketing Ethics: The Last Thing Standing Between Us and a Full-Blown Black Mirror Episode

Lying in Ads Is a Great Strategy—Until Everyone Figures It Out

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Pesach Lattin (ADOTAT)
February 09, 2025

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Marketing Ethics: The Last Thing Standing Between Us and a Full-Blown Black Mirror Episode

Lying in Ads Is a Great Strategy—Until Everyone Figures It Out

If you’re in marketing, advertising, or media buying, you’ve already made peace with the fact that you are, in some way, influencing people to do things they wouldn’t have done otherwise. That’s the job. We create demand. We shape perception. We make people feel like they must have the thing they never thought about five minutes ago.

The problem isn’t persuasion—that’s been around since the first caveman convinced his neighbor to trade a buffalo skin for some slightly shinier rocks. The problem is that somewhere along the way, a lot of people in this industry decided that ethics were just too inconvenient. That the truth was more of a suggestion than a rule. That nobody would really notice if they stretched a claim so thin you could see daylight through it.

And here we are: deep in the era of influencers peddling miracle gummies that don’t do a damn thing, ad networks shoving banner ads next to extremist content, and data brokers selling every click, like, and search query to the highest bidder.

So let’s talk about the ethical minefield that is marketing, why it matters, and why—shockingly—doing the right thing isn't just a virtue signal but an actual business advantage. Because as fun as it is to pretend that nobody cares about ethics, they do—especially when your company gets hit with an FTC fine large enough to make your shareholders cry.

“You Have Too Many Ethics” Is Not an Insult

I’ve been in this game for decades, and let me tell you something: If I had a dollar for every time someone told me I was too strict or too judgmental when it comes to business ethics, I’d be rich enough to buy a Super Bowl ad spot just to tell them to shove it.

People don’t dislike me because I cut corners or played fast and loose with the rules. They dislike me because I don’t. Because I have this wild idea that maybe—just maybe—if you have to lie to sell something, maybe it’s not that great to begin with.

And, let’s be honest, a lot of marketing people get incredibly uncomfortable when you start asking basic questions like:

  • Are we actually being truthful here?

  • Are we taking advantage of people who don’t know better?

  • Is this data collection borderline dystopian?

If the answer to any of these is "welllllll…," congratulations, you’ve just found the ethical red flags waving at you like a desperate car dealership inflatable.

And yet, somehow, despite the many, many times I was told that having integrity in business would kill my career, it turns out that not being a shady fraudster is a pretty solid strategy for long-term success. Who would’ve thought?

Law Enforcement, Ad Networks, and The Ethics of Not Being a Sleazebag

For those of you who don’t know (or forgot because attention spans are now measured in TikTok-length increments), I started my career in law enforcement. Yes, really. I spent years chasing bad guys online while also running an ad network, which meant I had a front-row seat to both actual crime and the slightly-more-socially-acceptable variety of corporate shenanigans that happen in the advertising world.

I worked with the U.S. Secret Service. I was the ad industry’s go-to when things got legally dicey. And even now, I still volunteer with a local sheriff’s department because, despite everything I’ve seen, I still believe in accountability.

Marketing is not all that different from law enforcement. Both involve people trying to get away with something, bending rules, and figuring out just how much they can push before someone calls them on their nonsense. The only real difference? In marketing, the consequences usually involve brand reputation and lawsuits instead of handcuffs.

But the fact remains: If you want to be in this business for more than a hot minute, you’d better figure out how to navigate the ethical minefield that is modern marketing. Because here’s the thing—people might tolerate unethical marketing for a while, but they never forget when they’ve been scammed.

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Marketing’s Favorite Ethical Shortcuts (And Why They Will Eventually Blow Up in Your Face)

Let’s break this down. Here are some of the most classic ethical traps in marketing—the ones companies love to pretend aren’t a big deal until they suddenly are:

1. The “Eh, Just Bend the Truth” Approach

The slightly-too-good-to-be-true claim. The skincare product that “erases wrinkles in 10 minutes” (it doesn’t), the weight-loss supplement that “burns fat while you sleep” (it won’t), the software that will “revolutionize your business overnight” (it won’t, and it’s riddled with bugs).

Eventually, people figure it out. And when they do, they’re not just mad—they’re publicly mad. Now, instead of raking in easy sales, you’re explaining to the internet why your entire brand isn’t just one big scam.

2. Data Collection That’s Just A Little Creepy

Marketers love data. If they could, they’d attach tracking devices to customers' pets just to see what kind of dog food they’re buying.

Just because you can collect data doesn’t mean you should. The second people start realizing that you know way too much about them (looking at you, hyper-targeted ads for things they whispered about near their phone), trust goes out the window.

And when you finally get caught selling that data to some shadowy third-party company? Good luck winning that PR battle.

3. Targeting People Who Shouldn’t Be Targeted

Let’s talk about vulnerable demographics—kids, the elderly, people who aren’t financially literate.

If your entire business model depends on tricking people who don’t know any better, congratulations, you’re in the same ethical category as payday lenders and shady telemarketers.

We’ve seen it all: apps tricking kids into buying virtual currency, financial schemes preying on seniors, ads targeting people at their lowest moments. And sure, it might make you money in the short term—but eventually, the lawsuits, watchdog groups, and government crackdowns start rolling in.

The One Thing That Actually Works: Just. Be. Better.

Here’s a crazy idea: What if, instead of constantly trying to see how close we can get to the ethical edge without falling off, we just...did the right thing?

Look at the brands people actually trust—the ones that aren’t constantly battling lawsuits or PR nightmares. They have a few things in common:

✅ They’re transparent. They tell people what they’re getting, no surprises.
✅ They don’t treat customers like walking dollar signs. Shocking, I know.
✅ They take a stand on real issues. And not in the performative "we changed our logo for Pride Month but don’t actually support LGBTQ+ rights" way.

And guess what? Those brands tend to last. Because, in the end, trust is worth more than any short-term revenue spike.

The Bottom Line

Marketing doesn’t have to be a shady, smoke-and-mirrors game. It doesn’t have to be a race to see who can push the limits the furthest before getting caught.

If you’re good at what you do, you shouldn’t have to trick people into buying from you. And if you do have to resort to deception, you’re not a great marketer—you’re just a great scammer.

So ask yourself: Do you want to build something that lasts? Or do you want to be just another cautionary tale in the long, sad history of brands that got too greedy and forgot the one thing that actually matters—trust.

Stay Bold. Stay Curious. Know More Than You Did Yesterday.

Pesach Lattin, Editor & Founder
ADOTAT.com

🔥 5 Things Lou Paskalis Taught Me About Ethics 🔥

1️⃣ Media Ethics Isn’t a Side Hustle—It Is the Business

Brands love to preach values, but when it comes to media buying? Suddenly, those principles get real flexible. Lou made it clear:

👉 If a company claims to care about privacy, transparency, and consumer trust, their ad dollars better reflect that.
🚫 No more “do as I say, not as I buy.”

2️⃣ Journalism Needs Brands—And Brands Need Journalism

Trust in media is at an all-time low. Why? Not just bad actors—advertisers pulled their dollars from quality journalism.

Lou’s take? Supporting real news isn’t charity—it’s survival.

✅ Brands thrive when informed audiences thrive.
⚠️ No ad-supported journalism = brands losing credibility + democracy taking a hit.

3️⃣ AI Won’t Kill Media—Lack of Governance Will 🤖⚖️

AI is powerful, but without oversight, it optimizes for efficiency—not ethics.

Lou’s rule?
⏳ Every hour spent on AI-driven media innovation = one hour spent on AI governance.

Otherwise, brace yourself for:
⚠️ Unintended discrimination
⚠️ Misinformation
⚠️ A whole lot of “Oops, we didn’t mean for that to happen.”

4️⃣ Advertisers Have No Business Playing It Safe 🏳️

Avoiding news because it’s “too controversial”? That’s lazy risk management.

💡 Research shows: No actual brand damage from advertising in real journalism.
🚀 But the real risk? Ignoring engaged, intelligent audiences and letting the loudest voices control the narrative.

5️⃣ Ethical Advertising Isn’t Just About What You Say—It’s About Where You Show Up

It’s easy to slap a corporate statement on integrity.

Harder? Ensuring your ad dollars aren’t funding misinformation, extremism, or clickbait garbage.

🔍 Lou’s lesson: Brands need to treat media investment as rigorously as product safety or corporate ethics.
Otherwise? They’re just talking a big game while fueling the chaos they claim to oppose.

🚀 TL;DR: Ethics in Media Isn’t a “Nice to Have”—It’s the Price of Staying Relevant.

Lou Paskalis isn’t waiting for brands to figure that out the hard way. Are you?

🚨 Hustle Culture Was a Scam. I Was the Mark.

Let’s just call it what it is—hustle culture is a pyramid scheme where the product is your own exhaustion, and the ROI is a one-way ticket to burnout, bad health, and relationships so distant you need a Google Earth search to find them.

And I, like a total sucker, bought in.

The Gospel of the Productivity Bros™ (That I Regret Ever Following)

At almost 50, I’ve realized that I spent way too much of my life worshiping at the altar of the “Grindset” Gurus—the ones who convinced a whole generation that if you weren’t working 18-hour days, mainlining caffeine like an overworked intern, and proudly skipping social events, you were a failure.

🚀 Tai Lopez, Gary Vee, the whole “no vacations, no fun” crowd—yeah, I was listening.
💰 I made millions before 30.
📉 And yet? It still wasn’t enough.

Because “enough” in hustle culture is a mirage—always on the horizon, but never in reach.

I Tried to Retire. It Lasted 0.2 Seconds.

I should have walked away. I should have been present for my kids instead of just signing checks like a glorified ATM. But here’s the thing about the hustle mindset:

👉 It rewires your brain to equate REST with FAILURE.
👉 If you’re not grinding, you’re losing.
👉 So instead of enjoying what I built, I just kept chasing.

And Then My Body Said: “Yeah, We’re Done Here.”

Turns out, working yourself to the bone isn’t a personality trait—it’s a preexisting condition for disaster.

💀 I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which basically means my joints and tendons are held together with wishes and bad decisions.
💀 Add PTSD, neurodivergence, and a medical history that makes insurance companies nervous—stabbed, shot, trapped in a fire, surviving 9/11 from inside 7 WTC.
💀 My brother died of an aneurysm. My daughter almost died in a hospital. My mother battled cancer.

And through all of it? I kept working. Because hustle culture brainwashed me into believing that stopping—even for a second—wasn’t an option.

What a Load of Garbage.

Here’s the truth: Hustle culture is a scam, and the people selling it don’t even live it.

😏 You think Gary Vee is skipping vacations? No. He’s on a yacht while telling you to work through Christmas.
😏 You think these guys “grind” the way they tell you to? No. They built an empire on convincing you to kill yourself for their definition of success.

So Here’s My Advice (Take It or Leave It, But Trust Me on This One)

🚫 No one cares how many hours you work.
🚫 No one is giving out gold stars for your 3 AM emails.
🚫 Your kids? They’re not impressed that you paid for their college if you weren’t there to see them grow up.

Work Smart. Not Like You’re Trying to Win a Contest No One Entered.

Success isn’t about how busy you are.
It’s about whether you actually get to enjoy the life you built.

If you wake up one day and realize you sacrificed everything for a LinkedIn flex… well… let’s just say that’s one hell of a return policy to navigate.

Your Move.

The Cruelty of Overwork: When More Becomes Less

There’s a moment, late at night, when the brain turns against itself.

The glow of the laptop screen flickers like a candle in a drafty room, casting shadows where once there were ideas. This is the far side of the bell curve, the place where effort no longer meets reward but instead spirals into exhaustion, self-doubt, and, eventually, collapse.

It starts innocently enough—an extra hour, a late-night email, the belief that pushing harder means getting further. At first, it works. Momentum builds, the body hums with the quiet burn of focus. But then the peak comes—a moment of sharp, clear thinking, the last real hit of productivity before the curve bends downward.

Past that, the hours stretch long and thin. The lines blur. You re-read the same paragraph three times. A decision that should take seconds now takes minutes, then hours. You second-guess, then third-guess, until certainty is just another casualty of fatigue. The work becomes frantic, not thoughtful. A typo here, a miscalculation there. Fix one mistake, make two more. The brain, starved for rest, starts running in loops—every thought like a song stuck on repeat.

And then, something worse: the hollow realization that none of it mattered. The late-night grind, the extra hours—undone in the morning by fresh eyes that see the work for what it is: a mess. Not brilliance. Not effort rewarded. Just exhaustion scribbled across the page.

This is the truth of overwork. The lie that effort, unchecked, leads to greatness. It does not. It leads to errors. To sickness. To relationships frayed at the edges, stretched as thin as the mind that tried to hold too much. Work is not a war to be won. It is a tide, something to be measured, to be moved with rather than against.

And when the tide pulls too far, when the hours pile too high, the only way forward is to step back. To rest. To let the brain return to itself before the curve turns cruel.