Ethics, spin and selling sat nav

Here’s something I spotted a few days ago – I wonder if anyone else shares my thoughts.The item in question in a magazine advert for a satellite navigation system. The ad’s main focus is that the sat nav tells you when you are approaching a speed camera. The thing that bugged me is the reason they give for providing that information: “It will alert you when you are approaching mobile or fixed cameras, helping you keep within the speed limit, avoid accident blackspots, and ensure you arrive safely at your destination.”I just don’t get the ‘helping you keep within the speed limit’ bit. Drivers don’t need help to do that: they just have to look at the road signs.I think what they really mean is ‘this device will help you drive as fast as you like but just slow down when there’s a camera near’. But obviously they can’t say that, so they have (in my opinion) wrapped it up in a piece of spin that even the slickest politician would be proud of.Maybe this proves the point that ethics is in the eye of the beholder: in other words, for this company’s customers there’s nothing wrong in breaking the speed limit as long as you don’t get caught. Maybe also the product is doing a great job of meeting customers’ needs.

But personally I’d rather be involved in the marketing of products or services that make a more positive contribution to the world, and that use clear and honest communications rather than spin.

Let me know what you think . . .