An ad contains the following: "Restaurant Critic, Jose Winfrey, on Mama Leone's Italian Eatery, 'Mama Leone's is simply the best. It is a surprising new entrant into the competitive Italian bistro market and it is a mighty one.'" Jose Winfrey is the cousin of the owner of Mama Leone's and knows restaurants, but is not a critic for any publication or other media outlet. The ad:
A) Creates a false impression.
B) Raises no ethical questions.
C) Is legal and ethical because it doesn't state where he is a critic.
D) Both b and c
E) None of the above

Question

An ad contains the following: "Restaurant Critic, Jose Winfrey, on Mama Leone's Italian Eatery, 'Mama Leone's is simply the best. It is a surprising new entrant into the competitive Italian bistro market and it is a mighty one.'"   Jose Winfrey is the cousin of the owner of Mama Leone's and knows restaurants, but is not a critic for any publication or other media outlet. The ad:
A) Creates a false impression.
B) Raises no ethical questions.
C) Is legal and ethical because it doesn't state where he is a critic.
D) Both b and c
E) None of the above

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The ad creates a false impression by presenting Jose Winfrey as a legitimate restaurant critic when in fact he is not affiliated with any media outlet or publication. This misleads the audience and may influence their decision to dine at Mama Leone's.

An Ad Contains the Following: "Restaurant Critic, Jose Winfrey, on Mama