Week 7 Blogging: Discussion Questions 2&5

Question 2: What organizations have news media recently featured for ethical behavior? For unethical behavior?
A couple of weeks ago, I was flipping channels and happened to come across The View. I stopped when they began to talk about Dove's Real Campaign for beauty since we had been talking about it in class. Dove's new commercial (which I still haven't seen while watching other shows) was shown on The View which showed the process of making an ad. It showed the model showing up looking like a normal woman with harsh lighting and no make-up whatsoever. The commercial consisted of a sped-up process of how an ordinary woman with the help of expensive make-up artists and lighting becomes the gorgeous model we see in advertising and commercials. The process of taking the photo doesn't stop there as the picture is then put in a series of editing processes in which the model is airbrushed to society's concept of beauty. Dove's new commercial shows that even a model can seem like an ordinary woman without make-up and special lighting and even then, she has to be airbrushed to perfection. This commercial will hopefully boost women's self esteem by showing them that even models don't fall perfectly into what society deems beautiful in that they still need to be corrected.
Many companies can also be caught doing unethical behavior. Lately in the news, what caught my attention was Bono and his band U2 moving a large sum of their money from the banks in Ireland to Holland. Like the Rolling Stones did before them, U2 is moving their money from Ireland to escape the taxes that they would have to pay after a change in the Irish budget. This comes at a time where Bono is introducing the new Red campaign to help aid funds for AIDS. According to the Telegraph, a newspaper in the UK, Joan Burton, Irish Labor’s finance spokesman, said, "Having listened to Bono on the necessity for the Irish Government to give more money to Ireland Aid, of which I approve, I am surprised that U2 are not prepared to contribute to the Exchequer on a fair basis along with the bulk of Irish taxpayers." I find it ironic and plain stupid that Bono and his band doesn't want to be considered normal and connected with their fans in their home country by trying to get out of paying taxes. Are they going to actual use that money that they are now not going to have to pay after moving their money to Holland for good? Will that money that would go to Ireland be used to help the Red campaign or help countries in desperate need for help to defeat this horrible epidemic? I hope so because Bono and U2 now seem aloof escaping taxes and that money better go towards the general good to improve their image.

Question #5: What companies are well known for CSR? Do their reputations affect your purchasing decisions?
The case study for this chapter informed me of how Starbucks is helping the environment and the countries that grow the beans. I am no longer that guilty that I pay $3.50 for coffee as I am supporting a company that holds high ethical standards and helps the environment. This summer I finally got a car of my own that I didn’t have to share with my younger brother, a 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid. After looking around, my parents and I realized that if we bought a hybrid, I wouldn’t have to fill up and pay as much for gas and I could help the environment by driving a half-electrical car. It’s comforting to know that even in a tiny way; I am supporting the car companies’ thoughts to change how a car is run after 100 years. I also found out today while watching “Extreme Home Makeover” that Ford supports Warriors in Pink and is celebrating 12 years working as a national sponsor for the Susan G. Komen’s Race for the Cure as the mom of the family worked for the Race for the Cure and is a breast cancer survivor. I am glad to be driving a car that is improving the environment and supporting the Race for the Cure with the Warriors in Pink campaign as couple of my relatives have gotten breast cancer and have survived.