"Truth in Advertising": The Beginning of Advertising Ethics in Australia

In Australia, as in many countries, the early advertising industry had a poor reputation for honesty. However, in 1920 "truth in advertising" and raising ethical behavior became the focus of the Second Convention of Advertising Men of Australasia, held in Sydney. This was a major event in Australia's advertising history and was seen as a way to legitimize the industry in the eyes of those who doubted advertising's honesty. This paper will look at the Sydney Advertising Convention, with particular reference to quotes from presenters and the establishment of self-regulatory bodies, to help gain an insight into the beginning of a system to observe ethical behavior in advertising.