Class Discussion 6 Makeup: Initial Thoughts about Advertising 1. Does advertising only reflect society's existing values and ideas, or does it also reinforce or even create them? 2. We are going to read an article by an author, John Kenneth Galbraith, who famously argues that advertising creates the very desires that it seeks to fill. Do you think that advertising can create desires? Why or why not? 3. On the whole, does advertising have a positive, negative, or neutral effect on society's overall happiness? 4. Is it unethical for advertisers to use emotional appeals? Do you think the ethical issue is any different when it comes to advertising by nonprofits or charities? How about in political advertising? ARTICLE FOR PART 2: Greenwashing in Paradise? Hill v. Roll International Corporation and Fiji Bottled Water Labeling The California First District Court of Appeal released its decision yesterday [May 26, 2011] in the case of Hill v. Roll International Corporation. The case was brought by an alleged consumer of Fiji brand bottled water, San Francisco resident Ayana Hill, who asserted that a picture of a green water drop on the label (shown) led her to believe that Fiji water was environmentally superior and endorsed by an independent environmental organization, when in fact it is not. Her suit claimed that Fiji Water Company LLC and Roll International Corporation (an unrelated company owned by the owners of Fiji Water, Stewart and Lynda Resnick) violated the California Unfair Competition Law, False Advertising Law and Consumers Legal Remedies Act, as well as common law fraud and unjust enrichment doctrines. Ms. Hill sought certification of the suit as a class action. Ms. Hill asserted in her complaint that Fiji is guilty of “greenwashing” its product, as the practice of making false or misleading claims to environmental benefits has come to be known. Such accusations are commonplace against a wide range of companies by environmental activists, as more and more companies have started making statements about their environmental practices (itself largely in response to the same environmental activists). The Court asked and answered the question simply: “Does the green drop on Fiji water bottles convey to a reasonable consumer in the circumstances that the product is endorsed for environmental superiority by a third party organization? No.” The Court reached this conclusion because the drop does not contain the name or recognized logo of any organization, does not include any stylistic elements common to certification seals, such as a check mark or other sign of approval, and is accompanied on the back of the label by a reference to the website fijigreen.com, which a consumer can clearly tell is operated by Fiji rather than an independent third party organization. Because a reasonable consumer would not understand the green water drop to make false, misleading or deceptive claims regarding endorsement by an independent environmenta ...

1. Class Discussion 6 Makeup: Initial Thoughts about Advertising
1. Does advertising only reflect society's existing values and
ideas, or does it also reinforce or even create them?
2. We are going to read an article by an author, John Kenneth
Galbraith, who famously argues that advertising creates the very
desires that it seeks to fill. Do you think that advertising can
create desires? Why or why not?
3. On the whole, does advertising have a positive, negative, or
neutral effect on society's overall happiness?
4. Is it unethical for advertisers to use emotional appeals? Do
you think the ethical issue is any different when it comes to
advertising by nonprofits or charities? How about in political
advertising?
ARTICLE FOR PART 2:
Greenwashing in Paradise? Hill v. Roll International
Corporation and Fiji Bottled Water Labeling
The California First District Court of Appeal released its
decision yesterday [May 26, 2011] in the case of Hill v. Roll
International Corporation. The case was brought by an alleged
consumer of Fiji brand bottled water, San Francisco resident
Ayana Hill, who asserted that a picture of a green water drop on
the label (shown) led her to believe that Fiji water was
environmentally superior and endorsed by an independent
environmental organization, when in fact it is not. Her suit
claimed that Fiji Water Company LLC and Roll International
Corporation (an unrelated company owned by the owners of Fiji
Water, Stewart and Lynda Resnick) violated the California

2. Unfair Competition Law, False Advertising Law and Consumers
Legal Remedies Act, as well as common law fraud and unjust
enrichment doctrines. Ms. Hill sought certification of the suit as
a class action.
Ms. Hill asserted in her complaint that Fiji is guilty of
“greenwashing” its product, as the practice of making false or
misleading claims to environmental benefits has come to be
known. Such accusations are commonplace against a wide range
of companies by environmental activists, as more and more
companies have started making statements about their
environmental practices (itself largely in response to the same
environmental activists).
The Court asked and answered the question simply: “Does the
green drop on Fiji water bottles convey to a reasonable
consumer in the circumstances that the product is endorsed for
environmental superiority by a third party organization? No.”
The Court reached this conclusion because the drop does not
contain the name or recognized logo of any organization, does
not include any stylistic elements common to certification seals,
such as a check mark or other sign of approval, and is
accompanied on the back of the label by a reference to the
website fijigreen.com, which a consumer can clearly tell is
operated by Fiji rather than an independent third party
organization. Because a reasonable consumer would not
understand the green water drop to make false, misleading or
deceptive claims regarding endorsement by an independent
environmental organization, and Ms. Hill did not explain how
she could amend her complaint to allege such claims, the Court
dismissed the case without leave to amend.
Even though the Court ultimately held that Fiji water did not
violate state laws regarding environmental marketing claims,
the Hill case draws attention to the care that companies must

3. take when marketing their products. Accusations of
greenwashing are almost certain to grow in future, whether
deserved or not, and companies should be aware that
overreaching claims may result in litigation.
Part 2: Hill v. Roll International Corporation (see preceding
article)
5. Do you agree with the court that a "reasonable consumer"
would not be misled by the packaging of this product?
6. Why do you think businesses make environmental claims like
this? Do they effectively persuade people to buy products?
7. Is the phenomenon of "greenwashing" (marketing products by
associating them with environmental benefits, when those
benefits are questionable or minimal) deceptive and misleading?
Or just harmless exaggeration?
POL 211 Milestone Two Guidelines and Rubric
For Milestone Two, you will submit a three- to four-page paper
detailing the collapse of the Soviet Union and of the
international political system. Describe the
dilemmas faced by international political relations scholars at
that time as a result of these collapses. How did this impact
foreign policy at that time, and what
has been the impact on current U.S. foreign policy? Are there
similarities between the Cold War and the current “War on
Terror”? If so, what are they?
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

4. I. The Collapse of the Soviet Union
A. Explain the collapse of the Soviet Union.
B. Explain the chaos that resulted from the collapse of the
Soviet Union.
C. Use realist or idealist theoretic worldviews to support the
explanation.
II. Impact: Explain the impact on theorists and practitioners of
international relations.
A. As a result of the collapse of the international political
system, describe the dilemmas faced by international political
relations scholars at that
time.
B. How did this impact foreign policy at the time?
C. What is the impact on current U.S. foreign policy?
D. Are there similarities between the Cold War and the War on
Terror? If so, what are they?
Guidelines for Submission: Milestone Two should follow these
formatting guidelines: three to four pages in length, double
spaced, 12-point Times New Roman
font, one-inch margins, and citations in APA style.
Critical Elements Proficient (100%) Needs Improvement (55%)
Not Evident (0%) Value
Collapse of Soviet
Union: Explain
Explains the collapse of the USSR

5. using specific details
Explains the collapse of the
USSR, but information lacks
specific details
Does not explain the collapse of
the USSR
13
Collapse of Soviet
Union: Chaos
Explains the chaos in the
international system after the
collapse of the USSR
Explains the chaos in the
international system after the
collapse of the USSR, but
information is not complete
Does not explain the chaos in
the international system after
the collapse of the USSR
13
Collapse of Soviet
Union: Realist/Idealist
Worldviews
Supports explanation of the
collapse of the USSR with

6. realism or idealism
Partially supports explanation of
the collapse of the USSR with
realism or idealism, but aspects
are missing or information is
lacking in detail
Does not support explanation of
the collapse of the USSR with
realism or idealism
13
Impact: Dilemmas Describes the dilemmas faced by
international relations
practitioners at the time of the
collapse of the USSR
Identifies the dilemmas faced by
international relations
practitioners at the time of the
collapse of the USSR, but aspects
are missing or information is
lacking in detail
Does not identify the dilemmas
faced by international relations
practitioners at the time of the
collapse of the USSR
13

7. Impact: Foreign Policy Explains the impact on U.S.
foreign policy at the time of the
collapse of the USSR
Identifies the impact on U.S.
foreign policy at the time of the
collapse of the USSR, but
information is scanty
Does not identify the impact on
U.S. foreign policy at the time of
the collapse of the USSR
13
Impact: US Foreign
Policy
Describes the impact of the Cold
War and the collapse of the
USSR on U.S. foreign policy
today
Identifies the impact of the Cold
War and the collapse of the
USSR on U.S. foreign policy
today, but information is lacking
in detail
Does not identify the impact of
the Cold War and the collapse of
the USSR on U.S. foreign policy
today
13

8. Impact: Similarities
Between the Cold War
and the War on Terror
Identifies and describes any
similarities between the Cold
War and the War on Terror
Identifies and describes any
similarities between the Cold
War and the War on Terror, but
information lacks specific details
Does not identify or describe any
similarities between the Cold
War and the War on Terror
13
Articulation of
Response
Submission has no major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, or syntax
Submission has major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, or syntax that
negatively impact readability
and articulation of main ideas
Submission has critical errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, or syntax that prevent

9. understanding of ideas
9
Earned Total 100%