Reklama nieetyczna – studium przypadku Reserved („Polish boy wanted”)
Unethical Advertising – a Case Study of Reserved (“Polish boy wanted”)

Summary/Abstract: One of the areas attracting the attention of representatives of media science is ethics. Scientific objective: The author assumes that unethical advertisements can contribute to lowering of the level of consumer confidence. The article presents a case study of the Reserved brand campaign – Polish boy wanted (March 2017). The main goal is to verify whether the recipients perceived the campaign as unethical and to indicate its potential effects. Research methods: A qualitative analysis of the comments of Internet users placed under two materials by Maciej Budzich (the first appeared before and the second after revealing the actual purpose of the discussed message) allows us to examine the recipients’ reactions to the said campaign. The study used content analysis and the technique of permanent comparison. Results and conclusions: Comments posted under the first material are diverse in terms of subject matter, a lot of space was devoted to the vlogger himself and the investigation of the discussed video. In the case of the second material, Internet users have already focused on the campaign itself, and often pointed to its possible consequences. Cognitive value: The study shows that the Polish boy wanted campaign could influence the attitude of consumers towards the brand as well as contribute to the decrease of trust. Advertisers should be aware of this risk.

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