--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Regardless of the moral issue, dishonesty…" description: "\"Regardless of the moral issue, dishonesty in advertising has proved very unprofitable\" — Leo Burnett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/leo-burnett-12845_advertising_regardless-of-the-moral-issue-dishonesty_797348.png" --- # Regardless of the moral issue, dishonesty in advertising… ![“Regardless of the moral issue, dishonesty in advertising has proved very unprofitable” quote by Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/leo-burnett-12845_advertising_regardless-of-the-moral-issue-dishonesty_797348.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/leo-burnett-12845_advertising_regardless-of-the-moral-issue-dishonesty_797348.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/leo-burnett-12845_advertising_regardless-of-the-moral-issue-dishonesty_797348.png) > “Regardless of the moral issue, dishonesty in advertising has proved very unprofitable” [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He notes that dishonest advertising, regardless of moral debate, ultimately fails financially, emphasizing integrity’s business value. **In simple terms:** Dishonesty in ads hurts profit. Key Takeaway Prioritize truth in marketing. Themes advertising ethics profit integrity Mood pragmatic ethical Type business marketing When to use this quote - marketing campaigns - product launches - brand audits Key Concepts consumer trust brand reputation long‑term strategy Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance profit pressure with honesty? - What systems enforce truthful advertising? A Different Perspective Short‑term gains may tempt deceit. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advertising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Corruption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption/) [Dishonesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dishonesty/) [Honesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Moral issue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-issue/) ## Related quotes > [Lying and cheating in advertising, in the long run, are commercial suicide. Dishonesty in advertising destroys not only confidence in advertising, but also in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-starch/lying-and-cheating-in-advertising-in-the-long-run-are-commercial/) [Daniel Starch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-starch/) > [Advertising is the ability to sense, interpret... to put the very heart throbs of a business into type, paper and ink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/advertising-is-the-ability-to-sense-interpret-to-put-the-very-heart/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [Anyone who thinks that people can be fooled or pushed around has an inaccurate and pretty low estimate of people - and he won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/anyone-who-thinks-that-people-can-be-fooled-or-pushed-around-has-an/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [Rarely have I seen any really great advertising created without a certain amount of confusion, throw-aways, bent noses, irritation and downright cursedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/rarely-have-i-seen-any-really-great-advertising-created-without-a/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [I have learned that it is far easier to write a speech about good advertising than it is to write a good ad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/i-have-learned-that-it-is-far-easier-to-write-a-speech-about-good/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [I have learned that trying to guess what the boss or the client wants is the most debilitating of all influences in the creation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/i-have-learned-that-trying-to-guess-what-the-boss-or-the-client-wants/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [Good advertising should give the reader essential facts about the product or company advertised and should do so engagingly without trickery or hogwash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/good-advertising-should-give-the-reader-essential-facts-about-the/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [If you are writing about baloney, don't try and make it Cornish hen, because that's the worst kind of baloney there is. Just make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/if-you-are-writing-about-baloney-don-t-try-and-make-it-cornish-hen/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [A bad author can take the most moral issue and make you want to just never, ever think about that moral issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/a-bad-author-can-take-the-most-moral-issue-and-make-you-want-to-just/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [I think the issue of income and wealth inequality is in fact a moral issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-think-the-issue-of-income-and-wealth-inequality-is-in-fact-a-moral/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [“Millions of our children are not reaching their God-given potential because we, as adults, won’t take the steps necessary to get them the nutrition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/millions-of-our-children-are-not-reaching-their-god-given-potential/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I also think we need unconventional political action, and I increasingly think that there is a need for people of faith to be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/i-also-think-we-need-unconventional-political-action-and-i/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [But then you say, Well, who makes the decision? Does the government make the decision? The reason this is such a national dispute and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-richardson/but-then-you-say-well-who-makes-the-decision-does-the-government-make/) [John H Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-richardson/) > [There's no moral issue for me. I did the best science I could. I was struggling to survive and didn't have the luxury of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-moskowitz/there-s-no-moral-issue-for-me-i-did-the-best-science-i-could-i-was/) Howard Moskowitz > [“Racism was an important moral issue, one that the church needed to confront. Putting a black man in a position of honor and authority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-b-tyson/racism-was-an-important-moral-issue-one-that-the-church-needed-to/) [Timothy B. Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-b-tyson/) ## More by Leo Burnett > [I have learned that trying to guess what the boss or the client wants is the most debilitating of all influences in the creation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/i-have-learned-that-trying-to-guess-what-the-boss-or-the-client-wants/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [Products are made in the factory, but brands are created in the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/products-are-made-in-the-factory-but-brands-are-created-in-the-mind/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [If you are writing about baloney, don't try and make it Cornish hen, because that's the worst kind of baloney there is. Just make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/if-you-are-writing-about-baloney-don-t-try-and-make-it-cornish-hen/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [If you can't turn yourself into your customer, you probably shouldn't be in the ad writing bsuiness at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/if-you-can-t-turn-yourself-into-your-customer-you-probably-shouldn-t/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [I have learned to respect ideas, wherever they come from. Often they come from clients. Account executives often have big creative ideas, regardless of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/i-have-learned-to-respect-ideas-wherever-they-come-from-often-they/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [I think a smart woman can sell the average man anything,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/i-think-a-smart-woman-can-sell-the-average-man-anything/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [Good advertising should give the reader essential facts about the product or company advertised and should do so engagingly without trickery or hogwash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/good-advertising-should-give-the-reader-essential-facts-about-the/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [I have learned that it is far easier to write a speech about good advertising than it is to write a good ad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/i-have-learned-that-it-is-far-easier-to-write-a-speech-about-good/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [Rarely have I seen any really great advertising created without a certain amount of confusion, throw-aways, bent noses, irritation and downright cursedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/rarely-have-i-seen-any-really-great-advertising-created-without-a/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [Anyone who thinks that people can be fooled or pushed around has an inaccurate and pretty low estimate of people - and he won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/anyone-who-thinks-that-people-can-be-fooled-or-pushed-around-has-an/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [Advertising is the ability to sense, interpret... to put the very heart throbs of a business into type, paper and ink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/advertising-is-the-ability-to-sense-interpret-to-put-the-very-heart/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [When you reach for the stars, you may not quite get them, but you won't come up with a handful of mud either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/when-you-reach-for-the-stars-you-may-not-quite-get-them-but-you-won-t/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [I am often asked how I got into the business. I didn't. The business got into me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/i-am-often-asked-how-i-got-into-the-business-i-didn-t-the-business/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [A good ad which is not run never produces sales.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/a-good-ad-which-is-not-run-never-produces-sales/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) > [A good basic selling idea, involvement and relevancy, of course, are as important as ever, but in the advertising din of today, unless you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-burnett/a-good-basic-selling-idea-involvement-and-relevancy-of-course-are-as/) [Leo Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) [Explore all 53 Leo Burnett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-burnett/) ## More Advertising quotes > [I saw this anti-drug commercial that showed a kid smoking pot in his dad's room with his friend. This kid finds a gun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-saw-this-anti-drug-commercial-that-showed-a-kid-smoking-pot-in-his/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“Salesmanship is usually the art of making it the prospect’s problem, the salesperson’s need or desire to earn money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/salesmanship-is-usually-the-art-of-making-it-the-prospect-s-problem/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Advertising justifies its existence when used in the public interest-it is much too powerful a tool to use solely for commercial purposes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gossage/advertising-justifies-its-existence-when-used-in-the-public-interest/) [Howard Gossage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gossage/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [We have the capital, the resources, and the technology that we need to build a mobile advertising platform across the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-tewari/we-have-the-capital-the-resources-and-the-technology-that-we-need-to/) [Naveen Tewari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-tewari/) > [“Never run advertising until the major publicity possibilities have been exploited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/never-run-advertising-until-the-major-publicity-possibilities-have/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [God never talks. But the devil keeps advertising, Father. The devil does a lot of commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/god-never-talks-but-the-devil-keeps-advertising-father-the-devil-does/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [I like Valentine's Day. The trouble is the florists and the candy-makers and the card people are all advertising so much, you don't dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-like-valentine-s-day-the-trouble-is-the-florists-and-the-candy/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I happened to be spotted by a modeling agent who offered me a part-time job at 16. Everything happened very quickly after that -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-happened-to-be-spotted-by-a-modeling-agent-who-offered-me-a-part/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [They say that Madison Avenue will only pay high dollars in advertising if they get the 18-35 age range.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gless/they-say-that-madison-avenue-will-only-pay-high-dollars-in/) [Sharon Gless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gless/) > [“There's not a branch of publishing or broadcasting that doesn't depend in some way on advertising. It'd be like an aquarium without water. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/there-s-not-a-branch-of-publishing-or-broadcasting-that-doesn-t/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I've driven people mad on films that I've made - I want more takes; I want to try new lines. 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