Ethics Certified Spotlight: Laura Small

Meet Laura! A member of our Ethics Certified community and IAE Advisory Council.

Laura is the Executive Vice President of Human Resources at RPA. Alongside her work at RPA, she is part of the IAE Advisory Council!

How has IAE's certifications impacted you, your career, and your approach to ethical advertising?

I am passionate about ethics in advertising. The content that the IAE presents and supports is critical for the future of our industry.



Principle 1.

Advertising, public relations, marketing communications, news, and editorial all share a common objective of truth and high ethical standards in serving the public.

Why is ethics important for advertising?

For advertising to be meaningful and relevant, it must be trustworthy and ethical. Organizations need to offer their products in a way that accurately and truthfully represents their value and benefits. As Simon Sinek says, "People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it." So agencies and their advertisers have an obligation to provide consumers with the truth behind products, their potential benefits, and other information related to their use and value.

What are some of the biggest ethical challenges you see in advertising today and how do you think these challenges can be overcome?

Consumers are becoming more savvy and now look to influencers and friends for product recommendations. Agencies can help advertisers regain the trust of their customers by being candid and open about their products and by listening to their consumers.

Can you share a time when you encountered an ethical dilemma? What were the business outcomes?

I have encountered many ethical dilemmas in my professional career—I sometimes refer to them as "inconvenient truths." Whether it is being honest with a candidate about why they were not selected for a position, or having a hard conversation about a client scope and the cost of their work, we can never go wrong when we tell the truth and behave ethically.

If you play the long game you will always do the right thing by doing what's right. I know that sounds cheesy but it's true!

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