Multiple stakeholder perspective to responsibility in advertising

Responsibility in advertising requires that all stakeholders honor their obligations to one another. Advertising-related activities that violate accepted standards will be deemed irresponsible by one or more stakeholders. These activities may affect advertisers and consumers negatively; advertisers may incur damaging publicity that threatens their long-term viability, and consumers may incur physical, financial, or emotional injury. To mitigate such harms, regulators are charged with protecting society's interests. Responsibility in advertising is introduced and the interconnections between these major stakeholders are briefly discussed. The papers that comprise this special issue are then introduced and manuscript reviewers are acknowledged.