When Aristotle Met Maslow.

They were two different people, with two sets of ideas (I say ideas, because it's easier to change an idea than a belief). Aristotle believed in the Golden Mean, a middle ground between two extremes (various extremes for various issues). Maslow speaks on the different levels of human needs, the heirarchy in which they exist. Maslow believes that people must first achieve basic needs physiological and safety/belonging needs before moving on to achieve self-actualization. Maslow feels that this self-actualization is how one acheieves their own personal "good life." I feel that the Aristotle had a similar understanding and would agree that you need the basic things to survive. But, he feels that people need to live in moderation in respect to their lives. I think that Aristotle would say that once people meet their basic needs and move on into the higher levels of Maslow's hierarchy that that is when they need to be observant of how they live their life in moderation, not falling to one extreme or the other - and in doing that they can achieve the self-actualization that Maslow speaks of. I think they both warn about a fake, "outer" happiness taking the place of a true "inner" happiness that comes from (and leads to) moderation and self-actualization. It's cyclical.

I do not think that you can attain this inner balance or self-actualization through the purchase of a product. This is similar to what Maslow warns when he says that there are dangers "based on fame and outer recognition instead of inner competence." Aristotle would, I believe, say that the person needs to look at why they really need this product (brining in Maslow's hierarchy). He would want them to realize what need it would REALLY fullfill or what need they think it will fullfill.

I think there are certain ethical considerations that need to be thought about when placing an ad that can insinuate that a product can give you happiness. Of course, all advertisers need to show that their product fullfills a need (that's why people buy products after all.) However, I think advertisers need to consider their audience in that whether or not the audience is able to decipher why they truly need this product.