ETHICAL AND UNETHICAL CHALLENGES IN MARKETING

Business ethics is one of the most complicated and contentious subjects in human history. the relationship between doing the right thing and making money has been studied by both academics and business leaders for years with little concesus reached.

ETHICAL beliefs shape the way we live- what we do, what we make and the world we create through our choices.

WHAT IS ETHICAL MARKETING?

ETHICAL  marketing is less of a marketing strategy and more of the philosophy that informs all marketing efforts. it seeks to promote honesty, fairness, and responsibilities in all advertising. ETHICS is a notoriously difficult subject because everyone  has subjective judgments about what is "RIGHT" and what is "WRONG".  

       PRINCIPLES OF ETHICAL MARKETING.

• All marketing communications share the common standard of truth.
• Advertising is clearly distinguished from news and entertainment content.
• Consumers should be treated fairly based on the nature of the product and the nature of the consumer (e.g. marketing to children).
• The privacy of the consumer should never be compromised.
• ETHICS should be discussed openly and honestly during all marketing decisions.

TYPES OF UNETHICAL MARKETING/ADVERTISING.

1. SURROGATE ADVERTISING-   Surrogate advertising finds ways to remind consumers of these products without referencing them directly.
2. EXAGGERATION-     Some advertisers use false claims about a product's quality or popularity. A SLOGAN like "get coverage everywhere on earth" advertises features that cannot be delivered.
3. PUFFERY-    When a advertiser relies on subjective rather than objective claims, they are puffing up their products.
4. UNVERIFIED CLAIMS-    Many products promise to deliver result without providing any scientific evidence. shampoo commercials that promises stronger, shinier hair do so without telling consumers why or how.
5. FALSE BRAND COMPARISONS-    Any time a company makes false or misleading claims about their competitors they are spreading misinformation.