1/5/22, 12:07 PM Ethical Marketing – Marketing Schools 1/5/22, 12:07 PM p Marketing Schools Ethical Marketing – Marketing Schools g Marketing That question has never had a satisfactory answer, but in recent years it has become a Schools hot button issue. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, corporate profits soared to all time highs in 2011. At the same time, the world was suffering through a crippling Ethical Marketing economic downturn made worse by unscrupulous business practices. The vast disparity between corporations and their customers has made ethical business practices an Explore the Strategy of Ethical Marketing All Types of Marketing y extremely relevant issue. Ethical Marketing Companies realize the importance of acting in more ethical way, and broadcasting this transformation to their customers. One of the easiest ways to achieve this is through their marketing practices. If a company makes an effort to advertise more ethically, it reflects positively on every area of that business. What is ethical marketing? Ethical marketing is less of a marketing strategy and more of a philosophy that informs all marketing efforts. It seeks to promote honesty, fairness, and responsibility in all advertising. Ethics is a notoriously difficult subject because everyone has subjective judgments about what is “right” and what is “wrong.” For this reason, ethical marketing is not a hard and fast list of rules, but a general set of guidelines to assist companies as Last Updated: November 18, 2020 they evaluate new marketing strategies. Guide: Ethical Marketing Principles of Ethical Marketing What is ethical marketing? Who implements ethical marketing? How is an ethical marketing plan developed? Careers in ethical marketing All marketing communications share the common standard of truth. Marketing professionals abide by the highest standard of personal ethics. Advertising is clearly distinguished from news and entertainment content. Marketers should be transparent about who they pay to endorse their products. How can a marketing school help you succeed? Consumers should be treated fairly based on the nature of the product and the nature of the consumer (e.g. marketing to children). Business ethics is one of the most complicated and contentious subjects in human The privacy of the consumer should never be compromised. history. The relationship between doing the right thing and making money has been Marketers must comply with regulations and standards established by governmental and professional organizations. Ethics should be discussed openly and honestly during all marketing decisions. studied by both academics and business leaders for years with little concesus reached. A survey by the Ethics Resource Center found that 43% of respondents believed their supervisors lacked ethical integrity. One overriding question surrounds many business practices: what is the ethical way to sell things? https://www.marketing-schools.org/types-of-marketing/ethical-marketing/#section-2 1/10 https://www.marketing-schools.org/types-of-marketing/ethical-marketing/#section-2 2/10 1/5/22, 12:07 PM Ethical Marketing – Marketing Schools 1/5/22, 12:07 PM There are distinct advantages and disadvantages to ethical marketing. Unethical Ethical Marketing – Marketing Schools the smallest mom and pop store to the biggest multinational corporation can choose to Marketing Schools Marketing advertising is often just as effective as it is unethical (See also Black Hat Marketing). And be open,Schools honest, and fair when they advertise to their customers. When done in a since unethical behavior is not necessarily against the law, there are many companies thoughtful way, ethical marketing can be an economical and effective form of who use unethical advertising to gain a competitive advantage. advertising. Similarly, unethical advertising doesn’t guarantee higher sales or lower advertising costs. Many people buy diet pills even though they are rarely, if ever, effective. This is because some diet pill companies use exaggerated and manipulative claims to essentially trick customers into buying these products. If that same company committed to using ethical Some companies operate according to lofty personal principles. For these companies, advertising in an ethical way is a natural and necessary extension of their corporate character. Corporate responsibility can be a major selling point to consumers who are advertising they would probably go out of business. However sneaky their business interested in more than just price and quality. Companies that are known for treating model may be, it is not illegal and it is keeping their doors open. workers fairly, sourcing sustainable materials, environmental stewardship, and charitable donation have to reflect these principles in their marketing efforts. . For companies looking to improve the image of a brand and develop long-term relationships with customers, this kind of unethical behavior can quickly lead to failure. For other companies, ethical marketing will be little more than an opportunity to boost Customers do not want to feel manipulated by the brands they like. Companies can use their credibility. Domino’s pizza, for example, carried out a well known advertising ethical marketing as a way to develop a sense of trust among their customers. If a campaign in which they showed consumers pictures of real Domino’s pizzas without the product lives up to the claims made in its advertising, it reflects positively on the entire studio photography that makes them look so perfect. This was a refreshing look behind company. It can make the consumer feel like the company is invested in the quality of the artifice of much advertising, but this did not signal a more open and honest the products and the value they provide customers. relationship between Domino’s and the pizza buying public. The campaign was considered an attention seeking stunt at best. It is impossible to claim that any company is completely ethical or unethical. Ethics resides in a gray area with many fine lines and shifting boundaries. Many companies behave ethically in one aspect of their advertising and unethically in another. Types of Unethical Advertising Dove soap, for instance, ran a widely seen ad campaign featuring “real” models. The ad was meant to promote realistic body images and encourage girls to love the way they looked even if they were not supermodels. However, other Dove ads both during and since featured stereotypically beautiful models whose images have been altered to hide imperfections. Dove marketed ethically in one campaign and unethically in another. This illustrates how difficult it is to do the right thing in all circumstances. What is most important for any company that claims to practice ethical advertising is to make it a 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. Puffery – When an advertiser relies on subjective rather than objective claims, they are puffing up their products. Statements like “the best tasting coffee” cannot be confirmed objectively. Unverified Claims – Many products promise to deliver results without providing fundamental feature of their marketing process. With every decision they must ask themselves “will this sell” and “is this the ethical way to sell it?” (See also Consumer Psychology) any scientific evidence. Shampoo commercials that promise stronger, shinier hair do so without telling consumers why or how. Stereotyping Women – Women in advertising have often been portrayed as Who implements ethical marketing? Every company has the opportunity to engage in ethical marketing. Any business, from https://www.marketing-schools.org/types-of-marketing/ethical-marketing/#section-2 Surrogate Advertising – In certain places there are laws against advertising products like cigarettes or alcohol. Surrogate advertising finds ways to remind consumers of these products without referencing them directly. 3/10 sex objects or domestic servants. This type of advertising traffics in negative t t d t ib t t i t lt https://www.marketing-schools.org/types-of-marketing/ethical-marketing/#section-2 4/10 1/5/22, 12:07 PM Ethical Marketing – Marketing Schools 1/5/22, 12:07 PM stereotypes and contributes to a sexist culture. False brand comparisons – Any time a company makes false or misleading Marketing Ethical Marketing – Marketing Schools One company which embodies the spirit of ethical marketing is The Body Shop, a Marketing Schools claims about their competitors they are spreading misinformation. Children in advertising – Children consume huge amounts of advertising without being able to evaluate it objectively. Exploiting this innocence is one of worldwide chain of bath and body stores. Since their inception they have been Schools the most common unethical marketing practices. marketing efforts. The ethical nature of the company is highlighted as a way to committed to treating workers fairly, avoiding animal testing, using organic products, and promoting healthy body images. These values are often at the center of their differentiate themselves from their competitors in the cosmetics industry. How is an ethical marketing plan developed? Careers in ethical marketing Ethical marketing doesn’t refer to a plan in and of itself, but offers tools for companies to Ethicist evaluate the marketing strategies they use in the past, present, and future. If a company What do they do? decides that an ethical marketing strategy can increase their profits or advance their public image, they can take steps to revise their existing marketing (See also Public Relations Specialist). In some cases this involves minor changes; in others it will require Salaries of Ethical Marketers entirely new ad campaigns. Any ethical marketing effort will begin with a careful analysis of the company, its Ethicist customers, and the markets it operate within. Ethical marketing has many advantages, entry level – $50,000-$80,000 after 10 years – $90,000-$115,000 but few companies would undertake an ethical marketing strategy if it reduces profits. Marketing Manager Careful research is the best way to predict the effects of a change in strategy. If ethical marketing proves to be cost prohibitive, many companies will abandon the effort. entry level – $50,000-$90,000 after 10 years – $100,000-$150,000 A company will then decide which features of their advertising to perform in ethical Copywriter entry level – $40,000-$60,000 after 10 years – $60,000-$90,000 ways. As previously mentioned, the field of ethics is notoriously abstract. What is right to one may be wrong to another. Marketing professionals must reach an agreement about how they want to deliver their campaigns. They might decide to focus on making honest Source: www.indeed.com/salary claims, avoiding marketing to children, or falsely criticizing competitors. A delicate balance has to be struck between the truth of the ad and its ability to persuade the customer. Ethicists study the practical and philosophical dimensions of ethical choices. Many Finally, ethical marketers need to make difficult choices about how to leverage the house ethical officers. In a corporate setting, they will draft policies outlining the work in academic departments, but some larger companies employ their own in- capitol of their ethical decisions. For most companies, the simple knowledge that they ethical obligations of the company, evaluate the ethics of decisions and offer are doing the right thing will not be enough of a motivating factor. Ethical marketing counseling when ethical ambiguities arise. often highlights the ethical choices a company has made in order to improve their public reputation. This can be a powerful way to connect with customers, but it also runs Education and Skills the risk of seeming self congratulatory. Any effort at ethical marketing has to balance a An advanced degree in philosophy is necessary to find work as a professional company’s self interest with their social responsibility. https://www.marketing-schools.org/types-of-marketing/ethical-marketing/#section-2 ethicist. Corporate ethical offices will also need to have bachelor’s degrees in 5/10 i i i i https://www.marketing-schools.org/types-of-marketing/ethical-marketing/#section-2 i i i i i i 6/10 1/5/22, 12:07 PM Ethical Marketing – Marketing Schools 1/5/22, 12:07 PM business, marketing, or communications. Specialized training in the industry or Marketing department the ethicist works for will make the counsel they provide more relevant Ethical Marketing – Marketing Schools Marketing Our Recommended Schools Schools Schools Marketing Manager 1 Grand Canyon University (GCU) What do they do? GCU's Colangelo College of Business offers leading edge degrees that Marketing managers supervise every aspect of a marketing campaign. They will address the demands of contemporary business environments. conduct market research, guide the design of ads, monitor performance metrics, 2 Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and negotiate deals with ad buyers. As the person responsible for making the final Explore the bond between business and consumer behavior with a degree in call about advertising decisions, the marketing manager will decide how ethical a marketing. company’s marketing strategy will be. Education and Skills Ethics are an abstract subject that can easily get overlooked in the high pressure world A bachelor’s degree in marketing is the minimum educational requirement for of business. Some companies treat ethical behavior as an obstacle and make only shallow efforts to behave responsibly. In some cases this has consequences, in others it marketing managers. Many have advanced degrees in specialized forms of does not. The only way to remain aware of the ethics of business decisions is to have a marketing. Additional training in business, public relations, or graphic design can team constructed of ethically minded business people. Getting a degree in marketing also be helpful. Managers get promoted into their positions after several years of from an accredited institution is a proven way to maintain this ethical focus. working in the industry. The ethics of marketing will be a feature of any marketing program. Students will study Copywriter famous examples, consider case studies from the world, and have in-depth discussions about what is “right” and “wrong” in marketing. Using hypothetical scenarios in an What do they do? academic environment gives students the opportunity to work through ethical conflicts Copywriters draft the words that are used to sell products. This can range from the that they might eventually be exposed to in their working lives. This kind of wide ranging text that runs below a print ad to the voiceover that accompanies a TV commercial. study is the best way to fully understand the consequences of ethics as they apply to Their words become the claims a company makes about its products. Ethical marketing and business. copywriters will focus on being honest in their claims and fair to their customers. A degree in marketing proves to employers that the new marketers they hire can Education and Skills respond to the complicated challenges of 21st century business. As consumers are flooded with choices, they are increasingly looking for socially responsible businesses to A degree in marketing is helpful but not absolutely necessary to become a patronize. Academic training in marketing equips young advertisers to make thoughtful copywriter. Some people enter the field after getting degrees in English, public and meaningful decisions about the ethics of their marketing strategies. relations, or communications. Strong language skills and an ability to write informatively and persuasively are the most important features of a copywriter. Skeptical Consumers How can a marketing school help you succeed? https://www.marketing-schools.org/types-of-marketing/ethical-marketing/#section-2 7/10 M h d i i ih https://www.marketing-schools.org/types-of-marketing/ethical-marketing/#section-2 h lh d f k i i E h 8/10 1/5/22, 12:07 PM Ethical Marketing – Marketing Schools 1/5/22, 12:07 PM Most consumers approach advertising with a healthy degree of skepticism. Even the Marketing least informed consumer knows that not every claim made by every advertiser is Ethical Marketing – Marketing Schools Marketing Schools Start a Program Today Schools true. The chart below, compiled from data from an AdWeek Media poll, shows just how skeptical consumers really are. Fewer than 20% of respondents believed in advertising even most of the time. It is clear that consumers have become cynical about the ads they see. Ethical marketing can be an effective way to restore some of Resources the trust that has been lost between consumers and advertisers. Marketing Schools Careers in Marketing Consumer Psychology Types of Marketing The Professionals About Contact Us Marketing Schools Ready to make your career something amazing? https://www.marketing-schools.org/types-of-marketing/ethical-marketing/#section-2 9/10 https://www.marketing-schools.org/types-of-marketing/ethical-marketing/#section-2 10/10
