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Marketing ethics.

Crelin, Joy

Salem Press Encyclopedia, January, 2013. 1p.

Article

MARKETING ethics

Marketing ethics is the field of ethics that governs the

marketing industry, which includes the industries of

advertising and promotion. Although standards for marketing

vary based on industry, a number of areas tend to be of

particular concern to proponents of ethical marketing. These

include truth in advertising, responsible use of consumer

information, protection of consumer privacy, fair pricing, and

adherence to standards for unsolicited advertising. More

specific concerns include acceptable practices for advertising

to children and the use of warning messages in the

advertisement of harmful products such as cigarettes.

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90558382

Research Starters

Marketing ethics

Last reviewed: November 2013

Marketing ethics is the field of ethics that governs the marketing industry, which includes the

industries of advertising and promotion. Although standards for marketing vary based on industry, a

number of areas tend to be of particular concern to proponents of ethical marketing. These include

truth in advertising, responsible use of consumer information, protection of consumer privacy, fair

pricing, and adherence to standards for unsolicited advertising. More specific concerns include

acceptable practices for advertising to children and the use of warning messages in the

advertisement of harmful products such as cigarettes.

Overview

As a nearly ubiquitous aspect of society, marketing is a subject of concern for many. The very nature

of advertising means that marketers attempt to persuade consumers to buy a particular product or

service, but in some cases, unscrupulous advertisers use unethical methods to do so. In addition,

some marketing tactics can be considered invasive when handled improperly. Marketers seeking to

adhere to the highest level of standards take a host of ethical concerns into consideration when

designing marketing campaigns.

The field of marketing ethics is particularly concerned with truth in advertising, which means that

when promoting a product, an advertiser must accurately and truthfully represent it and the terms of

its purchase. False claims about a product’s quality, capabilities, or other characteristics are

unacceptable in ethical marketing and are oftentimes illegal as are blatant falsehoods and deceptive

language or images to misrepresent the product. Truth in advertising also extends to the advertising

of prices, which must be free of hidden fees, price-fixing tactics, or bait-and-switch scams.

Direct marketing is also a concern of marketing ethicists. Unsolicited advertising such as unwanted

advertising in e-mails, typically known as spam, are a common annoyance for most e-mail users,

and telemarketing calls have achieved near legendary status as a form of unethical marketing.

Although controversial, direct marketing can be ethically based by providing consumers with the

ability to opt out of receiving marketing e-mails, mail, or phone calls.

Ethical marketing is especially important when the target audience is children. Children constitute a

key marketing demographic for many companies, and although many oppose any advertising in any

form that is directed at children, those concerned with marketing ethics typically focus on determining

how to advertise to children in ways that are not harmful or deceptive. One area of concern is the

marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children, especially given the link between

consumption of high-energy, low-nutrition-value foods and beverages and obesity.

Advertising products that are potentially harmful, such as cigarettes, is of such great concern that in

some cases the US government has stepped in to ensure that ethical standards are met. Various

regulations stipulate when, where, and how these products can be advertised, and advertisements

for many products must carry a warning label. For example, the United States banned cigarette ads

from airing on TV and radio broadcasts as of 1971. US cigarette advertisements in print media must

include warnings about the effects of smoking on one’s health. Advertising in other industries are

overseen by self-regulatory organizations (SRO) that determine the standards of ethical advertising

for that product. Alcohol advertisements, for example, frequently encourage consumers to “drink

responsibly.”

Bibliography

McKinley, Mary M., ed. Ethics in Marketing and Communications. New York: Palgrave, 2012. Print.

Murphy, Patrick E., Gene R. Laczniak, and Andrea Prothero, eds. Ethics in Marketing: International

Cases and Perspectives. New York: Routledge, 2012. Print.

Murphy, Patrick E., and John F. Sherry Jr., eds. Marketing and the Common Good: Essays from

Notre Dame on Societal Impact. New York: Routledge, 2014. Print.

Nill, Alexander. Handbook on Ethics and Marketing. Cheltenham: Elgar, 2015. eBook Collection

(EBSCOhost). Web. 29 June 2015.

Parsons, Elizabeth, and Pauline Maclaran. Contemporary Issues in Marketing and Consumer

Behavior. Burlington: Butterworth, 2009. Print.

Qi, Shi. “The Impact of Advertising Regulation on Industry: The Cigarette Advertising Ban of 1971.”

RAND Journal of Economics 44.2 (2013): 215–248. EconLit with Full Text. Web. 29 June 2015.

SAGE. SAGE Brief Guide to Marketing Ethics. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2011. Print.

Saucier, Rick D. Marketing Ethics. Lewiston: Mellen, 2008. Print.

Sheth, Jagdish N., and Rajendra S. Sisodia, eds. Does Marketing Need Reform? Fresh

Perspectives on the Future. Armonk: Sharpe, 2006. Print.

Van de Ven, Bert. Responsible Marketing: Marketing Ethics. London: Routledge, 2005. Print.

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Source: Salem Press Encyclopedia, January, 2013, 1p

Item: 90558382