UNIT 8 DB1 rely 4
Write an initial substantive response of 80 words in length.
Begin your response with a restatement of the question/prompt, and include
in-text citation(s) and a reference for each scholarly source used according to
the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide located in the Student Success
Center. The restatement of the question/prompt, the references, and the
citations are not included in your response word count.
KeeseyCleckner
Professor/Class:
When I
began this Unit, I found it ironic that I was taking Marketing and Ethics
classes at the same time. Many have the general opinion that advertisers and
marketers will use sales tactics to get consumers to need, want and buy their
products. Consequently, I thought that there was no ethics in marketing. Fast
forward eight units and I am happy to be wrong. However, one example of
unethical marketing (this is just a small example) is Keurig cups at the local
grocery store. Though they come in the same size box as the 12 pack of Keurig
cups of many brands, a lot of Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts flavors are actually
10 packs. That in itself is not deceptive as it is the consumerâs
responsibility to read the packaging. The part that makes it seem deceitful is
that the quantity of Keurig cups in the package is printed only on the back.
Marketing
ethics is defined as âbasic principles and values that govern the business
practices of those engaged in promoting products or services to consumers.
Sound marketing ethics are typically those that result in or at least do not
negatively impact consumer satisfaction with the goods and services being
promoted or with the company producing them (Marketing ethics, n.d.). A prime
example of the ethics of marketing is Googleâs Code of Conduct that reflects
the motto âDonât be evilâ (Armstrong & Kotler, 2015). That pretty much sums
it up.
Natural
law of ethics dictates that everyone is born with a natural moral compass and
conscious and that when one reaches the point of well-being or Eudemonia, then
one is happy (Natural Law, 2014). In marketing, the marketers have that moral
compass and if they choose to honor it, they toe the line and remain ethical.
If they choose to ignore it, they become the unethical vultures that are expected.
The
American Marketing Association has a code of ethics that includes Do no harm,
Foster trust in the marketing system, and Embrace ethical values (Armstrong
& Kotler, 2015). Marketers should absolutely be concerned with being
ethical. They are representing a product and marketing is all about perception.
As long as marketers follow this code of ethics, they reduce the risk of any
inappropriate behavior. It is inappropriate behavior that leads to consumers
losing trust in the brand and could create lawsuits if the deception is severe
enough.
Armstrong, Gary & Kotler, Philip. (2015). Marketing: An
Introduction. 12th Edition. New
Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
Natural Law. (2014). Funk &Wagnalls New World
Encyclopedia, 1p. 1.
Marketing ethics [Def 1] (n.d.) Business Dictionary Online.
In Business Dictionary. Retrieved
June 17, 2015, from:
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/marketing-
ethics.html