ABSTRACT
In the context of the recent global economic downturn, marketers are perhaps under more scrutiny than ever before in their role as ‘persuaders’ of consumer spending (Woodall, 2012). In addition, as the key form of communication between organisations and the general public, marketing is subject to a significant amount of societal scrutiny. Marketing also plays a central role in organisational attempts to engender the values of commitment, trust and loyalty amongst employees, customers and the public. While marketing ethics have been a cause for concern for some time, recent developments in new communications technologies, coupled with the opening up of previously closed economies in the transformation of some countries to free market systems, have undoubtedly exacerbated ethical challenges. Examples of this can be seen in the controversial promotion of cigarettes in developing countries and in the case of Nestlé, who were accused of misleadingly promoting milk formula in developing countries as better for babies than mothers’ milk. However, as Brenkert (2008: 4) observes, ‘we harbour, as a society, a deeply divided consciousness over marketing’. Many of those living in developed countries readily embrace the array of goods that are the consequence of the efficient operation of markets, while at the same time some feel a sense of unease at the cost of this abundance. This chapter first considers the definition and scope of research on marketing ethics. This is followed by a discussion of the role of marketing ethics in contemporary society that explores how marketing ethics might offer practical guidelines to both organisations and the individuals working within them. The chapter then examines some ethical criticisms of marketing practice including: new media marketing, marketing research, advertising, and product and brand management. In closing, the chapter draws together these debates in a case study which explores the marketing of cosmetics.
