ABSTRACT
Marketing ethics remains a topic of vigorous debate. As the key form of communication between organizations and the general public, marketing is subject to a signifi cant amount of societal scrutiny. Marketing also plays a central role in organizational 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 Nestl é who were accused of misleadingly promoting milk formula in developing countries as better for babies than mothers ’ milk. However, as Brenkert (2008, p. 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 effi cient operation of markets, at the same time some feel a sense of unease at the cost of this abundance. This chapter fi rst considers the defi nition and scope of research on marketing ethics. This is followed by a discussion of the role of marketing ethics in contemporary society. In particular it explores how marketing ethics might offer practical guidelines to both organizations and the individuals working within them. The chapter then examines some ethical criticisms of marketing practice including: 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.
