Marketing ethics, as it is defined“ is the area of applied ethics which deals with the moral principals behind the operation and regulation of marketing. Some areas of marketing can be considered in promotions and advertising.
In 2006, Sony decided to come out with a new marketing tactic that would capture consumer’s attention. Their target goal was acquired but in the way they expected. A huge advertising billboard was revealed, in Holland, promoting the new PSP (Plays Station Portable) color. The billboard was depicting a “white PSP” model violently holding the mouth of a “black PSP” model in a commemoration of the launch of the ceramic white PSP. It is clear that the ad reveals straight racial discrimination between the white and black race.
Of course the reaction of the consumers was not the expected and Sony went into some legal issues by publishing it. Instead of confronting this issue they decided to defend themselves with the following statement: “The marketing campaign for the launch of the White PSP in the Benelux focuses on the contrast between the Black PSP model and the new Ceramic white PSP model” and “A variety of different treatments have been created as a campaign to either highlight the whiteness of the new model or contrast the black and the white models. Central to this campaign has been the creation of some stunningly photographed imagery…”
So how did a well known international company decided to take this kinds of risks by advertising this billboard? What where they thinking? By violating the ethical norms during advertising can actually “backfired” when applied in a marketing strategy.
Taken from:
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/04/ad-critic-sonys-racially-charged-psp-ad/