Marketing gets your goods and services out to the door. But are all strategies ethical? What are some moral aspects of a firm’s marketing strategies that are considered to be unethical? The list is not exhaustive …
- Bait-and-switch – a controversial marketing method used to entice customers by advertising deals that are simply too good to be true. For example, certain airlines. You see a cheap flight that costs $10, when in fact, there are only limited seats available at such price!
- Product Misinterpretation – using brand names that are similar to well known trademarks. For example, China’s Rasonic and JNC (both variations of Japan’s Panasonic and JVC)
- Unsubstantial claims – promotional declarations that cannot be proved. For example, “All dentists’ favourite toothpaste”
- Confusion marketing – swamping customers with excessive price information. Prevents customers from making informed choice, with the objective that customers will not switch to rival firms. For example, mobile phone subscription plans.
- Pester information – involving children pestering parents into buying certain products such as toys, fast food etc.
For more information, you can read ‘Ethics of Marketing’ in Business and Management written by Paul Hoang …