One of the most important objective of Marketing is to get the “correct” information across to the customers. Another objective of Marketing is of course, to make the product that is being marketed look great to the customers. Now consider this, as brought up in Paul Tassi’s blog , EA, Microsoft, and Machinima are currently being accused of paying(stealthily) youtubers to comment positively about the EA, or Microsoft products  within their videos.  Can we count this as an example of unethical marketing tactics? Or are we falsely accusing the giant companies?

Through watching the reviews, or youtube videos that are related to the product that they are about to buy, the customers hope to attain information to verify that the product that they are about to buy will grant them the value that they are hoping to acquire through the purchase of the product. Especially in the gaming market, the youtube reviews on the internet performed by those that have used the product serve as one of the primary tools consumers use before purchasing the product.

In the case of Microsoft and EA “bribing” the reviewers to make their games more appealing to the consumers, it is undeniable that the consumers are being blocked from the true nature of the games, and therefore, it can be concluded that it is an unethical action in part of the corporations. Although marketing campaigns performed by themselves can be done in a way in which their product is made to look impeccable, second hand reviews should not be meddled with.

(http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2014/01/23/wading-into-the-ethical-quagmire-of-being-paid-to-like-microsoft-ea-or-others/ )