The field of marketing is subject to intense ethical scrutiny. Realistically, that’s the way it should be! Consciously aware of it or not, marketing plays a huge role in how we perceive products, brands, and the world as a whole. Given this statement, is it ethical to advertise any and every product? Are there products which simply shouldn’t be advertised at all?

The most obvious case is tobacco, or more specifically cigarettes. Today, most forms of advertising for cigarettes are prohibited in Canada. Only certain forms such as print ads in magazines with a very low youth readership are still allowed, and even these must be featured alongside large health and safety warnings.

But of course, advertising isn’t the only form of marketing. Companies continue to build brand loyalty through membership programs, contests, and creating a sense of community. Our government has made it increasingly difficult for tobacco companies to find new customers, but what about their existing consumer base? Being that the harmful effects of tobacco are so well documented, is it ethical to market these products at all? By creating incentives for customers to remain customers, they are effectively impeding the consumer’s ability to make positive, healthy choices. The sale of the product has a direct negative impact on their life.

But tobacco isn’t the only example of a product with negative effects. One could make the argument that fast food advertisements should come with warning labels about nutrition and obesity. By the same token, can a car be ethically marketed without a label on the speedometer saying “Speed Kills”?

These are just examples, but the point is this: Marketing can be an incredibly powerful force, and those who influence its implementation and direction must be aware of the consequences of the product or service they sell.