Marketing

By Bruce D. Murdy

Can we, as marketers today, practice good business ethics? Or, as some see marketing, are we “pandering to ones’ desires for things that are bad for us?”

Of course, some argue that advertising isn’t inherently ethical in any way, and that somehow we’re manipulating people to buy things they don’t really need. Most of us prefer to look at our profession the way advertising great Bill Bernbach once referred to it: “All of us who professionally use the mass media are the shapers of the society. We can vulgarize that society. We can brutalize it. Or we can help lift it onto a higher level.”

This column is not to guilt you into reconsidering your marketing appeals. If you need guilt, even the Catholic Church has weighed in on this issue, so look it up!

Over the years, the broader advertising communications industry has done a reasonable job of self-policing ethical business practices. Industry trade groups such as the American Marketing Association, the American Advertising Federation and the American Association of Advertising Agencies have all published principals of ethical advertising. And of course, when a little more persuasion is needed, Congress has stepped in and addressed such issues as advertising to children, advertising for cigarettes and liquor, etc.

Unfortunately, there are those who would drag it to a lower level. The most egregious seems to be the proliferation of e-mail advertising from which none of us have been able to steer clear.

For example, our firm recently added a “spam filter” that catches most spam in a separate server before it enters our system.

Our relatively small 35-person staff received more than two million spam ads in the first three months of operation. Most of these ads are from offshore entities offering anything from pornography to, well, just use your imagination.

Ethical marketing is truly being put to the test these days as “non-traditional” communication channels are being opened up.

That means we’re looking for new ways to deliver our message, and therefore the rules of engagement aren’t quite as clear as for more traditional and established advertising vehicles. As an example, there is a great debate going on now about product placement “embedded” in major network TV shows. The discussion includes how the product is shown, and how much should be paid for those types of communications.

OK, so let’s bring this discussion of marketing ethics closer to home. We’ve all seen the promises of “riches” by some of the lawyers on TV, some or all of who may be ethical in practicing their craft, but are they as ethical in their marketing?

We’ve all heard about “bait and switch” advertising, which is the practice of featuring a product at an incredible price, only to find that there was “only one available,” or that significant options need to be bought for the product to be usable.

Is this ethical marketing? Can’t we do better? We can do better. It’s up to us, as the marketers, to make sure what we’re communicating is ethical and right.

What I hope this short column can do is open your mind to the issue, help you consider what ethical marketing practices are, and choose to operate within those guidelines.

If you’re looking for guidance, there have been many books and papers written over the years on the subject. And above all else, trust your instincts. That little voice inside of your head is smarter than you may think.

More than 100 years ago, H.G. Wells said, “Advertising is legalized lying.” Let’s hope that we’re doing better than that. Take a look at how you’re selling. Take a closer look at how you’re advertising.

Remember the Golden Rule: “Advertise Unto Others, As You Would Have Others Advertise Unto You.”

Take the time to examine how you got where you are, and how you can improve. It’s not hard to be an ethical marketer.

Bruce D. Murdy is president of Rawle-Murdy Associates Inc. a Charleston-based marketing, advertising and public relations firm. He can be reached via e-mail at bmurdy@rawlemurdy.com.

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