The Ethical Responsibilities of Marketing Strategies

The Ethical Responsibilities of Marketing Strategies

Every business has one main objective, and that is to generate profitable income, after all increasing profits is the driving force behind innovations, inventions and growth. However, this does beg the question as to how money is generated. This has led many to question the marketing strategies that companies utilise, and the ethical standing of their promotions in today’s society. I will be exploring this moral ambiguity, off the benchmark of the academic article by Lindsay-Mullikin and Petty (2009), which examines some strategies and deceptive practices companies encumber onto the consumer. In conclusion, I will put forth a summation of Lindsay-Mullikin and Petty (2009) and other credible sources, in conjunction with my own personnel reflection on the ethical responsibilities of marketing strategies and their drive to sell more.

As Lindsay-Mullikin and Petty (2009) explain, “business assurances” or promotional materials are the cogs that drive marketing strategies. These assurances develop a desire in the consumer to purchase one company’s product over another’s. Lindsay-Mullikin and Petty’s (2009) discussion comments on the main prerogatives offered to consumers and how some of these practices can become deceptive or are purposely and unethically deceptive to lure in potential business, for example the use of confusing or manipulative phrases in slogans and sales pitches. Finally, they draw to the behavioural manipulations that some business assurances produce.

A distinction must be made between the different types of business assurance that are common play throughout the marketplace, both nationally and internationally. Although Lindsay-Mullikin and Petty (2009) research is focused on the marketing behaviours of United States businesses, comparisons can quite clearly be drawn between Australia and the United States. The economic and social developments of each nation have provided a similar business environment in each country, as Rawwas et al. (1996, p.53) states “each has been blessed by longstanding political stability” and “each has country has enjoyed widespread economic prosperity over an extended period of time”.

Lindsay-Mullikin and Petty (2009) highlights a number of interesting points in regards to loyalty or rewards programs offered by companies. The main pretence of a loyalty program is to focus funding towards retaining customers rather than acquiring new ones, as this is generally cheaper and according to studies this does increase the number of purchases by loyal consumers Lewis (2004). However, these types of programs can falsely provide the perception of value to the consumer, effectively wrapping them in a veil and making them less sensitive to rival price promotions. Lower value rewards also bring the practice of loyalty programs under the limelight. For example, Flyby cards in Australia offer