Why choose ethical marketing

Hi everybody,

I am a neophyte blogger and I have decided to deal with this topic: why?

I am an Italian business student - at the last year of my master-course in International Business and Economics - and marketing is one of my greatest interests, the area in which I would like to work and in which I am currently serving an internship. 

I am writing my thesis about marketing ethics and I am discovering this intriguing world, which I want to explore, but also promote, since I strongly believe in its relevance. 

For years, firms have been adopting a laissez-faire philosophy - typical of Milton Friedman's school of thought - in marketing and business in general, but now the growing impact of social networks and the increasing power of the public opinion are causing a turnaround. Stakeholders' rights and welfare should be taken into consideration before launching a marketing campaign, since even the smallest irresponsible behaviours may lead people to boycott your firm.  One of the most famous firms in food & beverages sector - the Swiss Nestlé - has been eavily boycotted in 1977 because of its unethical marketing campaign related to breast milk substitutes, especially in LDCs: if you are interested in the topic, just have a look at Nestlé boycott. 

Boycotting campaign against Nestlé unethical marketing

Today, firms are getting more and more involved in ethical issues: for this reason, they are gradually putting ethical marketing as one of their main goals. Virtuous firms' number is increasing, and the organisation Etisphere compiles an annual ranking of the world's most ethical companies. 

So, as a future marketer, I want to stress some aspects in this blog:

• marketing does not mean acting unethically: the old-fashioned idea that marketers are inhenrently evil is definitely surpassed.
• ethicality means profit: someone thinks that acting ethically is equal to charity, but this is definitely not true. Nowadays, having a clean public image makes you profitable, especially because consumers are getting more and more conscious about ethical issues.

Firms, do not forget the ethical side: it is crucial to create a strong and good reputation to attract customers and to make them loyal. 

Carlotta Neuenschwander