Marketing Communications

582 CHAPTER 16 ETHICAL ISSUES IN MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

Further reading

Brenkert, G.G. (2008), Marketing Ethics (Foundations of Business Ethics). Hoboken, NJ:

Wiley-Blackwell.

Hartley, R.F. (2004), Business Ethics: Mistakes and Successes. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Murphy, P.E. and Laczniak, G.R. (2006), Marketing Ethics: Cases and Readings. Upper Saddle

River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Murphy, P.E., Laczniak, G.E., Bowie, N.E. and Klein, T.E. (2004), Ethical Marketing (Basic

Ethics in Action). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Saucier, R.D. and Folkers, K.K. (2008), Marketing Ethics. Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Pr.

Business Ethics: A European Review , http://www.wiley.com/bw/journal.asp?ref=0962-8770.

Business Ethics Quarterly , https://secure.pdcnet.org/pdc/bvdb.nsf/journal?openform&journal=

pdc_beq.

Journal of Business Research , http://www.elsevier.com/wps/fi nd/journaldescription.cws_

home/505722/description#description.

Journal of Consumer Aff airs , http://www.wiley.com/bw/journal.asp?ref=0022-0078.

6. Give examples of covert marketing. When and why can it be unethical? What could
   a marketing communications professional do to make these techniques and formats
   ethically acceptable?


7. Give examples of ethical problems in personal selling, direct marketing, public relations
   and packaging.


8. What are self-regulation procedures based on and how do they function?


9. What are corporate social responsibility programmes? Give examples.

CASE 16:

Pampers and UNICEF: helping protect babies together

Procter & Gamble: branded consumer

products help children in need

William Procter and James Gamble formed a humble,

small, family-operated soap and candle company, inspired

by the purpose of providing products and services of sup-

erior quality and value, in 1837. Today, Procter & Gamble is

one of the leading global manufacturers and marketers of

branded consumer goods. P&G commits itself to providing

branded products and services of superior quality and value

that improve the lives of the world’s consumers. As a result,

it strives for leadership sales, profit and value creation,

allowing employees, shareholders and the communities

to prosper.

In 2008, P&G employed approximately 135 000 employ-

ees working in about 80 countries worldwide and provided

products and services in over 180 countries. In 2007, sales

were almost $55 000 million. Brands worth $23 billion are

the core of the company’s product portfolio, and account

for almost two-thirds of annual sales. They are in beauty,

health care, fabric and home care, baby and family care,

snacks, razors and blades, etc. The company has one of the

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