Marketing Communications

CHAPTER 16

Ethical issues in marketing communications

CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

This chapter will help you to:

z Understand what morals and ethics mean both in general and in marketing

communications practice

z Distinguish the different points of view with respect to ethics and the rules that marketing

communications professionals may follow in order to behave in an ethical way

z Learn about the major ethical issues in marketing communications: stereotyping,

controversial messages, targeting vulnerable groups such as children, and using

covert marketing techniques such as stealth marketing and buzz marketing

z Understand how marketing communications tools such as advertising, public

relations, selling, promotions and packaging can be used in an unethical way

z Get an idea about regulation and self-regulation principles and organisations with

respect to marketing communications

z Understand how companies may benefit from corporate social responsibility

programmes

CHAPTER OUTLINE

M16_PELS3221_05_SE_C16.indd 555M16_PELS3221_05_SE_C16.indd 555 6/6/13 8:59 AM6/6/13 8:59 AM