Marketing Communications

UNETHICAL MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PRACTICES 565

product or service without stating the company’s role in the communication. Th ese tactics are

inherently deceptive and thus unethical because they are likely to mislead a reasonable con-

sumer on material aspects of a company’s marketing eff orts, and because they are intrusive

or exploitative of social relationships or the kindness of strangers.^48

In 2002, Sony Ericsson’s communications agencies hired 60 actors to pose as tourists in ten cities across the USA.

Unsuspecting people were asked to take a picture of the fake tourists with the new T68i camera phone. After the

person agreed, the actor demonstrated the use of the camera and began talking up its benefits and features. The

actors did not identify themselves as being paid by Sony Ericsson. Other initiatives included actresses talking to

strangers in trendy bars while using the phone and pairs of actresses playing an interactive version of the game

‘Battleship’ at either end of a bar. In this way, many people got direct experience with the phone or learned about it

through word of mouth. When exposed, the company did not apologise. It claimed that talking to strangers is not

an offence, and the campaign was very effective.

BUSINESS INSIGHT

Stealth marketing

Photo 16.2 Using a controversial picture of a celebrity to support a ‘good cause’

Source : Getty Images.

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