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Responsible Marketing

Responsible Marketing is marketing without an *

By July 3, 2008July 23rd, 20208 Comments

We don’t trust anyone anymore. It seems the great politicians, celebrities, corporate titans and athletes have all let us down one way or another.

And while part of our psyche seems to revel in watching the demise of greatness, there’s also a part of us that hurts a little.

Where have all the good ones gone?

Yesterday, Barry Bonds’ controversial 756th home run ball was delivered to the Baseball Hall of Fame by Mark Ecko, the fashion designer that acquired the ball in an auction for $752,467. Ecko conducted an online poll to determine what to do with the ball, and the winning choice was to carve an asterisk into the ball.

For those that aren’t aware of the significance of the asterisk, most baseball fans believe the record is dirty due to Bonds alleged steroid use and it shouldn’t count. If Bonds did indeed use steroids, he cheated. And if that’s the case, since he said he didn’t use steroids while under oath, he’ll be a liar and may be found guilty of perjury.

What does all this have to do with Responsible Marketing?

Your marketing results should never come with an asterisk. Here are are few examples to illustrate what I mean:

  • If you use fear, deception or any form of trickery to get people to buy your product, your results come with an *.
  • If you cheat, by using data you don’t have permission to use, even if you don’t get caught, your results come with an *.
  • If you lie, by greenwashing or puffery to make your product, service or company something it’s not, your results come with an *.
  • If your marketing is culturally insensitive and hurts more people than it helps, your results come with an *.
  • If your testimonials aren’t real, your results come with an *.

This is obviously just the tip of the iceberg.

I’d like to know what other marketing activities you believe are worthy of an *.

Comment below to weigh in.

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