When looking at ethics in marketing, let’s take this to a very basic level…would you be comfortable explaining what you’re doing to your mother and grandmother? Seriously…if you need to ask, you probably know the answer.
I was on a popular marketing message board, and somebody said they had a question and weren’t sure if what they were thinking about was ethical….right here, this is your clue. IF YOU HAVE TO ASK, there’s a problem. The reason we may ask someone is we’re trying to justify the behavior or action we want to take. In this instance the person wanted to be deceptive with a family member so they could benefit from their sibling’s success. Ouch!
In this case it was quite obvious, but what if it’s right on the edge of what may or may not be ethical. It’s a fine line at times, but all you really need to do is this…”Would I feel comfortable explaining what I’m doing and WHY I’m doing it to my mom?”
If you have to ask if it’s ethical….generally you all ready know that answer. There are better ways to take your business forward. Opt to be a better person and let go of the greed.
Comments on this entry are closed.