| Unethical
marketing managers use misleading advertising, deceptive promotions,
false labeling, small print, hidden charges, marketing kids, gouging,
and other mean methods to sell the consumer. It is working - there is
over-consumption and great waste in one half of the world, and most of
us want more. There is also more social stress. The high
intensity and shrewdness of marketing has influenced our society in the
wrong way and is shaping the lives of the next generation. Is anybody
complaining?
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The Creeps
There seems to be a negative trend in the
retailer-consumer relationship. It is the deterioration in the ethic of
the seller and the acceptance of this dishonesty by the consumer. It is
creeping its way through a number of retail sectors like a virus. It
can be the lessening of a products usefulness, safety, or general worth
so it can be sold at a better profit. It can also be the
increase of marketing deception to sell more product at a better price.
As an
example, if an
unethical food manufacturer is allowed to add or increase an unhealthy
ingredient in a product to increase profit the ethical corporations
will be pressured to do the same to keep market share.
A
scenario:
Three
corporations sell the same product. Corp A cuts cost and increases
profit margin in a way that also increases the health hazard or
decreases it's true worth in some other way. The result might even be
more appealing, as tastier in the case of food, or prettier in
appearance.
Corp
B and corp C watch their market share begin to shrink but soon both
follow suit. In fact Corp C takes it a bit further and cuts costs more
in the same way, at the same time increasing the hazard or decreasing
the value slightly once again.
The
competitive cycle goes around again and a new standard creeps its way
throughout that industry. Communications marketing comes to mind with
this routine.
How
does it stop? It would require that all parties simultaneously realize
that profit is not as important as the welfare and good will of the
consumer. This will not just suddenly happen.
It
seems that in this era of the corporate drive for more profit for
executives and shareholders that more and tighter government regulation
of business practices are needed.
This
is unfortunate but necessary if ethics are gradually being moved to the
back in retailing to consumers.
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Effective Market
Competition Requires Tight Regulation
Competition
is a method of comparing two or more contenders to see which is better
in one or more specific qualities. To
realize this ranking of qualities, the contest must isolate the
qualities and provide fair competition. For
example: the 100 meter dash compares running speed, a football game
compares athleticism, management and team work, and a beauty pageant
compares personal presentation and personality. In
each of these examples, there are strict rules and regulations to
isolate the competing qualities.
Runners
must start at the same time, have equal length of track and have equal
track environments, football players must follow rules administered by
referees, and beauty contest must follow all pageant guidelines. Without the enforcement of such regulations,
contestants may “cheat” by using qualities that are undesirable and
even antithetical to the contest goals. Thus without tight regulation,
competition is not effective at discovering which contender has the
desired qualities.
If we
accept that a most important function of the commercial free-market is
to promote competition of goods and services so that those products
with the best consumer value come out on top, then we must also accept
that market regulation is a necessity.
If we
accept that our system of capitalism should serve the interests and
needs of all private citizens, and not just an elite class of owners,
then it can be proved that commercial marketing promotions are an
unnecessary element of our system. In theory and in practice,
capitalism does not require promotional marketing to sustain effective
commerce, and in effect, the competitive market system is corrupted by
the irrational messages that are the staple of contemporary commercial
promotions.
Commercial
marketers do not want consumers to be critical of their product or
service, they just want consumers to buy it.
Source:
Goods and Services
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Ten Ways to Have More Responsible Children
We'd
all like our kids to
develop into responsible people. How can we help to ensure that our
kids learn the lessons of responsibility? Here are some ideas:
1.
Start them with tasks
when they're young.
Young
kids have a strong
desire to help out, even as young as age 2. They can do a lot more than
you think if you're patient and creative. This helps build confidence
and enthusiasm for later tasks in their life.
2.
Don't use rewards with
your kids
If
you want your kids to
develop an intrinsic sense of responsibility, they need to learn the
"big picture" value of the things they do. They won't learn that if
they're focused on what they're going to "get."
3.
Use natural
consequences when they make mistakes.
If
they keep losing their
baseball glove somewhere, let them deal with the consequences. Maybe
they have to ask to borrow one for the game. Maybe they have to buy a
new one if it's lost. If you rescue them every time they screw up,
they'll never learn responsibility.
4.
Let them know when you
see them being responsible.
Specifically
point out
what you like about their behavior. This will make it more likely to
continue to happen.
5.
Talk often about
responsibility with your kids.
Make
responsibility a
family value, let them know it's important.
6.
Model responsible
behavior for your kids.
This
is where they'll
learn it from. Take care of your stuff. Try to be on time. They're
watching you very closely.
7.
Give them an allowance
early in their life.
Let
them make their own
money decisions from an early age. They'll learn their lessons in a
hurry. Don't bail them out if they run out of money.
8.
Have a strong,
unfailing belief that your kids are responsible.
They'll
pick up on this
belief and they'll tend to rise to the level of expectation. And keep
believing this even when they mess up!
9.
Train them to be
responsible.
Use
role play and talk to
them about exactly what kind of behavior you expect from them. It's
hard for kids to be responsible when they don't know what it looks like.
10.
Get some help and
support for your parenting.
It's
hard to know
sometimes whether you're being too controlling or too permissive as a
parent. Talk to other parents, read books, join parent support groups,
whatever will help you feel like you're not alone.
Mark
Brandenburg MA,
CPCC, coaches men to be better fathers and husbands. He is the author
of "25 Secrets of Emotionally Intelligent Fathers"
http://www.markbrandenburg.com/father.htm Sign up for his FREE
bi-weekly newsletter, "Dads, Don't Fix Your Kids," at
http://www.markbrandenburg.com.
Reprinted
from Zongoo.com Daily Press &
Consumer Information
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Loud Commercials
I
know that I am not alone in complaining about loud TV commercials,
although it may bother some a lot less than others. They used to say
that tests indicated that commercials were not louder than the regular
programming. More recently I heard a national television broadcaster
discussing loud commercials. A media tech person had explained to him
that the sound was not louder but it was enhanced to sound louder.
These
types of answers are common when confronting someone responsible for
answering consumer complaints. Since these TV intrusions must be turned
down or off in order to continue a conversation, it is easy to conclude
that they are louder. Or sound louder if you prefer. Either way it is
promotion ad noxious.
Marketers
use this purposely to capture the attention of the audience who may not
want to pay attention but do something else. During the evening my wife
has often said to me, "Mute that thing, I can't concentrate!" or "I
can't read the paper!" Well that's the
idea dear, we're not supposed to read, talk, or do anything else but
listen to the promotion.
An
advertiser should not be allowed to invade our homes with deliberately
loud television commercials. What can you do if you don't like this
insane marketing disturbing you in your personal living area?
I
understand that the broadcaster can use equipment and procedures to
avoid "loud" commercials and background noise. You could contact the
stations involved but don't expect to get lucky. Advertisers are their
source of revenue.
The
latest information I have states that, at least in the US, the Federal
Communications Commission does not regulate the volume of programs or
commercials.
Until
I can think of something better I will mute the commercials and I will
talk about the problem. I have much more reason now to just leave the
TV off. The term 'Idiot
Box' has come to have even more substance.
"I
wish there were a knob on the TV to turn up the intelligence. There's a
knob called "brightness, but that doesn't work." - Author Unknown
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Are Consumer Complaints Worthwhile?
In
most instances when we have a gripe it is best to complain to someone,
but depending on the type of complaint and to whom the complaint is
sent, it could be a waste of time.
If we
think that a retail outlet is marketing unethically or makes a mistake
that appears to be a local problem only, a complaint can be made to the
manager.
When
the situation seems to reflect overall company policy, then a complaint
to the head office might be in order. Finding an address and contact
may not be easy. Customer relations people seem to have disappeared and
it's not because everybody is a happy shopper! An internet search or
asking at the local outlet might find a person and place to write at
the corporation.
If
this complaint is about a deliberate attempt by the company to deceive
or cheat consumers, writing to a government agency or consumer's group
is more appropriate.
Complaining
solely to the corporation or it's related association seems to achieve
little satisfaction. After all, if it was planned that way, why
wouldn't they defend it?
Typical
responses are:
"...
the advertisement you refer to meets all legal requirements".
"
... subject to the ethical standards generally accepted by the
industry".
" ...
our intent has never been to mislead and I believe our practices will
bear me out".
Check
out this site’s Resources page for related information.
“Liars
when they speak the truth are not believed." – Aristotle
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Fibs and Lies
Are
lies that are obvious lies still lies?
Cheap
little deceptions in advertising are pretty common but it's annoying to
have to sort through the text to weed out the truth. And then there are
outright lies that often are well camouflaged in the wordings.
Deception seems to have crept widely throughout the marketing world.
I
don't know when I read the first ad of this type: High Speed Internet
$24.95/month. It was really $34.95 after six months and for as long as
you did not want to change service providers. When a large
communication company uses this method, successfully increasing market
share, then it is only a matter of time until others follow. Eventually
my long time local independant service provider began advertising the
same way.
Exagerations
and worse can be found in a wide range of marketing areas.
In
real estate it is well established. New Townhouses - "Minutes From the
Beach" even though they were 6 miles away from the water. "15 minutes
from downtown" (At 2am and twice the speed
limit.) "360 deg views" (Sure, I just have to buy all the suites
on one floor) "Affordable luxury" ?
Vacation
marketers have a popular calming name for a 2 hour stop over during
your flight. "Touchdown"
Even
the produce stand might entice you with Fresh Green Beans –
‘imported’.
The
new condo purchase was to have "Top Brand Name Appliances". I was
unpleasantly surprised that while the brand name was tops the
appliances were the bottom of their line.
The
mainipulation of statistics is a fairly common deceptive method of
promoting something.
There
are many examples in many areas. Mostly little things to be sure, but
all nibbling away at consumers' confidence in what they see and hear
when considering a purchase. So the deception virus spreads, throughout
one industry and later connecting with another. How will this play out
years from now? Will everything be marketed with lies?
"You
can tell the ideals of a nation by its advertisements." - Norman
Douglas’ South Wind, 1917
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Fine Print
Why
is fine print so fine? If an advertisement, statement, or contract has
fine print, it is often about what they don't want you to know. Some
print is so small it can't be read with average eyesight. To not read
this text, even if you must get a magnifying glass or enquire, could
result in surprise, disappointment or worse.
Fine
print can be used to protect the seller of the product, to reduce the
cost of service against consumers' complaints. It can also be use to
sell the customer something which is less than expected or costs more
than is clearly indicated. This stuff is written with profit in mind.
There
are lots of example uses of small print.
Communication
services only $24.95 - but the small print clarifies
After
six months charges are $36.95
Term
deposit 5.25% 3 Year Rate* - not really, read the small print
5.25%
3rdYear Rate*- effective yearly rate 3.16%
The uses are so varied and are
common:
*
applies to 3 yr contract . . .
* other conditions may
apply . . .
* assumes no
responsibility . . .
Oxymoronic
credit conditions notice: "IMPORTANT INFORFORMATION ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT".
The
heading is readable. The rest of the print on the back of my credit
card statement is small but is also faded and difficult to read.
Fuzzing up what you need to know – not very nice!
“To
know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice.”
Confucius
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Social Impacts of
Commercial Promotions
Disintegration
of community: Marketing emphasizes individual materialism over
community values and causes people to ignore their common public
interests. The private is given much more attention than the
public.
Injustice:
Marketing promotions use public media to promote trivialities while
serious social concerns are ignored.
Loss
of human values: Promotions drown out the voices that speak of human
values, such as empathy and solidarity, which are the basis for a wise
and humane society. Marketing teaches us values that serve business and
ignore values that serve humans. They teach us to ignore the
needs of our peers and to compete for material status.
Promotion
of stereotypes: Large-scale promotions usually aim for the largest
and/or most profitable target groups. To effectively convince
these mass groups marketers must present ideas with which consumers are
already familiar with. This often means the supporting of common
assumptions even if they are negative and/or inaccurate.
The
objectification of people, (especially women): Advertising often
portray woman as submissive sex objects with little to know reference
to their personality, skills or intelligence. The heavy use of models
teaches consumers to appreciate people more for their appearance then
the inner qualities. Such superficiality is unfair to those without
natural idealistic looks and does not encourage the development of
pleasant social personalities.
Degradation
of culture - Public social events are degraded by fabricated
associations to a brand, product or service. Rather then just
remembering an event or activity for its social, personal, cultural
and/or intrinsic values, corporate messages, whether consciously or
not, are forced into our mental scheme, tainting the memory.
Consumerism
and materialism are short sighted, inhuman and unwise values to base a
culture on and will not help us solve global issues such as over
population, violent conflict, disease, malnutrition and global warming.
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Stupidity Cards?
I detest using supermarket and department store loyalty cards.
We
consumers are paying for these systems that mainly benefit the retailer
in the collection of our purchasing data. These programs have
progressed to such a degree that the consumer often has little choice
but to take part in the programs. If there are two large supermarkets
in a shopping area and they both have card programs, the choices
evaporate.
Some polls might indicate that cards are considered to present a
bargain, but is that misleading? Consumers will pay extra or miss out
on some benefit if they did not use the card, when in a store that has
a card program. So it saves money then and there. This system appears
to bring the price down, but probably not to where it should be if
there was no card system. I don't look at these cards as saving
money at the checkout, but rather as cards to avoid my paying extra.
The
card is a source of customer information for the retailer, but for what
purposes? The collection of this personal data should be a concern,
they only need to know product inventory data, not who is buying what.
The loyalty card pricing system at a local supermarket illustrates why
shoppers might feel that they must take part in the program:
Kellogg
Corn Pops
Non-member
Price $6.99
Card
price $3.99
Difference
$3.00 or 75%
Peaches
Non-member
Price $2.99/lb
Card
price $1.99
Difference
$1.00 or 50%
These
are examples of how some product prices are tagged throughout the
store. Generally member price differences are much less than that and
not all items are priced in this way. However it seems a threat that if
you don’t take part in their data collecting card system the grocery
tab could be considerably more. The routine culminates at the checkout.
The clerk runs up the total so you can see it, then swipes your card
and you can see the total come down before your eyes.
Are these savings really savings or are the regular prices simply
escalated? It appears to be an unjust charge to us who do not want our
personal data collected and to tourists. This seems unethical, and if
legal, I think there should be a law preventing this type of marketing.
There is a lot of information on loyalty card pricing issues and
privacy concerns at CASPIAN.
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| Select articles above - all
articles archived above right |
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Article #1
Unethical Marketing is
Widespread
More
and more corporations, including some large retail chains, are using
trickery and dishonesty in marketing. Misleading advertisements,
deceptive displays and labeling, and other sly tactics are too common.
Beating the competitor and the consumer, preferably within the limits
of the law, seems to be a retail marketing trend.
There are many ways: Store displays that attempt to sell items that
appear to be on sale but aren't. Switch and bait selling. Marketing to
kids. The use of shock to increase ratings and sales. Encouraging
credit, gouging those that can’t afford exorbitant charges when
interest rates are at 45 year lows. Then there is the small print,
hidden charges, planned over-consumption, self awarded awards, junk
mail, telemarketing, loud repetitive commercials, loyalty card
propaganda.
It does not help a great deal to complain to these corporations as the
processes are deeply rooted. They are in competition to increase profits and extracting a few extra dollars from
the consumer by using deceptive practices is an easy way. 'We
aren't breaking any laws', or 'we
strictly conform to guidelines set out by our association', are typical
responses.
Working
within the law or self styled guidelines is not good enough, retailers
must use strategies that are morally good. An old retailing axiom used
to be ‘the customer is always right’. From what I have perceived over
recent years, ‘the customer is always ripe for picking’ would be more
appropriate.
And we must complain to everyone who will listen, or we will be unable
to blame anyone when all truth is gone from the marketplace.
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Social
Fix Blog: Life and Society
