Ethics

Marketing ethics is very important in the technology area, where customers’ belief and loyalty are determined by the level of integrity and transparency. While working at IPP Technologies, for instance, I had the responsibility for ethical aspects when marketing such products as Tiny Red Box. What was difficult for me was refraining from promotional overstretching even when the marketers were keen to amplify sales by positioning the product in a way that seemed excessive. How to combine ethical obligations with the urgency of business interests has been a concern for me in both personal and professional terms.

As Schlegelmilch (2016) explains, ethical marketing is more than ensuring one does not mislead, it is more about developing enduring and trusting relationships with customers. By practicing and respecting the strong ethical codes in my marketing pieces, I help in preserving the image of the firm and this also sees the customers’ expectations being in line with the product. At the same time, I understand that I am learning more about the ethical side of marketing and do not always manage to find the gold mean between the advertising I construct and the promises I make.

Reflection: In order to improve my ethical engagement, I have begun raising such issues with my supervisor and asking for their guidance on these concerns. I have also been looking for ethical principles that could be useful to me moving forward. Blanford's ethical considerations helped me to grasp more clearly the importance of this in developing lasting relations with customers; I intend to work on such professional development by being proactive about such attempts and welcoming feedback from more advanced colleagues.

Reference:
Schlegelmilch, B. B. (2016). Ethical marketing and the new consumer. Springer.