May The Best Brand Win

Here’s one for you. Do you think it’s ethical to persuade someone to do or buy something, even if it’s something they don’t want? Like so many things in marketing, I think the answer is a resounding “it depends.” I know, spoken like a true consultant. …But hear me out.  Ethics in marketing is really an area of applied ethics which deals with the moral principles (yes we have them, why do you ask?) behind the operation and regulation of marketing. This area covers fun stuff like: invasion of privacy, stereotyping, targeting (and re-targeting) the vulnerable, excluding potential customers from the market and pricing ethics.When you think hard about how to persuade human beings you realize it’s not going to be easy. Getting into and out of consumers’ heads is a very messy business because our brains most of the time resemble Times Square on New Years Eve. It’s lit-up, exciting and electric, but watch where you step. (gross).The problem with the lion’s share of marketing approaches I see is they lack actual thoug