Market Responsibly

"Ethics or simple honesty is the building blocks upon which our whole society is based, and business is a part of our society, and it's integral to the practice of being able to conduct business, that you have a set of honest standards. And it's much easier to do business with someone when you look them in the eye and say, 'This is what we're going to do,' and you understand what you each mean, and you can go away and get it done."

Kerry Stokes, Chairman, Seven Networks, Australia


There is more focus today on the public behavior of companies than ever before. Consumers, public interest groups, shareholders, policymakers and the media all pay close attention to what companies do and don’t do.

In this new environment, there are high expectations for the way companies market and advertise their goods and services. If your marketing message is inappropriate for, or offensive to, children, people of color, gays, the aged, the environment, the physically handicapped or other classes of persons, you risk a sharp response from the media and the marketplace. A number of companies have found out the latent power of a constituency that was offended by images or content contained in their marketing or advertising.

Beyond these concerns, you also should be aware that the very practice of marketing itself, has come under scrutiny in industries such as snack foods, beer, alcoholic beverages, video games and other products.

You don’t have to stop marketing and advertising but you should know there are forces out there that exist for no other reason but to challenge what you do and how you communicate your business in the marketplace. Beware of marketing that is too edgy or too cute—it could be your undoing.

(c) Adonis E. Hoffman, 2008.