ETHICAL DILEMMA
To get us into the Ethics mindset this morning, read the following article on tying controversial topics to the sale of products and services. Once you have finished the article, please return to the blog and answer the following questions.
QUESTIONS
What is cause-related advertising?
It is when advertising sells a product through P.R. They sell their product and get peoples support through helping a cause related organization at the same time.
ReplyDeletePretty good definition, Correne. Cause-related marketing (CRM), as it is often called, is defined as the public association of a for-profit company with a nonprofit organization, intended to promote the company's product or service and to raise money for the nonprofit.
ReplyDeleteIs cause-related advertising simply a gimmick by advertisers to attract like-minded consumers or a genuine way to support philanthropic or advocacy causes?
ReplyDeletecause-realted advertising is when a company or services ties their image into some type of cause that benefits an organization or foundation. its a way to get business and do good at the same time
ReplyDeleteIt is a gimmick that happens to have positive effects on others not just benefit the organization. This cause related advertising is the current fad in advertising.
ReplyDeletea company cannot say they support or will donate oh so much to a nonprofit organization and not go through with it. it is a genuine way to get support and a smart way to. its so both the company and organization get something out of it.
ReplyDeletebut i will agree, its all about image and who looks better at what they support. a company can easily contribute some of their money to an organization but rather do it by other means.
ReplyDeleteYou both have differing views on cause-related advertising!
ReplyDeleteLet me ask you this, would you be more willing to buy a product/service when it has the little pink ribbon (for breast cancer) on the package than a similar product that does not?
Yes I would. The cause related support does actually weather the motives are selfless or not.
ReplyDeleteBut you just called CRM a gimmick! Why the change of mind if you saw a product with a little pink ribbon?
ReplyDeletei would, yes. it benefits a cause, especially when the product can be tired easily to the organization.
ReplyDeletehowever, if it is like a firestone tire being associated with the breast cancer, i might reconsider, even though it will benefit the cause it still seems off to be tied into one another
ReplyDeleteIt is a gimmick. The donation still happens. So I will support the cause and know that it is an advertising Gimmick on the part of the company.
ReplyDeleteOkay last question before moving on to the lecture...
ReplyDeleteHow does such cause-related advertising have a positive impact on consumers, and what are some ways in which it may backfire on the advertiser?
It is positive because it reminds people that group effort is needed to improve society. It can have a backlash on the advertiser if many consumers have a differing view than the the cause supported.
ReplyDeleteRight, Correne. It can backlash due to that word we discussed a lot last week in class - 'controversy'.
ReplyDeletewhen a consumer supports a cause, they are already having an positive impact. paying a little more, paying the same, buying one brand over the other because of the cause it supports just makes the consumer feel good because they represent a fraction of what keeps an organization going. other people can see it to and they will know what they are supporting. especially if it is plastered all over the product.
ReplyDeleteon the advertiser behalf, a consumer isn't drawn in by the product more so what the product is tied into. its more so for the organization than the product or service itself. its easy to tie an organizations image to a product and then have sales increase, but the portions of the sales will go to the orgranization for the profit margin will have to be considered
So to sum up CRM, I agree with both of your viewpoints. It is an advertising gimmick to get consumers to reach for one product over another in support of whatever cause. On the other hand, it is a great vessel for these non-profit organizations to get free publicity and $ to their cause. In most respects, CRM is a win-win. Of course, depending on the cause being promoted, controversy may ensue especially for those more heated issues, such as AIDS.
ReplyDeleteToday we are going to discuss advertising to vulnerable populations.
ReplyDeleteWithin advertising, what are some groups that are considered vulnerable?
Children, elderly, homosexual, the sick.
ReplyDeletechildren, sick people, elderly,
ReplyDeleteRight. Gays/lesbians, older people (i.e. ageism), various minority groups (such as African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, Muslin Americans), people with disabilities, children.
ReplyDeleteIn the articles that were handed out to you in class on Thursday (which I know you’ve read!), what was your takeaway with regards to companies and advertisers that target such vulnerable populations?
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting how it said that it is often the people who are able bodied that become more offended than the people with dissabilities
ReplyDeleteYes, that was an interesting point. We'll talk more about advertising to the disabled a little later on.
ReplyDeletemy take away is that there is a way to appeal to a certain group or get awareness without making it scary or awkward for the viewers. its a technique
ReplyDeleteGood point, too, Frankie. In class on Thursday, we'll look at ways to advertise to these various groups respectfully.
ReplyDeleteIs there any wrong, ethically, with advertisers who create ads specifically targeted toward a vulnerable population, such as the tobacco ads placed in gay magazines?
ReplyDeleteit depends on the product. tobacco is a bad product all around. you cannot smoke a cancer stick a wrong way or a safe way. the product of tobacco targeting anybody is unethical
ReplyDeleteIts not anymore wrong to advertise in a gay magazine than it is to advertise in "Source" or a magazine that targets any potentially vulnerable population. Yes It is wrong for tobacco ads anywhere.
ReplyDeleteTouche, Frankie.
ReplyDeleteOkay, so let's say it's not tobacco. Is there anything wrong with advertisers creating ads designed to appeal to a certain group, such as ads targeted toward Hispanics or older Americans or children? Or, is this all part of doing business?
ReplyDeleteit can be wrong if taken out of context or "assuming" a people in general are a certain stereotype. we target who falls into our business category, however, if we want a certain demographic, we might segment the advertising even more to attract their attention. it makes it more relateable if a person can see themselves in the ad. if there were no people or not insidence in the ads to make people have that emotional appeal we are left just just selective neutral copy and print.
ReplyDeleteThis is very hard for me to directly answer. Its not black and white. Yes advertising to a specific group is our job-finding all we can in detail about our specific group and targeting it. But there are so many populations that fall under "Vulnerable" targets. Are we saying they are more gullible? Do we only ethically advertise to Anglo men between the ages of 18-50 in order to advertise ethically? Ugh this is a hard one.
ReplyDeleteYou're right Correne, in that this is a grey area. However, here's something to consider between now and class on Thursday...
ReplyDeleteThere is an ethical line that is crossed when a company, such as a tobacco or alcohol brand, that designs ads for a targeted group to make a lethal product more attractive.
As long as the advertising is not exploiting or taking advantage of a particular group, developing campaigns toward certain groups should continue as it's part of strategic advertising practices.
On the same lines, is there an issue with able-bodied people creating ads for disabled people, or heterosexuals creating ads for the gay and lesbian market?
ReplyDeletethere isn't an issue here. This is pretty unavoidable to consider only the disabled would make ads for the disabled and the homosexuals advertise to the homosexual.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Correne. At the end of the day, it comes down to advertising to these various groups with respect and being mindful of playing into stereotypes.
ReplyDeleteOne of your articles on advertising to the disabled does discuss involving various groups in the creation of the ads. Something to think about.
The overall exicution of the ads will determine if it crosses a line. a company or person who creates such ads should base it on research and their client. they should know all they can before creating anything to promote the product or service. the person who is behind the creation of the ad is just doing their job and everything goes under review (most of the time) before it is sent out. so it doesn't really matter who does what ad, as long as it has research to back it up and different people looking at it to understand the message and to put in different input
ReplyDeleteThe following article describes a letter sent to Ford on behalf of Ford dealers in Texas due to an ad Ford had placed in a gay and lesbian publication. Read the following article and return to the blog: http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=23770
ReplyDeleteBack yet?
ReplyDeleteAre y'all still with me?!
ReplyDeleteback wow that article was interesting
ReplyDeleteYes, wasn't it.
ReplyDeleteSo, how should advertisers handle or, better yet anticipate, the negative reactions they may receive from certain social groups against the placement of ads in certain magazines, such as gay and lesbian magazines?
that was... wow...
ReplyDeleteFord should have advocated their official response and position on the matter. they stood by their support however the concerned consumers deserve an explanation of the placement of the ad. Ford could make their response more public.
ReplyDeleteWe can discuss the Ford case in more specifics in class on Thursday.
ReplyDeleteBut the key takeaway for advertisers is to be prepared for outrage for possible exploitation of certain groups, or complete lack of acceptance of certain groups which can lead to a boycott of a product, such as in the case of the TX Ford dealers.
the advertisers should realize they cannot please everybody and some complaints will be made by the people. if the ad is directly targeting a certain group of people, they should just make is neutral but continue to print the ads in the selected magazines. the people made such a big deal out of it with bs reasoning even though it said it wasn't based on religious views. regardless of the ads themselves, homosexuals have bought and still do buy fords regards of the ads. also, ford has supported other lgbt organizations and groups before, why does advertising about it and to them such a big deal
ReplyDeleteKeep the comments coming in class on Thursday. Any questions on today?
ReplyDeleteETHICS HOMEWORK REMINDER
- Read articles on vulnerable populations
- Article Journaling answers for Wednesday, April 8th at 12pm
RESEARCH HOMEWORK REMINDER
- Chapter 6 chapter questions 2, 6 & 7 due Thursday, April 9th
- Read Chapter 7 for Thursday, April 9th
- Part #4 of semester research project due Thursday, April 16th
- Mystery Shopping assignment – due April 23rd