Essay On Unethical Marketing
One of the most important elements of marketing your business is being able to create effective marketing campaigns that do not cross the line from ethical to unethical. While there are some strategies that straddle that line and are open for debate, there are some that clearly fall on the unethical side of the scale.
Business ethics is a topic that has received a ton of press and attention over the last several years. In today’s business environment where government is continually cracking down on those that do not play by their rules, it is in your best interest to play nice. The last thing you want is to become a poster boy for unethical business behavior.
Unethical marketing, on the other hand, can send wrong signals about your products and services, destroy your brand’s reputation, and possibly lead to legal problems. This explains why you should avoid them like a plague.
Here are five unethical marketing and business practices that you should stay away from if
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Making false, exaggerated, or unverified claims
In a desperate bid to compel potential and existing customers to buy their products or services, some marketers use false statements, exaggerated benefits, or make unverifiable claims about their offers. This is common in the weight loss industry, where marketers convince potential buyers that a particular product can help them shed so-and-so pounds within two weeks without exercise or dieting!
2. Distortion of facts to mislead or confuse potential buyers
This is another common unethical marketing practice. A typical example is when a food processing company claims that its products are sugar-free or calorie-free when indeed they contain sugar or calories. Such a company is only trying to mislead potential buyers, since they are unlikely to buy the products if it is made known that they contain sugar or calories.
3. Concealing dark sides or side effects of products or
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