‘You don’t need to be concerned with ethics: you’re in marketing’

While those words were said to me  light-heartedly, there’s an interesting element to the idea that marketing occasionally sidesteps ethics. It’s such an interesting topic, in fact, that I’ve created a blog dedicated to it. (This is that blog, I should point out).

As it turns out, I am employed as a marketer for a company that helps other companies be more ethical. In a sense, I market ethics. And I make every effort to do so ethically.

Of course, the day after I decided to write this post, Seth Godin wrote about the topic (Congratulations on 3,000 blog posts, by the way). He basically set the record straight: Marketing is a tool that can be used for good or evil.

Just like every powerful tool, the impact comes from the craftsman, not the tool.

It’s the same with ‘rhetoric’ and ‘propaganda.’ Each has received a negative connotation because of what unethical people do with them. If you look in the dictionary, you’ll find that the traditional definitions are not exactly evil.

I’m lucky in one sense: I just can’t make myself sell something I don’t believe in. I can’t do it. I’ve tried and I burned out very quickly. So, I try to apply all of my personal integrity to my marketing efforts, and even if it’s not the most efficient way of doing things, at least it’s honest. I can live with that.

Yes, I’m concerned with ethics and I’m in marketing. I honestly believe that marketing will have to become more personal to be successful. It’s easier on the conscience and increasingly pragmatic. As with any personal relationship, integrity is a crucial factor in building trust, and trust sells.