{"id":4809,"date":"2025-04-03T09:59:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-03T09:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theview.boltonschool.info\/?p=4809"},"modified":"2025-07-04T08:23:56","modified_gmt":"2025-07-04T08:23:56","slug":"is-marketing-technically-ethical","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theview.boltonschool.info\/?p=4809","title":{"rendered":"Is Marketing Technically Ethical?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Marketing shapes what we think, feel, and buy\u2014but is that always<\/strong> fair? Ads push us to crave<\/strong> the latest item, appeal to our consumerist nature, or believe<\/strong> we need a product to be happier, healthier, or more successful.<\/p>\n

But let’s explore<\/strong> the line between smart persuasion<\/strong> and subtle manipulation<\/strong>\u2026<\/p>\n

\"IMG_0443\"<\/p>\n

Persuasion or Psychological Trickery?<\/h1>\n

Marketing is no new thing<\/strong>. From wartime propaganda<\/strong>, to our current electric billboards<\/strong>, it has always<\/strong> influenced public perception.<\/strong> Our ads are significantly<\/strong> more advanced<\/strong>, in terms of intent<\/strong> and presentation<\/strong>. This has led to them being more deceptive<\/strong>. We also live in a time where the truth<\/strong> feels optional, misinformation spreading faster than facts. Therefore, what we call \u2018deceptive marketing\u2019<\/em> \u00a0thrives<\/strong>. With deepfake endorsements and AI-generated images and reviews, it\u2019s harder than ever for consumers, like us, to separate the truth from the fantasy. So let’s see how psychologically<\/strong> damaging<\/strong> this fantasy<\/strong> shows itself to be.<\/p>\n

The Scarcity Play<\/h1>\n

Have you ever been influenced to buy something because it was “low in stock”,<\/em> or released only for a limited period of time, and yet to find it magically<\/strong> restocked the next few days after? That is what we call artificial<\/strong> scarcity<\/strong>, a trick used to create urgency<\/strong>. But you can see how this type of persuasion<\/strong> is highly unsustainable<\/strong>. Short-term gains are promoted while undermining consumer trust and contributing to waste. According to Entrepreneur<\/em>, the difference between persuasion and manipulation lies in intent. A good ad informs<\/strong> and convinces<\/strong>; a bad one deceives<\/strong> and tricks<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Exploiting the Vulnerable<\/h1>\n

It’s one thing to sell to willing customers\u2014but what about those who are more easily influenced<\/strong>?<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Fast food ads target children<\/strong> with colorful mascots and toys, encouraging<\/strong> reward<\/strong> to derive from unhealthy eating habits<\/li>\n
  • Gambling ads flood<\/strong> screens during sports events, tempting those struggling<\/strong> with addiction<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Payday loans promise<\/strong> quick cash to those in financial<\/strong> distress<\/strong>, often trapping them in debt<\/strong> cycles<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    A Guardian<\/em> report revealed that betting companies deliberately<\/strong> advertise to at-risk gamblers, making it nearly impossible<\/strong> for them to escape the temptation<\/strong>. And historically<\/strong>, marketing has always found ways to capitalize<\/strong> on new audiences\u2014just look at American 1950s ads<\/strong> that targeted teenagers<\/strong> once they gained spending power. If marketing is supposed to be ethical<\/strong>, why<\/strong> does it so often focus on those least able to resist<\/strong>?<\/p>\n

    \"IMG_0444\"
    \n\"IMG_0445\"
    \n\"IMG_0446\"
    \n\"IMG_0448\"<\/p>\n

    Regulations: do they work?<\/h1>\n

    Technically<\/strong> there are laws to prevent<\/strong> false<\/strong> advertising<\/strong>, but companies still find loopholes<\/strong>. Social media influencers promote<\/strong> products without<\/strong> disclosing sponsorships. Food labels use complex<\/strong> wording<\/strong> like “natural”<\/em> or “low fat”<\/em> to sound healthier<\/strong> than they are. Some businesses claim to self-regulate<\/strong>, but is that really enough? And some even cling<\/strong> onto the concept<\/strong> that nearing the boundaries of the law still determines how moral<\/strong> their methods are. Legality should not<\/strong> be synonymous to ethicality<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    Marketing may never<\/strong> be 100% ethical<\/strong>, but it doesn’t need to be harmful<\/strong>. Some brands genuinely focus on honesty, transparency, and respect for consumer choice. Ads that depict<\/strong> real benefits without deception, prove that selling doesn’t have to mean manipulating. However, the right<\/strong> thing is not always the most profitable<\/strong> thing, which is unfortunately<\/strong> what some of these companies realise<\/strong>, and touches on a deeper problem of capitalism<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    \"IMG_0447\"<\/p>\n

    So, Is Marketing Ethical?<\/h1>\n

    At its core, marketing is the process of convincing<\/strong>. But when it crosses into manipulation, especially targeting the vulnerable, it raises ethical<\/strong> concerns<\/strong>. Regulations certainly help, but ultimately, businesses\/corporations decide how far they’re willing to go.<\/p>\n

    If you were a company, would profit always<\/strong> come before ethics?<\/p>\n

    \"IMG_1844\"
    \n\"IMG_0449\"by Astrid King<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Marketing shapes what we think, feel, and buy\u2014but is that always fair? Ads push us to crave the latest item, appeal to our consumerist nature, or believe we need a product to be happier, healthier, or more successful. But let’s explore the line between smart persuasion and subtle manipulation\u2026 Persuasion or Psychological Trickery? Marketing is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":4815,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4809","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-issue-10","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theview.boltonschool.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4809","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theview.boltonschool.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theview.boltonschool.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theview.boltonschool.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/27"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theview.boltonschool.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4809"}],"version-history":[{"count":41,"href":"https:\/\/theview.boltonschool.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4809\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5201,"href":"https:\/\/theview.boltonschool.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4809\/revisions\/5201"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theview.boltonschool.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4815"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theview.boltonschool.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4809"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theview.boltonschool.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4809"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theview.boltonschool.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4809"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}