The role of ethics in modern marketing

Ethical marketing refers to a marketer’s obligation to ensuring that all marketing actions, both internally and publicly, comply to basic ethics standards such as integrity, humility, and honesty.

Consider the following scenario to better understand the distinction between internal and external marketing ethics.

Assume your marketing department hires a design firm for a new marketing campaign.
Halfway through the campaign, your team finds that the agency does not treat its employees properly and that its ideals in terms of environmental and social responsibility do not fit with yours.

Even if your consumers are unaware of the alliance, it is in your best advantage to end your working connection with the agency as soon as possible and re-align yourself with agencies that adhere to the same standards you have set for your own team internally.

Of course, the public-facing aspect of ethical marketing is also vital.
This means not stretching the truth or lying about anything.