Page 480 - Foundations of Marketing

Integrated Marketing Communications | Chapter 15 447

CRITICISMS AND DEFENSES LO 8 . Examine criticisms and
defenses of promotion.
OF PROMOTION

Even though promotional activities can help customers make informed purchasing decisions,
social scientists, consumer groups, government agencies, and members of society in general
have long criticized promotion. There are two main reasons for such criticism: promotion
does have flaws, and it is a highly visible business activity that pervades our daily lives.
Although complaints about too much promotional activity are almost universal, a number of
more specific criticisms have been lodged. Table 15.3 discusses these criticisms in more detail.

Table 15.3 Criticisms and Defenses of Promotion

Issue Discussion

Is promotion Although no longer widespread, some deceptive promotion still occurs; laws, government regulations,
deceptive? and industry self-regulation have helped to decrease intentionally deceptive promotion; customers
may be unintentionally misled because some words have diverse meanings.
Does promotion When promotion stimulates demand, higher production levels may result in lower per-unit production
increase prices? costs, which keeps prices lower; when demand is not stimulated, however, prices increase owing to
the added costs of promotion; promotion fuels price competition, which helps keep prices lower.

Does promotion Many marketers capitalize on people’s needs by basing their promotional appeals on these needs;
create needs? however, marketers do not actually create these needs; if there were no promotion, people would
still have basic needs such as those suggested by Maslow.

Does promotion Because promotion creates awareness and visibility for products, it may contribute to materialism
encourage in the same way that movies, sports, theater, art, and literature may contribute to materialism; if
materialism? there were not promotion, it is likely that there would still be materialism among some groups, as
evidenced by the existence of materialism among some ancient groups of people.

Does promotion help Customers learn about products through promotion, allowing them to make more intelligent buying
customers without decisions.
costing too much?

Should potentially Some critics suggest that promotion of possibly unhealthy products should not be allowed at all;
harmful products be others argue that as long as it is legal to sell such products, promoting those products should be
advertised? allowed.

© Cengage Learning

Marketing Debate

Green…but Still Dangerous

ISSUE: Should cigarette manufacturers be allowed to
market their products as eco-friendly? The company took out advertisements in Esquire, Elle,
and Mother Jones to promote the eco-friendliness of
Normally, the public doesn’t mind if a company that uses its brand. One argument against such claims is that,
organic ingredients, wind energy, and hybrid vehicles because green products are thought to be healthier,
markets its brand as eco-friendly. However, when Santa consumers may be misled into believing these cigarettes
Fe Natural Tobacco Company used these claims to are safer to smoke. The company states on the brand’s
promote its brand of cigarettes, critics were outraged. website that organic cigarettes are not any safer.
d

© iStockphoto.com/CRTd

Copyright 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.