Marketing

16

Societal marketing

16.1 Introduction

Marketing practice is the subject of criticism and debate that essentially revolves around two themes:

1  Aspects of business malpractice are frequently associated with, or grouped under the umbrella of marketing. This is due to a misconception of marketing’s true meaning. Added to this is the fact that marketing orientation, which puts customers at the centre of business activity, grew out of sales orientation. Sales orientation puts production at the centre, and its philosophy is of course one of selling this production by any means, as was discussed in Chapters 1 and 2. This is associated with ‘sharp practice’.

2  Social commentators question the ethics of marketing and its place in our social system. ...