Along with other topics, we discussed whether or not pharmaceutical companies are ethical in their advertisements. There were many who thought that pharmaceutical companies are unethical in showing commercials about new medicines that you can get from your doctor. I disagree because how is the COMMERCIAL and the MARKETERS hurting the consumer? The consumer is the one who buys into the commercial and diagnoses themselves with these sickness' or diseases. The companies do not make the consumer do anything that they do not want to do. I truly believe that it is a psychological problem that the consumer has. If they watch these commercials, diagnose themselves, believe with all their heart that they have this particular sickness, and the doctor prescribes this prescription to them, then that is their own will and no one can blame that on marketers. Marketing companies are only trying to advertise these medications for people who ACTUALLY HAVE this sickness or disease because they should be informed about their choices. So, for the sick people's sake, marketers are actually doing something quite ethical.
-Jordan.
---one side note that I would like to make is that if some of the students in our class are marketing majors or even CARS majors who are thinking about a career in advertising whether it be food, medicine, clothing, etc. and they think that these ads and marketers are unethical, than they may need to rethink their career choice because when they are the marketers and are trying to sell a product, they are going to do their job of advertising the product....regardless of if this product could POTENTIALLY harm the consumer. IT'S UP TO THE CONSUMER!!!! THEY ULTIMATELY MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS....NO MARKETER, ADVERTISING AGENCY, OR COMPANY IS PUTTING A GUN TO THEIR HEAD MAKING THEM BUY OR USE THIS PRODUCT.
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1 comment:
You made some great points! But, I think some people may see it as unethical because it's very EASY to influence some folks...especially when it comes to medication. It's not necassarily a psychological problem that people are influenced or decide to self-diagnose; sometimes it's just good marketing...good PERSUASION. Good marketing is being able to get into a consumer's mind. That's why companies spend tons of money on marketing research.
Although I understand and, in part, agree with your frustration and points, unfortunately you must remember that not all marketing strategies are just to inform consumers...most are to persuade them to buy...even in the pharmaceuticals industry.
Just think of things like infomercials or the whole tobacco industry. Many folks think tobacco ads are unethical, but here you could say the same thing, "they are going to do their job of advertising the product....regardless of if this product could POTENTIALLY harm the consumer."
Sometimes it's good to be able to see both sides...it could help capture more of what the actual consumers are thinking. You could then ask, are they turned off by the ads, even though they may really need them?
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