Social Criticisms of Marketing

Social critics claim that certain marketing practices hurt individual consumers, society as a whole, and other business firms. Therefore, marketing has been the forefront of much criticism.

Individual consumers have many concerns about how well the American marketing system serves their interests. In fact consumers, consumer advocates, government agencies, and other critics have accused marketing of harming consumers through high prices (high costs of distribution, high advertising and promotion costs, and excessive markups), deceptive practices (leading consumers to believe they will get more value than they actually do), high-pressure selling (persuading consumers to buy goods they had not thought of buying), shoddy or unsafe products (products lacking the needed quality), planned obsolescence (causing products to become obsolete before they actually should need replacement), and poor service to disadvantaged consumers (placing major chain retailers avoid placing stores in disadvantaged neighborhoods).

Outside of individual consumers being concerned with how marketing serves their interests, society as a whole has been impacted by marketing. In society, marketing critics have stated that marketing has created false wants and too much materialism, too few social goods, cultural pollution, and too much political power. Society judges people by what they own rather than by who they are. In addition, business has been accused of overselling private goods at the expense of public goods. For example, an increase in automobile sales requires more highways, traffic control, etc. Lastly, critics suggest that business wields too much political power within society by utilizing mass media.

As you can see critics argue that marketing has negatively impacted both individual consumers and society as a whole. But what about marketing's impact on other businesses? When a company uses high prices, deceptive practices, planned obsolescence, and uses mass media in a form of political power they are harming other companies and reducing competition. Marketing can be used by businesses to acquire competitors instead of developing their own new products. In addition, a company can use marketing to bar new companies from entering an industry. For example, large companies can use patents and heavy promotion spending, and can tie up suppliers or dealers to keep out or drive out competitors. Finally, companies can use unfair competitive marketing practices with the intention of hurting or destroying other firms.

As you can see marketing can have massive impacts not only on individual consumers, but also society and other businesses. Just food for thought, should companies be held accountable for using marketing as a means of power among individual consumers, society, and other businesses? You be the critic!