Question

Marketing Scenario

You are the director of marketing for a company based out of Chicago IL and your firm sells custom-built athletic braces for college and pro athletes. The company wants to expand your customer base into senior citizens and begins to design and sell a new knee brace that will help older folks.

1. The new brace goes on sale JULY 1st 2020. Your company advertises on social media, their website, and senior citizens can buy the brace at local retailers like Target or Wal-Mart. The prices range from $19.99 to $34.99

2. Your company's key marketing message during the product launch is this: "Golden Brace is made for seniors who need additional support to stay active! We care about you!"

3. On September 1st 2020, your social media platform is flooded with complaints that the brace is starting to shred or fall apart after repeated use. Thankfully no person has been injured but a few customers are upset and they are sounding off.

4. Your boss tells you that they were aware of a possible manufacturing defect but decided to let it go. In addition, you are told that the marketing for the brace never stated that it should be worn all the time...only when senior citizens were choosing to be active.

5. Your boss finally tells you that it is YOUR JOB to find a solution. If not, you may be replaced.

So....

1. What is your DETAILED solution to the problem?

2. What is ethically wrong in this scenario?

Answer 1

Answer)

1. The major problem here is of brand and product image which is taking a hit every day and it can be solved only through communication and it has to be positive communication which means not blaming customers,acknowledging that they are facing an issue and company is here to help,so first step could be to acknowledge to customers that they are facing an issue on personal communication(message/call/email),second step would be to let them know that braces are to be worn when required and not everytime and final step would be to to help customers with replacement/maintenance of product in case they require it,these 3 steps should be helpful in not only solving the problem but giving brand a positive image of solution finding brand.
2. There are 2 things ethically wrong in this scenario,first is that top management knew about the defect and decided to let it slip and now using marketing technicality as a coverup,second is that I(director of marketing) was not told about the defect and is now threatened to find solution,so company is not doing right both by its clients and its employees and should be reported.

Answer is complete.Thank you!