Question

Ethics in Target Marketing

Context: Targeting is when a company is focusing on specific segments when it is promoting. However, targeting to children, teens, and other vulnerable populations using emotions can be seen as unethical.

Inquiry: Is targeting unethical or is it a good marketing tactic?

Follow-up: Identify the arguments on both sides of the issue and present your opinion.

Answer 1

There is no denial to the fact that targeting is a good marketing tactic. Every product is not liked by everyone and every product is also not suitable for everyone. There are certain products which are only or majorly used a certain segment of the society such as stationary, toys, Cosmetics, video games etc. If the company is producing any such product, it is obvious that it would like to promote its its goods among the customers who are more likely to use the product or for whom the product is made. This way they can reach proportionately large number of the consumers who will actually use the product. This will also save costs. If the company promotes its products among the whole market participants , then the same promotional coat would be incurred for those who are not even going to buy the product . For example if toys are promoted among elderly people, female cosmetics are promoted among male section , there is very little possibility of them buying the product even if they are impressed. So targeting is used so that the company could reach its potential customers and expense is incurred at the right places.

In marketing the the marketers persuade the customers by driving them emotionally towards the product that they will be better off after using the product. This can be ethically wrong when the information given is misleading or the product is bad for health or is of poor quality. Also children adn teens are easily attracted to new and fancy things. Using this attitude, a company solds its product by intriguing them.

However the promotion could be ethical also based on the product, the information given to the potential customers. Kids , teenagers and old people might be vulnerable but they are rational.enough to make informed choices.

Misleading information is unethical but if the information is correct but is presented in a presuading way , then it's not unethical. Because this is what promotion and advertising is. The consumers also have the responsibility to check the quality , price, and uses of the product. For children, it is done by their parents. They should make comparisons with similar product available in the market and also check the proce differences. The reviews of the product could be easily found out online.

So targeting is good unless it is not misleading anyone.