Comments on: Marketing Should Be Doing Something Good http://www.socialmediaworx.com/2008/marketing-should-be-doing-something-good/ Leveraging social media to make great ideas happen Tue, 02 Feb 2010 07:04:42 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Josh Chambers http://www.socialmediaworx.com/2008/marketing-should-be-doing-something-good/comment-page-1/#comment-308 Josh Chambers Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:37:14 +0000 http://www.socialmediaworx.com/?p=205#comment-308 To take an extreme example, what about terrorism and their powerful online marketing techniques. Oddly enough, there was an article in the post regarding that this morning: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/23/AR2008062302135.html?hpid=topnews Or, another extreme example: I think of all the websites that alerted sex tourists to places they could find underage prostitution -- the marketing on those sites added value not only to the end as they contained directions & info; but also had some additional pieces that "added value" in the process. I know, two extreme examples. But, it seems possible to perform "good marketing" for "bad" products/services. How about Nike? A company that has produced quite a few excellent marketing campaigns -- excellent branded utilities -- but have been implicated in employing slave labor. Walmart could also fit that ticket with it's "Why Wal-Mart Works; and Why That Drives Some People C-R-A-Z-Y" documentary, and it's Flog (although, a Flog isn't "good" marketing). Just some thoughts... To take an extreme example, what about terrorism and their powerful online marketing techniques. Oddly enough, there was an article in the post regarding that this morning: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/23/AR2008062302135.html?hpid=topnews

Or, another extreme example: I think of all the websites that alerted sex tourists to places they could find underage prostitution — the marketing on those sites added value not only to the end as they contained directions & info; but also had some additional pieces that “added value” in the process.

I know, two extreme examples. But, it seems possible to perform “good marketing” for “bad” products/services.

How about Nike? A company that has produced quite a few excellent marketing campaigns — excellent branded utilities — but have been implicated in employing slave labor. Walmart could also fit that ticket with it’s “Why Wal-Mart Works; and Why That Drives Some People C-R-A-Z-Y” documentary, and it’s Flog (although, a Flog isn’t “good” marketing).

Just some thoughts…

]]> By: ryanmoede http://www.socialmediaworx.com/2008/marketing-should-be-doing-something-good/comment-page-1/#comment-306 ryanmoede Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:09:18 +0000 http://www.socialmediaworx.com/?p=205#comment-306 It seems doubtful. Can you think of a marketing service that is more valuable than the product it's promoting? It seems doubtful. Can you think of a marketing service that is more valuable than the product it’s promoting?

]]> By: Josh Chambers http://www.socialmediaworx.com/2008/marketing-should-be-doing-something-good/comment-page-1/#comment-303 Josh Chambers Sun, 22 Jun 2008 23:58:47 +0000 http://www.socialmediaworx.com/?p=205#comment-303 Ryan, Makes sense. I wonder if it's possible to do something "good" -- as in valuable to a need of the customer -- for a "bad" product. Your post makes sense....it just still makes me think. Thanks. Ryan,

Makes sense. I wonder if it’s possible to do something “good” — as in valuable to a need of the customer — for a “bad” product. Your post makes sense….it just still makes me think. Thanks.

]]> By: ryanmoede http://www.socialmediaworx.com/2008/marketing-should-be-doing-something-good/comment-page-1/#comment-297 ryanmoede Sun, 22 Jun 2008 15:59:23 +0000 http://www.socialmediaworx.com/?p=205#comment-297 Josh - I use the term "good" in the sense that the marketing service is of some kind of value to the customer. While the good can most certainly be of the charitable or noble kind, in this sense it's that it meets a need (often in concert with the product itself) for the customer. I think Stefan's quote about customer's responding to those "good" services with sales has a lot of truth. As always, thanks for your questions. Josh – I use the term “good” in the sense that the marketing service is of some kind of value to the customer. While the good can most certainly be of the charitable or noble kind, in this sense it’s that it meets a need (often in concert with the product itself) for the customer. I think Stefan’s quote about customer’s responding to those “good” services with sales has a lot of truth.

As always, thanks for your questions.

]]> By: Josh Chambers http://www.socialmediaworx.com/2008/marketing-should-be-doing-something-good/comment-page-1/#comment-296 Josh Chambers Sun, 22 Jun 2008 04:36:00 +0000 http://www.socialmediaworx.com/?p=205#comment-296 Ryan, I dig what you're saying about creating marketing that makes life better through the marketing itself. Question: if your product isn't the most useful product out there, do you think it's possible to create useful marketing? Your headline struck me and made me wonder, 'what does it actually mean to do be doing something good through marketing?' Does the cause have to be good (rescuing slaves, environmental conservation)? Or can the cause be selling sugar water that rots teeth? Thanks for your thoughts. Ryan, I dig what you’re saying about creating marketing that makes life better through the marketing itself.

Question: if your product isn’t the most useful product out there, do you think it’s possible to create useful marketing? Your headline struck me and made me wonder, ‘what does it actually mean to do be doing something good through marketing?’ Does the cause have to be good (rescuing slaves, environmental conservation)? Or can the cause be selling sugar water that rots teeth?

Thanks for your thoughts.

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