Moral Question on Marketing

by bsbear

Posted: 14 years ago 19 replies

OFF TOPIC

This is totally hypothetical and just popped into my head, but what if someone offered you a huge paying job like $1 million per year, and all you had to do was market things like cigarettes to teenagers and college students.

I never really thought about that.. but I guess for those people its just a job.

waterotter 14 years ago

Big Pharma does it every day. Is it ethical or moral, NO, but it's big money for them and that's all that counts.
- Thanks
- 1 reply
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6788873].message }}
- MissTerraK 14 years ago
  
  I just couldn't accept it.
  
  There is no way I would be able to sleep at night knowing that I had become a smaller version of the slithering slimy entities that I have come to absolutely loathe in my country!
  
  Terra
  
  [ 1 ] Thanks
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6788903].message }}

MoneyMagnetMagnate

14 years ago

Watch this movie - tell us what you think...

Thank You for Smoking (2005) - IMDb

Movie preview: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427944/

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6788911].message }}

bsbear

14 years ago

Originally Posted by MoneyMagnetMagnate

Watch this movie - tell us what you think...

Thank You for Smoking (2005) - IMDb

Originally Posted by MissTerraK

I just couldn't accept it.

There is no way I would be able to sleep at night knowing that I had become a smaller version of the slithering slimy entities that I have come to absolutely loathe in my country!

Terra

Thanks for your opinion. I'll definitely check out that movie. But yeah I don't think I could handle it.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6788961].message }}

kenmichaels

14 years ago

in the main forum you would prob get a 50-50 split...
here in the basement tho.... these people actually care about things
so your mostly going to hear ... "hell no"

[ 2 ] Thanks
1 reply

Signature

Selling Ain't for Sissies!

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6788966].message }}

bsbear

14 years ago

Originally Posted by kenmichaels

in the main forum you would prob get a 50-50 split...
here in the basement tho.... these people actually care about things
so your mostly going to hear ... "hell no"

Haha, that's so true. You've got the blackhat and the whitehat.

No but I think the difference here is slightly more than that.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6788982].message }}

HeySal 14 years ago

I can't give a blanket answer here. People freak out over project 21 - but if I were offered a job related to that, I'd take it. Being out in nature so much has made me loathe the way that people destroy nature with not so much as blinking. Biomes need immediate protection from the masses of humans devastating it. Now - if you ask most people, they will think I am disgusting for being willing to work on an issue that is seen as a major rights violation to those that want to just go out and enjoy land that the public owns. To me, saving the land is priority and I would not feel the least bit guilty about it.

I could not, however, work at a factory farm and witness the way humans treat life forms that offer profit. I could not work for a pharmaceutical company and know the physical damage being done to millions, and the second hand damage done via pollution of our water by the "runoff" from millions being drugged almost to, and in many cases, to death.

A broader question that could be answered just "yes" or "no" in my head is "Are there things you just won't do for money".
- Thanks
Signature

Sal
When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
Beyond the Path
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6788986].message }}
hardraysnight 14 years ago

so why not refuse to sell cars because they kill, airline tickets because aeroplanes crash, the list is endless

where do you start and stop
- Thanks
- 2 replies
Signature
These guys helped me with the feedback for my site
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6789678].message }}
- Sum1 14 years ago
  
  Similar discussion was had recently:
  Not marketing certain products for moral reasons
  
  Thanks
  
  Signature
  
  Nicks Blog - Computer Efficiency And Safety
  Computer crashed? No sweat! Keep your online office working. I can show you how.
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6789743].message }}
- MissTerraK 14 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by hardraysnight
  
  so why not refuse to sell cars because they kill, airline tickets because aeroplanes crash, the list is endless
  
  where do you start and stop
  
  Well, what you have listed have the intentions of helping you. Yes, they have accident incidents and no doubt involve a few risks, as does most anything in life, but these things are designed to make your life easier and with safety in mind.
  
  What the OP stated and what we have been discussing were only designed for profit and profit only, safety and well being be darned. As a matter of fact, the companies do everything in their power to skew or out and out cover up and hide the detrimental effects to your health purely for profits.
  
  The fatality rates and/or life maiming incidents between travel means and drug usage for example, are far, far apart.
  
  Terra
  
  Thanks
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6789752].message }}
William Maloney 14 years ago

Personally, I wouldn't (and couldn't) do it. It's just... too cheap, money come and go, but health... nope, you have it - you must take care of it. This thing, in another analogy is like selling your brain and heart for a fist of money... Nope, not for me!
- Thanks
Signature
tigari electronice
--
EDIT BY MODERATOR: Why does your location say "Chicago" when your IP is in Romania?
I'm staying in Romania for a while but I'm from Chicago, is there a problem?
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6789832].message }}
hardraysnight 14 years ago

is it immoral to sell a car that can do 4 times the speed limit, regardless of the fact i would love one
- Thanks
Signature
These guys helped me with the feedback for my site
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6790967].message }}
FleeceHEAD 14 years ago

As a guy who has been around sales and marketing for 15+ years in a corporate environment, Yes I would take the job.

Work is work. I'm not going to smoke a cig but I'll come up with creative ways to help guide those impressionable minds into wanting to be the next James Dean
- Thanks
Signature

Hello <name>, welcome to my horrible marketing email.
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6791302].message }}
manusaktteva 14 years ago

No I never like it because It affects young generation which are the future of nation. We can't stop youngsters or teenagers to smoke but at least we should not support it.
- Thanks
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7122854].message }}
Jeff Burritt Banned 14 years ago

Always ask yourself: Does this REALLY help people?
- Thanks
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7123439].message }}
Dennis Gaskill 14 years ago

For a million bucks ... I'd do it. That's a little over 19k a week. I figure I could suck at least 38k out of them before they figured out I wasn't the right person for the job.
- [ 1 ] Thanks
Signature

Just when you think you've got it all figured out, someone changes the rules.
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7124223].message }}
mojojuju 14 years ago

If I was in a position where someone would offer me $1 million a year to do something like that, it would probably mean I was in a position to do much better things with my life.
- Thanks
Signature

:)
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7124317].message }}
SShip 14 years ago

I couldn't do it. That's promoting possible destruction and death to others lives and I couldn't live with myself no matter how much money they offered. If it's not something that I'd recommend to my kids, family and friends, it's not for me.
- Thanks
- 1 reply
Signature

~The Reconnective Touch ~ For Your Mind | Body | Spirit~
~Why Not Take a Half Hour and Feel Good~
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7124375].message }}
- Kay King 14 years ago
  
  A few years ago I would have held the high ground that I wouldn't take such a job. Not any more.
  
  The truth is - you do what you have to do. I wouldn't do it to gain a super high salary - but I would do it to ensure economic survival of myself or my family.
  
  No one in the US would market cigs to teens - it's illegal. Someone of age makes their own choices and this type of marketing is regulated as to what ads are allowed to say.
  
  I don't fault someone who works for a tobacco company or a liquor company or big pharma. Running around life pointing fingers at what other people do and postulating about what you would do better...is a "feel good" exercise without merit.
  
  kay
  
  [ 1 ] Thanks
  
  Signature
  
  Saving one dog will not change the world - but the world changes forever for that one dog
  ***
  https://www.pawsofwar.org/
  2024 Patriot's Award for Service to Veterans
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7128164].message }}

Moral Question on Marketing

Trending Topics

Kicked the diet coke addiction ...

AEO/AIO/GEO differences

Veteran bloggers, do you notice a decline in visitor comments?

The Masters....

Back after 20 years -- anyone still here from the early days?