Marketing with morals is a concept that was inspired by a blog post from my friend Joe, regarding a New York Times article about the mortgage meltdown. To summarize the blog entry, Joe reflects on how the marketing and advertising industry is just as much responsible for the state of the mortgage meltdown as the finance industry. The misused power of marketing and advertising helped to change perceptions and behaviors regarding home equity loans. Thus creating the problems we have today. Joe rightly points out the power of marketing and uses the mortgage meltdown as a clear highlight of what can become of marketing gone wrong.

In response to Joe’s blog, I challenged that “marketing with morals is a forgotten principal”, and that “the chase of money has burned the ethical cornea of the marketing industry”. These two sentences sparked a dialogue between Joe and me, which unfurled into the concept that it is indeed time to promote the idea of “marketing with morals”.

You can expect this to become a strong talking point and position within my articles. While I will be the first to admit I have not been a moral icon, I’ve had experiences in my professional life that make me feel strongly about building a strong moral and ethical compass.

The marketing and advertising industry has a rightly tarnished name. We’ve not policed ourselves, not asked our peers to questions their behaviors and not formed a body of thought for which we can look to for guidance. The failure of our industry has only been amplified by the web. Fraudulent marketers buying fake audience on the internet. Advertisers instilling fear to promote product sales. Agencies creating catchy slogans to change perceptions of a bad idea. At what point do we recognize that we are taking for granted our power, making little kids feel wants and needs, shame and sorrow because it’s our jobs to increase sales? Tactics of fear, shame and acceptance of bad ideas have sadly become the norm.

The future is our responsibility. Having a moral compass is our responsibility. Marketing with morals is our responsibility. I know a great line, a mantra to be adopted. “No longer living in fear, we shall use to tool of truth to distinguish between what is needed and what is desired”.

It’s time has come, a time to reclaim our industries reputation, a time for us all to market with morals.