I don’t think the concept of social responsibility and marketing are very different. In these situations we are dealing with people, except, on one side, we have group consequences, and on the other we affect people on a more individual level. We all owe a certain amount of respect toward our employees, neighbors, stockholders, and community and in marketing: our consumers (both current and potential), users, customers and yes, even those people that hate us.
A long time ago, in a land not so far away, someone set forth certain guidelines to help put a name to those things a company does, or doesn’t do, to help the important people. There are usually four levels of responsibility:
Obstructionist: These people are jerks. They have no problem dumping byproduct in the Hudson or Delaware. They conform to no principles or standards.
Defensive: These people are on the fence (Get it! Aye, ohhhh!!!). They do the required work and nothing more. But honestly, why do this? What would it take to do that little extra work?
Accommodative: These people are cool. They make it easier and nicer for everyone. They take that extra step, which in my book deserves mad props.
Proactive: These people would never harm a hair on a child’s head. They will do anything and literally bend over backwards- not because they have too, but because they want too. While with accommodative you are cool, with proactive your super cool.
Can we apply the same set of responsibility towards marketing?
Obstructionist: These people are beyond any amount of curse words. These marketers rely on spam to get their message across. As consumers we really don’t care for them and yet they do it anyway. After all the legislation, complaints, and studies showing spam doesn’t work they are still beating the dead horse. These people do not have a soul.
Defensive: The “defensive” marketer represents the average marketer. They rely on huge advertisement budgets and little else. T.V. and print ads are their friends and they love to interrupt you.
Accommodative: This where Permission Marketing comes in. These companies wish to start a real relationship with you, and as a consumer, I am fine with that. In fact, out of the other two I would prefer it.
Proactive: These are the children of God. In this stage people strive to create a remarkable product. It’s something that is worth talking about-it’s remarkable. To the consumer it looks as if the product carries no marketing whatsoever, and yet marketing can be found in its design, packaging, and everything else. The buyer feels good about using your remarkable service or product and enjoys telling others.
These are the waters I swim in.
So come on in, the waters great! But be careful, as a marketer it is sink or swim from here.
