This commentary presents a reply to the Gaski paper that is published in this issue. Our stance is that he overstates his position and makes several 'leaps of faith' that are unwarranted. We focus on four major reservations about this work: (1) the dynamics of ethics and regulation are underrepresented; (2) simplistic assumptions are made about the uncertainty of ethical claims and theories; (3) responsibility is considered as an all or nothing proposition; and (4) empirical claims are offered that are not backed up with evidence and bad faith is displayed in presenting 'real world' examples. We conclude by stating that corporations have already institutionalized ethics and corporate social responsibility functions within their firms. We firmly believe that responsible marketers do have a conscience.

The contribution of our chapter revolves around four themes that speak to challenge-driven business in the face of societal transformation. We begin by showing the importance of normative ethical theories and how they provide a foundation for both the study of marketing ethics and enlightened managerial practice. The second theme pertains to the distinction between marketing ethics and corporate responsibility. While these concepts are related and mutually reinforcing, they do contain distinct personalities, with tactical implications. Our third theme identifies "hard form" stakeholder theory as being much more consonant with a normative and societal perspective which should drive business and marketing. The final theme identifies Unilever as a case study and case study for the implementation of ethical and responsible marketing. We elaborate on specific recent practices at the company that reinforce the thrust of this chapter. The triple bottom line (TBL) is an appropriate lens through which to examine the case study.

The Journal of Public Policy & Marketing (JPP&M or the Journal hereinafter) was founded by Tom Kinnear of the University of Michigan in 1982 with the publication of its predecessor, Journal of Marketing & Public Policy. After the American Marketing Association (AMA) raised some concern about potential confusion with the Journal of Marketing, the Journal bore its current name from 1983 onward. The 1982 volume contained 14 articles, and the Journal was an annual publication until 1990, when it became semiannual, and in 2018 it became a quarterly publication. For a detailed review of the founding, see “In the Beginning: The Founding of the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing” (Kinnear 2011). One of the major reasons for the introducing the journal was that public policy interest by marketing academics was increasing at that time. Several marketing scholars, including Bill Wilkie, Gary Ford, Ken Bernhardt, Pat Murphy, Debra Scammon, and Josh Wiener, visited as consultants or worked at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the other agencies in 1970s and early 1980s. In fact, the four editors who succeeded Kinnear all spent time at the FTC, and Kinnear did serve as a consultant to the FTC and later as a member of the National Advertising Review Board (Murphy and Wilkie 2013).These policy-oriented academics not only were major contributors to the Journal but also played an instrumental role in starting the AMA’s Marketing and Public Policy Conference and Marketing and Society Special Interest Group (Wilkie 2014). These activities were instrumental in generating interest in marketing issues related to public policy and articles for the Journal. In commemorating the 30th anniversary of JPP&M, the first seven editors reflected on their time at the helm of the Journal. Looking back at JPP&M’s early years, Kinnear noted some policy-oriented trends including children and the elderly, the environment (e.g., ecologically concerned consumers, energy use and efficiency), product liability, food labeling, and regulatory impacts on marketing (Kinnear 1982, 2011). It is interesting that many of these trends are still with us with slightly different emphases (e.g., climate change). One historical point is that the Journal appeared during the early years of the Reagan Administration, whose hallmark was deregulation. However, there was considerable academic momentum that had been building during the more activist 1970s, especially at the FTC. See Wilkie and Moore’s (2011) commentary on JPP&M’s role in advancing the study of marketing and society after 30 years. One of the topics that the current editors asked us to answer was what obstacles arose and needed to be overcome in the early years of the Journal. There were two significant ones. First was financial and administrative support. In these regards, credit is due to Alfred Edwards at the University of Michigan’s Division of Research at the Graduate School of Business Administration (now the Ross School) for support in underwriting the Journal and providing ongoing funding. At Michigan and Notre Dame, a cadre of graduate students provided the necessary person power to handle the flow of manuscripts. The administrations at both schools at the departmental and college levels were very supportive of our efforts. The second significant obstacle was to secure high-quality submissions and recruit a distinguished editorial review board. The early years required a hands-on approach by the editors to secure needed manuscript flow and quality. Both of us solicited contributions from noted scholars and encouraged reviewers to be supportive in their approach (Kinnear 2011; Murphy 2011). To have staying power, the Journal needed to be accepted as a viable outlet by both prospective authors and the academic administrators who would evaluate an author’s work. One method of increasing manuscript flow during the Murphy tenure was the institution of special issues (Murphy 1988) (more on special issues subsequently). That first reference to potential special issue papers mentioned the AIDS crisis, liability of cigarette manufacturers, and other health issues. In his 1989 editorial, Murphy (1989) added topics related to the environment, international trade, mergers, and technology on

The chapter analyses Unilever, a British-Dutch global consumer goods company whose Sustainable Living Plan includes three main goals: improving health and well-being, reducing environmental impact, and enhancing livelihoods. Unilever creates value for customers by supplying them with responsibly sourced products. It earns enough profit to be sustainable and supply the products that their consumers demand. It works every day to attain the goals that it has set for itself, in a sustainable living plan to grow as a company, while protecting the environment. CEO Paul Polman joined Unilever in 2009. He eliminated earnings guidance and quarterly reporting and does not want hedge funds as investors, thus changing the way business is done by Unilever. Polman redefined the role of CEO as statesman—someone who runs his or her business responsibly and successfully, with integrity. Because no company has ever made such sustainable commitments before, Unilever does not know for certain that they will meet their goals and succeed. The biggest challenge to committing to such a broad initiative is surviving the transition. Unilever is working to arrive at solutions to various problem areas, including safe drinking water, fighting viruses, better packaging, sustainable washing, storing renewable energy, and changing consumer behavior.

This essay highlights the importance of normative thinking in marketing ethics and proposes avenues for future research. It begins with contrasting positive and normative ethics. Then, a brief discussion of the literature in the field is included. Arguments offered by those who tend to avoid normative analysis are examined. Four types of normative ethical theories are presented: consequentialism, duty-based ethics, contract-based morality, and virtue ethics. The essay concludes with seven future research directions for normative marketing ethics and customer-brand relationships.

Cet article aborde les thèmes de recherche de longue date et émergents dans le domaine de l’éthique du marketing. Il débute par les définitions, puis s’intéresse à l’analyse de la recherche sur : l’éthique du consommateur, les questions relatives aux produits, les questions de tarification, les défis des canaux de distribution et deux tendances émergentes en rapport avec la publicité et la promotion. La dernière partie de l’article propose un certain nombre de recommandations destinées aux jeunes chercheurs afin de mener des travaux de recherche sur des thèmes relevant de l’éthique du marketing. Il conclut par quelques réflexions sur l’enseignement de l’éthique du marketing et fait référence à la protection de la vie privée comme un sujet de préoccupation croissante en matière d’éthique dans le marketing.

This article discusses both longstanding and emergent research themes in marketing ethics. It begins with a section on definitions and moves to an examination of research on: consumer ethics, product issues, pricing questions, channels challenges, and two emerging trends having to do with advertising and promotion. A latter part of the article provides a number of suggestions for junior scholars in conducting research on topics in marketing ethics. It concludes with a few thoughts on teaching marketing ethics and a mention of privacy as an area of growing ethical concern in marketing.

This paper captures the current state of privacy scholarship in marketing and related disciplines. We examine theoretical perspectives and empirical findings about data and information privacy grouped according to privacy’s role in society, the psychology of privacy, and the economics of privacy. Although a coherent subset of research themes provide deep understanding, theoretical and empirical findings show this narrow focus also has constrained our view of privacy to consumer, organizational, ethical, or legal silos. In response, we take a necessary step toward expanding the privacy domain across these borders, emphasizing the compelling synergies that span multiple interests. We conclude by highlighting future research themes that embody a multidimensional approach, which blends the many interconnected concerns that feature in contemporary privacy questions in marketing. Since internal and external stakeholders are affected in multiple and potentially unforeseen ways by data privacy issues, additional work in this space remains critical and needed.

Abstract This article focuses on ethical questions arising from marketing theory and practice. Ethical issues arising from marketing concepts such as market segmentation, marketing research, product development, pricing, channels of distribution, personal selling, advertising, and globalization are discussed briefly. Four challenges for marketing ethics in the future are advanced in the conclusion.

Researchers and companies are paying increasing attention to corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs and the reaction to them by consumers. Despite such corporate efforts and an expanding literature exploring consumers’ response to CSR, it remains unclear how consumers perceive CSR and which “Gestalt” consumers have in mind when considering CSR. Academics and managers lack a tool for measuring consumers’ perceptions of CSR (CPCSR). This research explores CPCSR and develops a measurement model. Based on qualitative data from interviews with managers and consumers, the authors develop a conceptualization of CPCSR. Subsequently, model testing and validating occurs on three large quantitative data sets. The conceptualization and the measurement scale can assist companies to assess CPCSR relative to their performance. They also enable managers in identifying shortcomings in CSR engagement and/or communication. Finally, the paper discusses implications for marketing practice and future research.

Dame (e-mail: Murphy.72@nd.edu). In the fall of 1979, I applied to the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business Sears Fellowship program that placed academics in federal agencies for one year. In the early spring of 1980, I was accepted into the program and interviewed at three agencies: the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Food and Drug Administration, and the Department of Agriculture. The best fit for me was in the new Office of Management Planning (OMP) at the FTC. (Most of the earlier marketing academics had worked in the Division of Advertising Practices at the FTC, and I interviewed with them as well.) Steve Kelman, on leave from the Kennedy School at Harvard University, was the director. He and I hit it off in the interview process, and subsequently, I received a letter informing me that the OMP position was mine. In a touch of irony, the FTC letter arrived immediately after I received word of my promotion to Associate Professor at Marquette University. I remarked that I was promoted and got a new job in the same week. As others have indicated in their personal recollections about the FTC, 1979–1980 was a tumultuous year for the FTC. The proposed “Kid Vid” rule and the funeral home rule created much controversy surrounding the agency, and in May, Congress actually shut the FTC down for a day as a punishment for what some considered overreaching its powers. Steve Kelman was anxious for me to join as soon as possible, so I arrived in the middle of May 1980, right after the shutdown occurred. I was not quite sure what I was getting myself into. In thinking about how to organize this essay to keep it from becoming a stream of consciousness, I will use one A and 4 Ps (appropriate for any marketing professor) to recount not only my experience while at the agency but also several activities related to the FTC with which I have been involved since that time. The “A” stands for anniversaries, and the “P”s are people, planning, publications, and policy.

This study introduces the construct of Perceived Marketplace Influence (PMI) and investigates its role in mediating the relationship between environmental concern and sustainable consumption behavior. A nationwide survey shows that Perceived Marketplace Influence plays an important role in mediating the relationship between concern and behavior, providing an explanation for prior inconsistencies in this relationship. Accordingly, Perceived Marketplace Influence plays a purposeful role in transforming environmental concern into behavior. This project extends previous research on the relationship between values, beliefs, and behavior by showing that one's perception of influence on the marketplace behavior of others significantly influences one's own marketplace behavior. Improved understanding of this relationship provides updated guidance to firms and policymakers for projecting and encouraging sustainable consumption behavior.

In the face of growing worldwide interest in corporate social responsibility (CSR), this paper explores corporate practices and consumer perceptions related to CSR. Based on literature and qualitative data from interviews with managers and consumers, a conceptualization of corporate practice and consumers' perceptions of CSR is developed. More specifically, the paper offers a grounded theory of CSR domains that explains how corporations and consumers view CSR by explicating both for whom and for what corporations are held responsible. Furthermore, two tripartite classifications of corporate stages of CSR development and corresponding consumers' perceptions are presented. The conclusion contains a comparison of corporate and consumer perceptions and draws implications for marketing practice and future research.