From recyclable packaging to charitable giving to targeting age-appropriate consumers, brands have long been integrating socially responsible marketing in your growth plan. The idea is that you can make money while making a difference, a balancing act that companies are expected to manage in the digital age and in the 21st century.
A 2015 Nielsen global report revealed that products using eco-friendly packaging were a purchasing factor for 41% of respondents. It gets better, as almost half (45 per cent) also considered purchasing more from an eco-conscious consumer brand, while 59 per cent said health and wellbeing benefits influenced their purchasing decisions.
In fact, there is a growing demand for socially responsible companies. But what is social responsibility in marketing? It involves addressing social, ethical and environmental factors in the promotion of products or services and showing the positive impact and direct benefits of the offer to its target audience.
Regardless of your niche or industry, you can use a marketing strategy socially responsible to expand your business. This article helps you get started by establishing the characteristics and components of this concept and providing reasons to prioritize how to be socially responsible right now.
How to Be Socially Responsible: The American Marketing Association's Code of Ethics
As merchants and business owners, we contribute to the economic vitality of our community, region and even country. But apart from making profits, we are expected to provide benefits to society in one way or another.
We can focus our marketing efforts to align with this expectation. The American Marketing Association (AMA) is the organization to turn to if we need guidance on how to employ socially responsible marketing.
These are the core values derived from their marketing code of ethics:
• Honesty : Social responsibility and ethics in marketing dictate that we deliver on the promises cited and implied in our marketing message. This includes making truthful claims about what a product or service can do.
• Responsibility – Recognize that marketing decisions and strategies affect stakeholders, such as your customers and community. Socially responsible companies assume the duty to satisfy the needs of their target market. A great example would be catering to differently-abled site users by complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Equity : Manipulative and deceptive tactics have no place in ethical marketing. For example, a trustworthy social responsibility marketing agency would maintain white hat search engine optimization (SEO) practices and respect user privacy in data collection.
• I respect - The Golden Rule applies to the American Marketing Association's code of ethics: Treat others (your team members, customers, suppliers, distributors, and anyone who contributes to your marketing efforts) as you want to be treated. you. You are expected to value individual differences regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.
• Transparency : You cannot practice socially responsible marketing without this fundamental element of the marketing code of ethics. Any serious social responsibility marketing company would advise you to communicate your message clearly, informing stakeholders of the possible risks and other factors that affect purchasing decisions.
• Citizenship – This is where corporate social responsibility (CSR) and social responsibility in marketing intersect. Considering environmental impact, encouraging fair trade in the supply chain and volunteering and donating to charities are part of this principle.
What is corporate social responsibility?
Investopedia defines corporate social responsibility as a “self-regulating business model” that strives to be accountable to the economic, social, environmental and other aspects affected by business practices and policies. Before, it used to be an internal search. With social responsibility marketing, you focus on “attracting customers who want to make a positive difference with their purchases.”
Five reasons why socially responsible marketing is important
What is social responsibility in marketing for and why do we need it? Here are the reasons why it is more crucial than ever to consider the effects of our marketing practices and decisions on the environment and society:
Have a moral compass as marketers
Ethics gives us guidance on what we should do as marketers. Our need, desire and objectives for ethical marketing are embodied in the marketing code of ethics. And with the American Marketing Association's code of ethics as a framework, you can observe socially responsible marketing. This offers a sense of direction to your digital marketing strategy in addition to trends and tactics.
Adapt to changing consumer behavior
This century has seen consumers become smarter when it comes to their choices. People buy products and services that have a positive impact on their health and well-being, the environment and society. This involves looking at the supply chain leading to output, for example whether products are sourced ethically.
If you don't pay attention to this shift in demand, you could lose customers to the business that does. To the apply ethics in marketing, you are focusing on listening and adapting to their needs while attracting those who share the same values as you.
Legal Reasons Coverage
Of course, a good social responsibility marketing company would tell you that social responsibility marketing goes beyond legal issues. However, by following the rules, such as creating an ADA-compliant website, you are fulfilling your moral obligation to all online users, no exceptions.
Address real-world impact
Actions, choices and business decisions affect their communities. With that metric alone, you should carefully consider how to be socially responsible, increasing your positive impact and minimizing the negative. Something as simple as switching to recyclable packaging, hiring marginalized community members as employees, and producing sustainable goods can kick-start ethical marketing.
Building Trust and Reputation
Last but not least, building trust and managing online reputation is both a reason and a benefit of social responsibility marketing. Nowadays, it is vital to maintain a positive image and brand to cultivate a loyal customer base. On the one hand, this means you must uphold ethics in marketing and avoid greenwashing, which refers to practices that make companies appear more socially responsible than they really are.
Whether you have an in-house team or are working with a social responsibility marketing agency, make sure your marketing campaigns, promotions, and activities are authentic and effective.
Two examples of socially responsible marketing
How do socially responsible companies separate themselves from the rest? First, you look beyond marketing and focus on the entire operation. As we noted above, some brands and companies may seem environmentally conscious, especially on social media, but are they testing their products on animals? Where does your waste go?
Of course, there are companies that show us the answer to what corporate social responsibility will look like in action .
In addition to delicious ice cream and other dairy products, Ben & Jerry's is known for its social activism. As expected from a brand with global influence and impact, the brand has expanded its supply chain to support racial diversity and social equity. Its sourcing strategy has focused on preserving the environment and promoting animal welfare.
Large fast fashion companies may come to mind when reflecting, What is corporate social responsibility ? But a relatively small brand has had the opportunity to start things off right from the beginning. Taylor Stitch strives to source sustainable materials for his t-shirts, design them to last a long time, keep his clothes out of landfills, and support causes through chosen partnerships.
Ready to expand your responsibility?
This article just answered, What is social responsibility in marketing? We also mention why it's important and give you some ideas about what will happen if you ignore it.
Big or small, your business can make a difference. While the concept of socially responsible marketing may sound new, we hope you've gained the confidence to address it the next time you meet with your company's decision makers. One of the things you can also do is seek help from a social responsibility marketing company.
