16.1 Sustainable Marketing Flashcards
What is the marketing concept?
The marketing concept is a philosophy of customer value and mutual gain, which involves discovering what consumers want and responding with market offerings that create value for buyers and capture value in return.
Why should responsible marketers consider whether their actions are sustainable in the long run?
Responsible marketers should consider the sustainability of their actions because some marketing practices that meet the current needs of consumers may cause immediate or future harm to other consumers or the larger society.
What is sustainable marketing?
Sustainable marketing involves socially and environmentally responsible actions that meet the present needs of consumers and businesses while preserving or enhancing the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
How does the sustainable marketing concept differ from the marketing concept?
While the marketing concept focuses on meeting the company’s short-term sales, growth, and profit needs by engaging customers and giving them what they want now, the sustainable marketing concept emphasizes meeting the present needs of consumers and businesses in a socially and environmentally responsible manner while also considering the long-term interests of both customers and the business.
What were the criticisms of McDonald’s early marketing strategy?
Critics argued that McDonald’s early marketing strategy, which focused on tasty but fat- and salt-laden fast foods, contributed to a longer-term obesity epidemic, damaging consumer health and burdening healthcare systems. They also claimed that McDonald’s Happy Meals created poor eating habits in children. Additionally, McDonald’s faced criticism for its significant environmental footprint, including wasteful packaging, solid waste creation, and inefficient energy use in its stores.
What does the sustainable marketing concept consider?
The sustainable marketing concept considers both the immediate and future needs of customers and the company, calling for socially and environmentally responsible actions that meet these needs while preserving the ability of future generations to meet their needs as well.
How has McDonald’s responded to the challenges and criticisms with a more sustainable strategy?
McDonald’s has diversified its menu by introducing salads, fruits, grilled chicken, low-fat milk, and other healthy options. It has sponsored education campaigns to promote balanced, active lifestyles and has worked with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to improve the Happy Meal.
McDonald’s has also implemented sustainability initiatives addressing environmental issues, such as food-supply sustainability, reduced and environmentally sustainable packaging, reuse and recycling, and more responsible store designs.
What does a smooth-functioning marketing system require for truly sustainable marketing?
A smooth-functioning marketing system for truly sustainable marketing requires consumers, companies, public policy makers, and others to work together to ensure socially and environmentally responsible marketing actions.
What are some of the sustainability questions the following sections will examine?
The following sections will examine questions such as the most frequent social criticisms of marketing, the steps private citizens have taken to curb marketing ills, the steps legislators and government agencies have taken to promote sustainable marketing, and the steps enlightened companies have taken to carry out socially responsible and ethical marketing that creates sustainable value for both individual customers and society as a whole.
