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One aspect of marketing is the act of disiminating information about a product, service, brand, organization or ideal to an intended audience. Ideally this audience is a targeted group based on age, sex, locality, wealth or some other mix of market segmentation variables. But marketers' ability to use mass media to influence buyer decision processes gives them a power that is threatening to many people.
Marketing has many legitimate uses including discovering what products people want, informing people about valuable products and services, and generating revenue for charitable organizations. On the other hand however, its techniques have often been used for morally dubious purposes by businesses, governments, and criminals. Examples of deceptive marketing practices used by some members of Amway, Quixtar and other Multi-level marketing organizations is documented in "Merchants of Deception", a free eBook (http://www.merchantsofdeception.com/) by Eric Scheibeler.
Many people feel that marketing, like any other technology, is essentially amoral : it can be used for good or evil, but the technique itself is not ameniable to ethical analysis. But there are many critics of modern marketing and management techniques that see a systemic social evil inherent in the discipline (see No Logo or Marxism). Marketing is accused of creating ruthless exploitation of both consumers and workers. It is claimed that it turns people into commodities, objects whose purpose is to consume (see consumer).
Marketing theory and practice is justified on the belief that customers use a product or service because they have a need, or because a product has perceived value.
Marketing methods are informed by many of the social sciences, particularly psychology, sociology, and economics.
For a marketing plan to be successful, the mix of the four "p's" must reflect the wants and desires of the consumers in the targetmarket.
Marketing is accused of creating ruthless exploitation of both consumers and workers by treating people as commodities whose purpose is to consume.
Most marketers believe that marketing, like any other technology, is amoral; it can be used for good or evil, but the technique itself is not amenable to ethical analysis.
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