I received a text message today that read;
“Enjoy FULL BODY MASSAGE By High Class Hot Pretty Girls @
Rs-999/- at Newly Opened AY****YA SPA, SEC-18, NOIDA, for Appointment
Call-0120-45***16/981****011/611”
Yes, you read that correct. I starred out the name and
contact numbers intentionally to not provide publicity to the establishment.
Objectification of women and unethical marketing are phenomenon
we all are aware of, but this steps even that line and goes into the pure
shameless and unacceptable territory. Is this what we have come down to? Does
this look like an advertisement for a spa to anyone?
Marketing needs to remain positive and optimistic. If you
need to target basic human tendencies of fear, greed or lust to advertise and
sell rather than the product/service and its virtues, you are not doing a very
good job. Yes, these cheats tend to work every now and then, but the negative image
you create for your brand is going to stick for long. And this may ultimately
be harmful in the long run.
Marketing industry has evolved a lot in the past few years
and today we accept what may have been unacceptable some time ago. This is
because the society as a whole has opened up, and it’s a good thing. But where
does this end?
Objectification of women has been happening since long and
has significantly gained traction since the 1980’s. Scantily clad, suggestively
portrayed women sell every different type of product on television, in
magazines, and on personal computer screens in increasing numbers. This has
increased exponentially since the advent of bulk e-mails/messages and social
media. Depression, appearance anxiety, body shame, sexual dysfunction, and
eating disorders are only a few among the growing list of repercussions of
this.
Our role as marketers is to promote our product/service in a
way that is ethical and highlights the positives of the product. We have a
moral responsibility to the general public, who as receivers are tend to be
influenced by what we share. Marketers today have great influencing power in
the form of tools and media at their disposal, and as Benjamin Parker from Spiderman
once said “With great power comes great responsibility.”
