ETHICAL ASPECTS OF BRAND MIX ELEMENTS

Abstract

In todays world, when we every day meet with the pile of marketing messages, one question is justifiably asked – where is the limit when something stops to be only present, but become iritating and nonethical? Ethical promotion of the products and services is key marketing activity, where one concider it as promotion only and that as a one and only aspect of marketing. While spectrum of the promoting techniques widens, the need of coordinating messages and their execution is growing.

Elements of the brand are visual and sometimes even physical means used for identification and differentiation of the company products or sevices. Their adequate selection and coordination are key functions in value of the brand. Identity is most visible part of each and every brand. Holistic brands are having their own identity expressed always in messages, forms, symbols, rituals and tradition. Strategy of holistic brand is consisting in development of strong mission, positioning, promises and value which brand is offering. Identity is made of the elements mentioned, but influence of the senses on branding and to the contrary is often of crutial importance in brand introduction phase, as well as in later stage in creating of specific connections to the brand. In creating of the brand is necessary to include all senses of the customers. Every element should be carefuly created and fited into desireable identity making consistency and synergetic efect. They are seen through transmition of the informations as well as creation of specific emotions. For realizing those goals more and more services of profesionals in minimizing ethical barriers are used.

We are considering here numerous ilustrative analyses of ethical aspects by the elements of brand mix. Name of the brand is “face” of it and should be very carefuly selected in order to be acceptable for all interested throughout the world and companies are now studying how to make “live creature” out of their logo for strong and positive impact on the concience of the brand. If it is about slogans, moral misuse of children is more and more considered, mocking at the poor, promotion of material values etc., and as for design more lawsuits for „plagiarism“ we are faced with, but as for packaging we have to take into acount influence to the environment and sustainable development. Legal surrounding is coming to the fore in doing bussines in more than one country just because differnces in postulates of the legal systems. Problems may aprear particularly by companies trying jointly to define standardized marketing plan to be realized in many countries. Although we can today more easely overcome differences in languages, the one in legal surrounding can significantly prevent standardization of total marketing program. Each country has its own legal uniquenesses regulation promotion, product development, labeling, price policy and chanels of distribution.

Taking all above mentioned in account it is very hard to escape not to face with ethics by using of the brand mix elements. Fight for symbols and trade marks is imminent and it is worth taking trouble. At the moment, company „Pionir“ is fightinh hard to protect trade mark of its products „Negro“, Medeno srce“ and „Minjon kocke“ because there are simmilar products on the market to find with doubth that the legaly protected trade mark of „Pionir“ brand was violeted.