Taking the guesswork out of responsible marketing

Explains enrichment marketing: the three key aspects are age appropriateness, consideration of neuroscience, and identifying the ethical category of the product. Outlines, first, the five age segments that divide up young people, and how responsible marketing deals with each appropriately. Describes, secondly, how the beginnings of “neuromarketing” illustrate how key emotional centres of the child brain can be stimulated by marketers, and the ethical problems raised by this manipulation. Moves on, thirdly, to determining which ethical category a company's approach to its products, programmes and advertising strategies falls into: good products are ones that are good for young people, although the company's marketing methods for them may not be responsible; most products, including most food products, are neutral and are safe in moderation, but they challenge marketers to be responsible in selling them to extreme; and dangerous products like drugs, guns and sex-related material, which responsible marketers avoid. © 2005, Emerald Group Publishing Limited