Sustainable marketing practices of the company. Write a 1,500-word case study about the sustainable marketing practices of the company you selected.
Sustainable marketing practices of the company
Discuss the good and the bad practices that the company engages in, how you heard out about their practices, ways that the company can improve its marketing strategy, etc. Be sure to cite no less than five reliable references beyond course readings. Do not use blogs, Slideshare, etc.
What is Sustainable Marketing?
In today’s profit-driven world, marketers are often charged with achieving very ambitious targets. Having been a marketer for over seven years, I’ve often found myself sucked into the world of profit, profit, and more profit.
The profit-centric nature of traditional marketing is reinforced by the ‘rewards’ marketers get for hitting specific targets. But as business sustainability awareness spreads, marketers are beginning to question the traditional form of marketing.
Marketing matters because it is very much intertwined with business. Marketing is present in every stage of a business, from ideation to production to sales. Marketers are the evangelists of every business, the business’s strongest advocate. My marketing career has personally been fascinating. I specialize in digital marketing and have found much fulfillment in helping businesses grow their brands online.
I have observed different marketing transitions or changes during my career. What I’ve found most meaningful is the current transition to sustainable marketing. The often-alarming impact of businesses on society and the environment calls for a more sustainable marketing approach. As marketers, we play a crucial role in influencing consumers — either towards a throw-away culture or to make more sustainable buying decisions.
Improving the impact of businesses has never been more critical. For many marketers like myself, not practicing sustainable marketing is no longer an option. The planet needs a new approach But to practice sustainable marketing, one must first understand what it means and its role in the big picture of sustainability.
What Does Sustainable Marketing Mean?
To understand sustainable marketing, I embarked on a journey. I came across several definitions. Some described sustainable marketing as ‘marketing environmentally friendly or green products’ while others stated that sustainable marketing was all about ‘not prioritizing profit over the planet.’
However, most definitions of sustainable marketing are parts of a much larger picture. To complete it, we must look to the definition of sustainability itself.
Understanding Sustainability or Sustainable Development
One of the most authoritative definitions of sustainability is as development that meets the needs of present generations without compromising the needs of future generations (World Council on Economic Development (WCED)). This development is often pictured across three major areas: economic, environmental, and social. Businesses should create wealth to reduce poverty, but do so without harming the natural environment. Doing this requires thinking long-term and considering concepts like human rights and social justice and natural resources and waste.
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