As you enter the Marketing Industry there are a few rules that you must live by like any other industry out there. These “rules” or what the American Marketing Association calls them “ethical standards” keeps you safe as a marketer. When you sign up to help that business market themselves, you’re also signing up to show the economy what the business is all about. The AMA’s Code of Conduct includes the industry’s Ethical Norms, Ethical Values, Sexual or Personal Harassment Policy, Conflict of Interest Policy and how to implement all four areas. Grab a pen and paper because these are important and need to be understood.
Ehtical Norms, What's That?
Your ethical norms are just that the normal mindset ever single marketer should have. One, you always want to make sure you are not causing any harm of any kind. This means you want to maintain and adhere “to all applicable laws and regulations in [your] choices (Codes of Conduct, American Marketing Association Code of Conduct).” Two, you want to be trusting. We all obviously do not sit well when people are lying. You want to keep that same mentality about yourself when your delivering the campaign no matter if it has something to do with pricing or the message. The third norm is to represent the next set of guidelines; a marketer’s ethical values.
Trust the Ethical Values!
As a marketer there are six ethical values we should abide by: honest, responsibility, fairness, respect, transparency and citizenship. What does all of this mean? Well, as a whole they prover your integrity in your work over everything. You want to be honest about what you are marketing; do not express a claim about a product knowing the claim is far left or nowhere near close to what the product really offers. Be responsible for what you do whether that through who you work for or the target audience. The last thing you want to do is make a decision and blame it on someone else. Fairness is something you need to always think about as well. Money and information are the biggest items to work with. You never want to give away any information about your client or even something internal with their company. You also never want to engage in “under the table” type of situations that would hurt you or anyone else. Always respect everyone you work with and for. People can be indifferent about what to do or show next, but there is a way to be professional about it. A harsh no and explanation can be said in many ways where you still show respect and treat others as human beings. I’m sure you have noticed this one a lot…transparency. Art is interpreted differently and gives many diverse ideas. Sometimes it’s not an idea to someone else at all. Take feedback or criticism as a way to help grow yourself as an artist. Again, stay respectful, I completely understand that some do not give constructive criticism, but you can make it so. Citizenship is the last of the values and this was is truly to remember where you came and who you are as a person.
Stay Strong with the Policies!
Like stated before there are also two policies: Sexual or Personal Harassment and Conflict of Interest. We all know what both mean in general sense, but just to clear things up I want to make sure it’s understood through AMA’s conduct. All sexual harassment “is unwanted or unwelcomed by any individual (Codes of Conduct, American Marketing Association Code of Conduct).” Any personal harassment as it pertains to “race, color, ancestry, place of origin, political beliefs, religion, marital status, physical or mental disability, sex, age or sexual orientation” is also not tolerated by the AMA (Codes of Conduct, American Marketing Association Code of Conduct). As someone in this industry you should be treated with the up most respect and you should be treating someone in the same manner. When you decide to join a business to create their marketing campaign you need to be protected as well and so does the corporation. Stay vigilant and be sure to not agree to any contract that could benefit you or others in a way that is deemed illegal.
It is always best to keep these standards in mind. It must be understood that failure to abide by the American Marketing Association’s ethical standards could find you in a huge problem. People can get hurt, you would lose business, the company could lose its business and there’s the high, almost definite possibility of dealings with the police. Remember that the Code of Conduct is there to protect you, but as an artist keep having fun with it.
- Tia Renai