A differentiation needs to be made between marketing and inducement. Can they really be confused when they seem to serve such different functions? Sometimes rather easily as it turns out.
After all, the ultimate goal of marketing is to make a sale and many forms of marketing involve some type of gifting, whether a small branded trinket, a paid trip to a sponsored event, or some other item or service. In other words, what each of those has in common is "I'll give you something in exchange for your considering the purchase of my goods or services." On the surface, that pretty much looks like an inducement.
One way to think about the difference between ethical marketing and an inducement, though, is that ethical marketing builds brand awareness rather than creating an implied or explicit debt on the part of the viewer or recipient. In fact, one rather simple test is that if the recipient thinks or says, "Thanks, I owe ya!", my money says that the exchange was, intentionally or not, an inducement.
Is it wrong to hand out or accept branded pens and note pads at a trade show? Other than to strict ethical purists, probably not. On the other hand, can a free trip worth hundreds or thousands of dollars easily create a sense of obligation on the part of the recipient? I certainly assume so, regardless of whether or not they are actually conscious of it acting as an inducement.
Ultimately, however, the question is not about the value of the marketing tool but rather of determining at which point it moves from increasing brand awareness to creating the feeling of obligation to buy.
It may take a number of quite personal and subjective judgments for you or your company to determine what kinds of marketing constitute the creation of undue or inappropriate influence over the recipient. Assuring that you have developed a both fully and persistently ethical marketing plan will certainly be worth the effort, however, if consistently ethical business practices are among your goals.
Christopher Bauer helps companies build their bottom line through the development of values-driven management, leadership, customer service, and branding initiatives. Information on Bauer Ethics Seminars is available at
