A Comprehensive Critique of Integrating Ethical Brands into Our Consumption Lives by Szmigin - Essay Example

Critique based on the article: Integrating ethical brands into our consumption lives Szmigin, Isabelle, Carrigan, Marylyn & OLoughlin, Deirdre & University> I confirm that: “I have read this article thoroughly and my critique is based on the above article” Mar 2009 BA2006 Research Methods Portfolio Unit 1: Article Critique Szmigin, Isabelle, Carrigan, Marylyn & OLoughlin, Deirdre 2007, ’Integrating ethical brands into our consumption lives’, Journal of Brand Management, vol. 14, issue 5, pp. 396-409. 1. Overview of the Article Drawing upon exploratory literature surveys, and practices in ethical branding, the article by Szmigin, et al., (2007), seeks to integrate ethical brands into the mainstream consumption choices. Considering critical branding issues of importance to ethical producers, the authors identified four dimensions: Distinction, Love, Hedonism and Aesthetics, knitting them into an integrated fabric for promoting ethical brands. The article has pronounced contemporary relevance, especially in the light of growing interest in Fairtrade certified products. This is evident from the claim by Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO), that in 2006, the number of Fairtrade licensees increased from 1,514 to 1,954. Great Britain registered a sales growth of 46% in Fairtrade certified goods in 2006; whereas, Ireland and Sweden, in the same year, recorded sales growth by 75% and 63% respectively. Overall, 1.6 billion Euros were spent in Fairtrade certified products (ILO, 2006). The growth of awareness in ethical goods has further been underpinned by the increasing knowledge and interest in ethical and global trade issues. Quoting Smith, the authors regard ethical buying, as an ‘expression of an individual’s moral judgement on his or her purchase behaviour.’ The moral judgement, in a larger sense, encompasses social responsibility. Buying Fairtrade products is seen as a conscious decision to promote fair prices, good working conditions, and pro-environment production methods. The authors contend that ethical consumers help to improve conditions in developing countries by ensuring, that communities receive a fair deal for their produce. In the words of Hazel Kahan (quoted in Hall, 1999), brands are now gunning for a share of consumers’ inner lives, their values, their beliefs, their politics; yes, their souls. In this context, ethical branding has a huge mind and market share. The moot issue for ethical producers is to sustain growth in the face of increased competition from mainstream brands. In this context, the authors have, through historical precedence and current trends in consumption patterns, discussed with examples, the four dimensions of distinction, love, hedonism and aesthetics in promoting ethical brands. The article focuses on the brand as a locus of discussion. The authors deliberate the implications and challenges for ethical producers as they move into the mainstream marketplace. 2. Weaknesses and Strengths 2.1 Weaknesses a. The title of the article fairly reflects the need to promote ethical brands in our consumption lives. Whereas, the authors expound ways to improve ethical brands through advertorial and mass appeal, they do not adequately address the issue of encouraging manufacturers of goods, and ways to provide them adequate incentives to create products that qualify to become an ethical brand. b. The keywords used in the article relate to the main theme covered therein. ‘Brand management,’ could also be an apt addition to the keyword list. c. The authors recognize that for ethical brand, to become a key differentiator, it must necessarily overlay on the functional, ‘psychological,’ or, representational needs of the consumer. Mass manufactured products in automated environs would always have a price advantage favouring the consumer. In a society that’s primarily driven through ‘return on investment’ consumerist approach, it’s a big challenge to reduce the price differential between ethical and mainstream brands. The authors have not dealt with the kind of sops that Governments can provide to make ethical brand consumption viable on a mass scale. d. The authors contend that the choice of ethical brands reflect lifestyle choices, and statements of personal identity, as much as, prestige alternatives. If these are the prime considerations with no regard to cost, then ethical brand consumption could well remain in the realm of elite population who command material affluence, and perhaps, ‘fake’ prestige identity. How would the common man, whose concern for ethical brands may be equally, or more pronounced, seek a rightful share in this significant movement? Rather than lifestyle statements, ethical consumption should be seen as a way of life. Except for cursory skimming on surface, the article does not provide firm recommendations, or ideas, to make ethical brands, the common preferred brand of normal life. e. The authors profess that Fairtrade mark may act as an important sign of recognition for ethical brands. From a global perspective, numerous ethical products are actually being produced in unorganized or, small scale cottage industries, who have limited access to marketplace. While the authors quoted, Ruskin and Morris, to extend ‘Art & Crafts’ movement, with social reforms to improve working conditions, and bring aesthetic appeal to ethical produces; it still leaves a lingering point of debate, “how would small scale industries, especially in rural areas, receive a brand recognition without overt support from Government and trade channels.” f. The authors tacitly accept that the branding dimensions suggested by them seek to woo the minority world consumers, who can possibly impact majority world producers by perpetuating their self-gratifying lifestyles. Legitimizing consumer pleasure through hedonism is debatable from an ethical standpoint. g. The larger philosophical question however is to ask, does happiness lie inherent in an object of purchase? Ethical brand or otherwise, gratification of happiness through acquired objects, seem illusory. And if such happiness were to degenerate to providing sensory pleasures, even an ethical brand, however produced, may induce unethical temptations 2.2 Strengths a. This article by Szmigin, et al., makes a compelling reading. The article is well researched which is evident from 56 citations in the treatise. The four dimensions: Distinction, Love, Hedonism and Aesthetics, suggested by the authors provide a sound framework for Fairtrade marked producers to pursue an integrated model for promoting ethical consumption goods. b. Using a range of examples, from chocolate, coffee, to washing detergents, that authors illustrate effective use the advertorial dimensions in communicating and promoting ethical brands. Through advertising examples of Café direct, the authors have successfully depicted importance of developing visual and aesthetic appeal in ethical branding. c. The currency of consumers deriving ethical value from their purchases is the central theme of the discourse. That, brand value needs to be assessed by both financial and ethical measures are core to the promotion of ethical brands. d. Quoting examples of environmental-unfriendly products, the authors have emphatically brought out the ideas of ‘conspicuous acts of anti-consumption’ (boycotters, in the parlance of Handlelman and Kozinets). . A case in point is the boycotting of tuna products not labelled as ‘dolphin friendly’, by ethical consumers. e. Similarly, the authors have used Friedman’s terminology of ‘buycotting’ to indicate conspicuous acts of rewarding companies for behaviour consistent with the concerns of particular consumer groups (ECOVER for an advertorial example). f. The idea of aesthetic dimension in promoting ethical goods lifts the dialogue from a restrictive ‘green-lifestyle’ approach to an ethically synthetic lifestyle consumption that is useful, purposeful and beautiful in content. g. When applied to ethical consumption, the distinction of idealised romantic love, as opposed to, Miller’s dialect of care, concern, obligation, and responsibility encompassing long-term commitment, discussed by the authors, is equally significant. 3. Recommendations a. Understandably, ethical brands, as the authors put it, must work on many levels. While the article deals with ethical brand management and promotional aspects, there are opportunities to explore ways by which ethical product manufacturers could be encouraged with their produces, for a larger social cause, and meet the stiff competitive challenges from mainstream brands. b. The promotional strategies enunciated in the article seem to address a minority segment of privileged consumers. The promotional focus should shift to reach out the masses. The strategies formulated in this article can further be refined to reach out to the common person in society. c. Methods to increase access of Fairtrade marked products by small scale producers in a rural area can be studied. The produce of the third world farmers and growers for instance, needs a supporting promotional channel to compete with mainstream brands. It must be recognized that ethical consumption can have an impact on society, only if it is inclusive of the developed and the developing world. d. The kind and quantum of Governmental interventions, and uniform global trade policies that promotes ethical brands can also be studied as an extension to the recommendations made in this article. e. Joint branding of with supermarkets to enhance ethical consumption can be deliberated. As the authors point out, there is a latent danger in such an approach of losing identity of Fairtrade marked products amongst mainstream brands. Further study could focus on appropriate win-win joint mechanisms between ethical producers and supermarket and retail chains. References Hall, J. (1999), ‘Corporate ethics and the new commercial paradigm’, Journal of Brand Management, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 38-47. ILO (2006), ‘1.6 billion Euros on Fairtrade products in 2006’, Market. Info, http://www.organic-market.info/web/News_in_brief/Fair_Trade/1.6_billion_Euros_on_Fairtrade_products_in_2006/176/185/0/3980.html Read More