Social Responsibility

Marketing Management – MGT 704

Instructor Steve Beller

December 8, 2012

Case Analysis Week 7: Social Responsibility

Robert Comradd, Jr.

IMAGE IS EVERYTHING

“How do we convey our message brand message? What do we want consumers to know about this brand? How can we get them to trust the brand and our company?” These are necessary questions that companies ask themselves or hire firms to ask and answer. A company relies on its brand persona to establish its public image and appeal. To answer the question aforementioned, a company must have a clear message strategy (slide 17-13) that effectively establishes points-of-parity or difference between its brand and others. Buyers expect one of four types of rewards from a product: rational, sensory, social, or ego satisfaction (Keller, Kotler, 2012 p. 506). A developed marketing communications mix (slide 17-23) is one such way to deliver on those rewards. However, a company must honestly and responsibly present itself to its employees and to the public otherwise negative consequences (slide 17-16) can arise including; high employee turnover, an untrustworthy public perception and consumer neglect.

SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE

Public relations and publicity are components of a good marketing communications mix. They are a variety of employee, consumer, government, media or other firms directed programs that help promote or protect a company’s image or its individual product communications (Keller, Kotler, 2012 p. 500), under which falls social responsibility. According to the case, social responsibility requires a three-pronged attack strategy based on proper legal, ethical and social responsibility behavior (Kaplan, 2007 ch. 22). A socially responsible company that intends on delivering this attack strategy must demonstrate a “social conscience”.

WHEN PR GOES WRONG

Chick-fil-A has shown how both positive and negative policies of social behavior and responsibility can impact an organization....