Evaluation of H&M’s Marketing Communication Ethic Through Honesty, Social Responsibility and Truthfulness Principles of International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Advertising and Marketing Communications Codes

Year 2022, Volume: 1 Issue: 1, 55 - 70, 30.06.2022

Sermin Subaşı

Abstract

Fast fashion marketing communication ethics has become an important discussion, as the concepts of social responsibility and sustainability have become a common marketing tool in fast fashion industry; despite the increase in the number of seasons and use of resources in recent years. This study provides information about the concept of fast fashion and defines the concept of ethics within the framework of corporate ethics and marketing communication ethics. The study specifically focuses on H&M brand since the concepts of responsible fashion and sustainability are increasingly being used in marketing communication activities carried out by the brand, and these activities are frequently covered in campaigns and in the media. The study evaluates the company's practices within the framework of truthfulness, social responsibility and honesty concepts, which play an important role in the ethical guidelines determined by the International Chamber of Commerce advertising and marketing communication rules. This literature research discusses that, H&M brand contradicts; the concept of truthfulness by creating artificial scarcity which manipulates consumers' ability to make the right decision, the concept of social responsibility by ignoring the principles against racism and principles of respect for human dignity, the concept of honesty by promoting overconsumption which creates a challenge for sustainability. Therefore, this study argues that H&M behaves unethically, and embodies this claim with cases.

Keywords

Marketing Communication, Ethics, Truthfulness, Social Responsibility, Honesty, Fast Fashion, H&M

Uluslararası Ticaret Odası Reklam ve Pazarlama İletişimi Kuralları Çerçevesinde Gerçeklik, Sosyal Sorumluluk ve Dürüstlük İlkelerinin Pazarlama İletişimi Etiği Açısından H&M Markası Üzerinden İncelenmesi

Abstract

Son yıllarda artan kaynak kullanımıyla birlikte hızlı moda şirketlerinin sezon sayılarının fazlalaşmasına rağmen, sosyal sorumluluk ve sürdürülebilirlik kavramlarının özellikle bu şirketler için yaygın bir pazarlama aracına dönüşmesi, hızlı moda pazarlama iletişiminde etik kavramını önemli bir tartışma konusu haline getirmektedir. Bu çalışma, hızlı moda kavramı hakkında bilgi vermektedir. Etik kavramını kurumsal etik ve pazarlama iletişiminde etik çerçevesinde tanımlamaktadır. H&M markasının, sorumlu moda ve sürdürülebilirlik adına arttırarak yürüttüğü pazarlama iletişimi faaliyetlerinin, kampanyalar ve medyada sıkça yer bulması sebebiyle, çalışma H&M markasına odaklanmaktadır. Çalışma, markanın uygulamalarını, Uluslararası Ticaret Odası reklamcılık ve pazarlama iletişim kurallarının belirlediği etik yönergelerde önemli rol oynayan gerçeklik, sosyal sorumluluk ve dürüstlük kavramları çerçevesinde değerlendirmektedir. Literatür araştırması niteliğindeki bu çalışma, H&M markasının, yapay kıtlık algısı oluşturup tüketicilerin doğru karar verme yetisini manipüle ederek gerçeklik; ırkçılık ve insan onuruna saygı ilkelerini görmezden gelerek sosyal sorumluluk ve aşırı tüketimi teşvik edip sürdürülebilirliğe aykırı davranarak dürüstlük kavramlarıyla çeliştiğini, bu nedenle etik davranmadığını ileri sürmekte ve bu iddiayı vakalarla somutlaştırmaktadır.

Keywords

Pazarlama İletişimi, Etik, Gerçeklik, Sosyal Sorumluluk, Dürüstlük, Hızlı Moda, H&M

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