Setting socially responsible marketing objectives

Financial‐ and growth‐oriented marketing objectives of traditional marketers have been criticized by marketing ethicists, because these objectives may lead to socially irresponsible marketing practices. Marketing based on the quality‐of‐life (QOL) concept posits that marketers should strive to enhance consumers’ wellbeing without harming other publics or stakeholders. Shows how marketing managers can set marketing objectives based on the QOL concept to guide socially responsible marketing practices. Develops a conceptual framework for setting marketing objectives. The framework shows that marketing managers with a QOL frame of mind should first examine the marketing policies that have been criticized by marketing ethicists. Second, marketing managers should logically drive specific marketing mix objectives based on the QOL concept. Third, general marketing objectives should be deduced from the marketing mix objectives for socially responsible marketing.