Laws concerning false advertising and intellectual property (especially trademark) violations must be paid due attention when developing the marketing strategy. At present, BCC seems to be well clear of any laws on these subjects, but they are worth acquiring knowledge of nevertheless.
Conclusion
Bathurst Carbon Cutters cannot reject the idea of marketing outright, for two reasons. The first is that the notion of marketing as destructive is false, especially given that the underlying theory of the business appears to be that convincing more Bathurst residents to utilize bicycles will ultimately benefit the environment. If this is the case, then the business is faced with an ethical dilemma should it proceed, not only because marketing activity is inevitable but because the name of the company conveys to the consumer the idea of environmental benefit.
The second reason is that the company has already engaged in marketing activities and will continue to do so. Simply by bringing a product to the market, BCC has engaged in marketing activities. It has set the core of a marketing program already in its business model. BCC has a distribution strategy (place), a price, a product (transportation, utility) and a promotional strategy (brand, message). These aspects of the marketing strategy are already in place. Management's current resistance is based on the idea of more promotion being destructive, yet it is precisely more promotion that will improve the environmental and other benefits that the company intends to deliver.
Marketing is a core component of any business strategy, and always has been. The most effective methods of marketing will be as the result of striking a balance between the core strategic objectives, the needs of the different...
If management is hesitant to use print advertising, then less environmentally destructive means of spreading the message should be explored. Ultimately, it is critical that marketing tactics be understood and embraced, rather than feared and avoided, if the corporate mission is to be successful. This is true of all business, including those with a strong social conscience. Marketing is not a social ill, it is a means to an end. If the end objective of BCC is to reduce automobile traffic and environmental degradation, then BCC must develop its marketing program with that in mind. This means maximizing the benefits while minimizing costs -- eliminating costs altogether will not deliver any benefits.
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