🤔 Last Week in Humane Marketing - Bianca's Take #3
Sustainability vs. Consumption: The Paradox at the Heart of Modern Marketing
The News - In a recent purpose-driven marketing stunt, E.l.f. Cosmetics launched the 'Dupe That!' campaign, encouraging other companies to create affordable alternatives—or 'dupes'—of high-end beauty products.
Bianca's Take - On the surface, it's a bold move to promote affordability and accessibility, but I have my reservations. Dupes have been around for many years in the beauty community, and this creator explains the phenomenon well. Cheaper "dupe" products may not meet the same quality or safety standards as the originals, and an influx of similar products will eventually lead to market saturation and further push for more. It's a bit ironic when a company publishes a comprehensive Impact Report championing sustainability while simultaneously launching a campaign that could will lead to increased production and consumption. I wish they would have also encouraged responsible consumer behavior and not just bragged about their lip oils being five times cheaper than the competition.
The News - Last week, the FTC finalized its "Click to Cancel" rule, requiring companies to make canceling subscriptions easier. Last week, the cable industry, home security companies, and advertisers sued to stop it.
Bianca's Take - Color me shocked! It's both amusing and telling to see these industry heavyweights rallying against a rule that promotes fairness and transparency. The FTC's "Click to Cancel" rule is straightforward: the cancellation method must be "at least as easy to use" as the sign-up process.
It reminds me of gym memberships that require you to show up in person to cancel or magazine subscriptions that insist on a mailed letter. These tactics are clearly designed to wear you down, but in the process, they only manage to annoy customers and tarnish their reputation.
Instead of investing time and money into lawsuits to keep these barriers, perhaps these companies should focus on enhancing their offerings. If your business model depends on making it hard for customers to leave, maybe it's time for a new business model. Let's hope the FTC sticks to its guns.
The News - A lawsuit has been filed against Character.AI by the mother of a 14-year-old boy who tragically took his own life. The lawsuit alleges that the chatbot (Dany) manipulated the child and that Character.AI's products are designed to be addictive without proper safety measures.
Bianca's Take - I've seen this movie before, and I didn't like the ending. This heartbreaking case is a stark reminder of the profound impact technology can have on our lives, especially on the young and vulnerable. We're at a significant crossroads in humanity, and I can't help but draw a parallel between social media and AI—they both have the power to transform human interaction, for better or worse.
Suicides among girls aged 10-14 increased by 151% from 2001 to 2017, coinciding with a rise in social media usage. AI companionship apps are becoming increasingly popular, but without proper safeguards, we risk repeating the same mistakes we've seen with social media. Companies must prioritize ethical considerations and user safety from the outset.
The News - Australia is cracking down on greenwashing, the FTC took a firm stand against fake online reviews, the Philippines established a Standards Coalition to promote responsible alcohol marketing, and Canadian cities are restricting fossil fuel ads.
Bianca's Take - Are we witnessing a global awakening in marketing ethics??!! I'd say yes, and it's about time. It's refreshing to see regulators and industries stepping up to the plate. Consumers are smarter, regulations are tightening, and the old tricks just won't cut it anymore. Case in point—Havas Media’s first Shell campaign is under fire, receiving more than 70 complaints for greenwashing.
The News - There's been a wave of industry events popping up globally trying to raise DEI and sustainability awareness in business and marketing. The first edition of Blackweek took place last week, as did the 2nd Venice Sustainable Fashion Forum and the Impact Awards by Givsly.
Bianca's Take - I remember when I was swiftly met with an eye-roll at the mere mention of ethics in marketing—not that long ago, might I add. What's exciting about this trend is the ripple effect it creates. Each event not only raises awareness but also inspires others to take action. They provide platforms for thought leaders, innovators, and changemakers to collaborate and share best practices. The cross-pollination of ideas accelerates progress in ways that isolated efforts simply can't.
Honorable Mentions
TikTok is starting to help creators manufacture their own products—yes, it empowers creators. Yes, it creates more mediocre stuff the world does not need.
Cigarette sales are rising in China, defying the global trend—I suppose this tells me everything I need to know about marketing regulations in China.
This ethical sourcing campaign for Fairtrade Farmers—nicely done.
This post on Influencer Marketing Sustainability and Ethics—Influencers hold significant sway over consumer behavior; we need accountability.
Humane Tech News
Google Photos will now label AI-edited images—you just have to click 10 times to see the label; ridiculous lip service.
LinkedIn fined $335 million in the EU for tracking ads privacy breaches—under GDPR rules, the EU found that LinkedIn's justifications for ad tracking were invalid.
Apple is ‘concerned’ about AI turning real photos into ‘fantasy’—Apple Intelligence doesn’t allow users to add AI-generated manipulations to images like competing services do (at least for now).
Apple’s new hearing aid technology is being billed in early reviews as a potential game-changer for accessibility. +1 for accessibility.
Google’s DeepMind is building an AI to keep us from hating each other—you know we're screwed when robots are better at being human than humans are.
Redditors are trying to poison Google’s AI to keep tourists out of the good restaurants—not mad at it.
Norway plans to increase the minimum age for social media use from 13 to 15—yes.
You know what the world needs? Another social media app, according to Daze—please don't.
Great read! Super pumped about the ‘click to cancel’ rule. I’m Less pumped about companies suing about it, but mega-corps are going to mega-corp, so there’s not much new there.
creators manufacturing their products always fascinated me. Take notebooks. I too know about Amazon KPD et similia for self-publishing, but then I walk into a store and see beautifully bound blank notebooks and think "other than the cover they have nothing inside! where do I even start elevating my products?!"