University Don Calls for Inclusive, Ethical Marketing at Unilorin 284th Inaugural Lecture

By Omowumi Omotosho

The Dean of Faculty of Management Sciences of University of Ilorin, Professor Rotimi Gbadeyan has called on marketers, business organizations, and regulatory institutions to embrace inclusive, ethical, and sustainable marketing practices to better serve society in the digital age.

He made this call on Thursday while delivering the 284th Inaugural Lecture of the university, titled “Something Else Beyond Marketing,” held at the University Auditorium.

In the lecture, Gbadeyan opined that the traditional marketing focus on profit maximization and consumer manipulation, advocating instead for a shift in marketing philosophy to ensure broader societal benefits, including equal access to goods and services, sustainable consumption, and consumer empowerment.

Gbadebo recommended that:” Inclusive Marketing Practices: Marketers should design campaigns that reflect diversity and inclusivity. The kind of campaign that avoids discriminatory targeting, stereotyping, and cultural appropriation, and that promotes respect for the dignity of all individuals. Also, policies that ensure fairness and equity in consumer access to products and services should be encouraged to help achieve income and opportunity equality in society.

“Support for Ethical Guidelines and Regulatory Problems: There should be regular support for ethical marketing standards by professional bodies and regulatory agencies to address emerging concerns like algorithm bias, deceptive advertising, and pink/green washing. Professional bodies and regulatory agencies must apply stronger enforcement mechanisms that will penalize misleading or exploitative practices among advertisers, business organisations and marketers.

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“Embrace Responsible Use of Technology in Marketing: Responsible use of digital marketing tools by marketers, most especially those that exploit psychological vulnerabilities should be encouraged. Marketers through transparent data policies and ethical use of AI should try to minimize digital addiction and protect consumer data.

“Alignment of Marketing with Sustainable Economic Goals: Companies should employ their marketing strategies to shift from encouraging overconsumption and debt accumulation to promoting financial literacy, sustainability, and long-term value.

“Marketers should give attention to Human Wellbeing in Marketing Design: Marketers should consider the mental, emotional, and social well-being of 38consumers in their campaign design. They should avoid unrealistic beauty standards, manipulative messaging, and social isolation tactics. The marketers should instead develop campaigns that promote self-worth, healthy lifestyles, and social connection.

“Philosophical Reflection should be encouraged in Marketing: Marketing as a field of study should reengage with fundamental questions of meaning, ethics, authenticity, and choice. It should integrate philosophical inquiry, emphasising integrity, purpose, and respect for consumer freedom.

“Interdisciplinary Collaboration for Ethical Innovation: Marketing innovations are human-centered and socially responsible; this is why marketers, social scientists, technologists, ethicists, and policymakers must collaborate. There is also a need for Interdisciplinary research to understand the far-reaching effects of marketing on society.

“Consumer Education and Empowerment: The consumers should be given the necessary knowledge and tools to critically assess marketing messages. Digital, financial and media literacy should be integrated into the public education curriculum that makes society resist manipulative marketing and make them make informed choices.

“Create Institutional Mechanisms for Accountability: Institutions should establish independent ethics review boards for marketing campaigns, particularly those that will be targeting vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and low-income consumers.

Support Sustainable and Value-Driven Marketing Research: Academic institutions should prioritise and fund research that will examine marketing’s intersection with societal welfare, ethical implications, and long-term human development goals, most especially, beyond the profit maximization objectives.”