Marketers seeding terrorism: academic

28 Nov, 2001 06:30 AM5 mins to read

The promotion of glamorous Western lifestyles is accused of creating jealousy and resentment in poorer countries. IRENE CHAPPLE reports.

Marketers contributed to the September 11 terrorist attacks, says an Australian academic.

The argument will be thrown to marketing theorists next week by Professor Roger Layton, of the University of New South Wales.

His theory has already been knocked by an industry observer and it is expected to stir debate when presented to the 300 delegates at the Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference at Albany on Auckland's North Shore, running from Monday to Wednesday at the Massey University campus.

Professor Layton - described by Professor Brian Murphy of Massey as the "patriarch of Australasian marketing academia" - will debate marketing's role in the inequities of the world, which, arguably, led to the attacks.

Professor Layton also says marketers should use the present lull in consumerism as a chance to rethink their global obligations.

Marketing is a big force in shaping Western society, he says, but it has left other nations behind, creating discontent over the distribution of the world's goods and services.

Glamour lifestyles promoted in the media breed jealousy in poorer countries.

That perceived injustice, fuelled by religious fervour, can easily turn to violence, says Professor Layton.

So, cravings for Coke and Nike led to Osama bin Laden's anger against Western society and eventually terrorist attacks? Surely a long shot.

Not entirely, says Professor Layton. Marketers have an ethical responsibility to understand the large-scale impact of their work.

They have contributed to global issues, and recognising that raises awkward questions.

When he became a professor in 1967, marketing was considered to benefit the world, says Professor Layton.

Now, he is unconvinced.

Insights are lacking on marketing's impact on the evolution of society, he says.

"It's the distinction between the haves and the have-nots.

"Marketing and advertising give an illusion of lifestyle. In a peasant village [the lifestyle] is nowhere near what can be afforded in America or Australia, and that lies behind some of the tension in the world at the current time."

Marketing strategist Howard Russell, of Strategic Insight, believes connecting September 11 to marketing simply credits the industry with too much influence.

"It's a very clunky connection, and gives a certain arrogance to the importance of marketing.

"This just shows a huge disconnection between the theories of universities and the practice of marketing."

When the bombs are falling, says Mr Russell, people do not worry about whether they have makeup on.

It is valid for marketers to stand back and evaluate the consumerism they foster, but they are only a cog in the Machinery.

"Marketers are just tools of the economy which is fuelled on growth."

Companies, he suggests, should not push their product on an unwary consumer. The consumer will, if pushed, reject the product.

"From my observations, marketing in practice uses a set of techniques that gets more sales, more market share and more brand awareness," says Mr Russell.

"You don't see in many market plans, 'what's in this for the consumer?' It's 'what are we going to get out of it?"'

Professor Layton says the debate can depend on how you define marketing. He gives it a broad definition, including advertising and distribution.

It can be termed strategic management, he says.

Professor Murphy says the topic will invigorate debate on how to bridge marketing theory and practice.

"The world has changed irrevocably and marketing as a discipline is being challenged to respond appropriately.

"So a creative bridging of marketing theory and practice could be the key to marketing's relevance in the new world view," he says.

Professor Layton agrees. Ideally, he wants to see more emphasis in literature on macro-market studies, ethics and social responsibility.

"People here have enormously diverse lifestyles - that's what makes life so good.

"Developing countries should have the access to choice, which will give improved living standards, broaden trade and make lives richer.

"I want to see an evolution from peasant market to supermarket."

Saatchi & Saatchi creative director Andrew Tinning, who was about 200m from the World Trade Center towers when they collapsed, takes a new slant on the issue.

He says the attacks have outshone any marketing tactics the West could invent.

What occurred in New York, he says, makes the advertising impact of giant billboards and the video screens of Times Square pale in comparison.

"Having witnessed the full impact of the event and the overwhelming power of the message to America and the rest of the world first-hand, there should be no advertising or marketing effectiveness award that Mr bin Laden and his team should not walk away with next year," says Mr Tinning.

Osama bin Laden and his brand of terrorism are commanding attention throughout the world, he says.

"It's not Coca-Cola and certainly not, at the moment, Ronald McDonald.

"In times such as these, it's easy to point the finger at the capitalist West. But for what it's worth, I believe over there they're using the same tools of our trade to promote, sell and romanticise their brand of terror, hatred and religious fanaticism."

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