Background
With the rising concerns of global warming, and social exploitation, consumers are looking for environmentally friendly products that are good for the environment and their personal health. If corporations were up front with their environmental wrongdoings, customers would most likely take their business elsewhere. Corporations thus respond by turning to greenwashing and CSR to make themselves look more environmentally friendly so that they can keep their customers coming back. By appealing to customers' consciences and desires, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) helps corporations to build brand loyalty and develop a personal connection with their customers. Many corporate charity tie-ins gain companies access to target markets and the involvement of the charity gives the company's message much greater power. In our media saturated culture, companies are looking for ever more innovative ways to get across their message, and CSR offers up many potential avenues for subtly reaching consumers. CSR will continue to be little more than PR for as long as it is easier and cheaper to spin than to change.
Are environmental and social problems such as global warming and poverty the result of inadequate governmental regulations or does the burden fall on our failure as consumers to make better consumption choices? According to Giesler and Veresiu (2014), responsible consumption shifts the burden for solving global problems from governments to consumers and through that spin off ultimately benefits corporations more than society.
Question
You are employed as a consultant of a big multinational company. They have asked you to investigate their CSR policy, as they are worried that people are actually ‘not buying it’, but thinking that it is only a green-wash. Provide an example of the Global Company of your choice, and discuss their attitude(s) towards Corporate Social Responsibility. How do their customers perceive this intent? Is it perceived as genuine intent or simply as green washing or its intention is somewhere between the lines? Do their customers care? You can focus on one company, or compare it along the industries or within the same issues. You can do a theoretical essay as well, and provide examples from different companies to illustrate your argument.
Structure
• The background of the company and its CSR or environment/social protection policy
• Critical discussion related to company and its CSR policy, can it have a long-term effect or it is simply a fad?
• Critical appraisal of their customers
• What would be your suggestion how the company should deal with the accusation of green washing?
• Summary and Conclusion of your main argument
References: GIESLER, M. VERESIU, E. (2014) JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, Creating the Responsible Consumer: Moralistic Governance Regimes and Consumer Subjectivity, Vol. 41, 840-859
Essay topic 2
Background
The way company positions itself on the global marketing arena is influenced by brand’s country of origin, i.e. country of origin influences marketing strategies.
Question
What is the relationship between country brand strength to consumer brands country is known for?
In order to be able to address this question, you need to provide relevant examples. You can use a case study of a company, for instance (Hermes to illustrate country of origin, in this context France, in relation to positioning luxury fashion brand on the global market). You can use one particular international company, or you can use different companies, providing different examples.
Structure
• Introduction and Background information
• Development of the argument through the theoretical conceptualisation and relevant examples
• Concluding remarks
Sample Solution