1. Apply at least one aspect of the VBM to the following discussion prompt:

Can We Market a Product We Do Not Like Or Agree With?

This week’s verse is the often referred to as the Golden Rule and we are going to apply it to marketing.

We are doing research this week on our potential strategies but much of the research in marketing is about product design and features. There are companies that specialize in market research, and that is their expertise- research on what a company should offer.

But does the product or service that we are researching and then ultimately marketing matter when we are doing the research and writing a marketing plan?

Some people in marketing say that you have to believe in a product to be successful at marketing it. Is that true? What if you just personally don’t care for that product while others in the target market do? For example, you may not personally like minivans but they are very popular. What if you do not agree with a product? For example, some people are opposed to vaping because it was originally targeted at teens and it would likely be found to be just as dangerous as smoking and about 7 years later, vaping is now being heavily regulated.

Consider our Bible verse and the VBM and briefly discuss:

• Is it OK to conduct research for and to help market products or services we may not like or agree with?
• Is it different if you just don’t like the product or service compared to disagreeing with the product or service based on moral, ethical or religious grounds?