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MKT30150

Academic Year 2025/2026

Responsible Marketing (MKT30150)

Subject:
Marketing
College:
Business
School:
Business
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Professor Andy Prothero
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

We live in a time where practising marketing sustainably and ethically is vital, but also in a time when such actions are caught up in current geopolitics and the culture wars that have arisen as a result. In these times of uncertainty and polycrisis, it is more incumbent than ever on a business school to equip its graduates with the knowledge to engage in responsible marketing. This module considers the nature of the relationship between marketing and society. Responsible Marketing combines theoretical reflection and practical discussion on critical ethical issues relating to marketing's role and relationship with society. Students will gain a critical understanding of marketers' responsibilities and their impact on society by exploring various prevailing problems and criticisms facing marketing. The module will equip students with theoretical and practical skills that will encourage them to identify these criticisms and the drive and ability to seek solutions to the ethical and sustainable issues they will face as marketers.

The module will build on the core ethical issues debated and discussed in the Business in Society module (Year 1) and develop these to explore the ethical dimensions of marketing, thus also building on the Marketing: Firms, Customers and Society module. Specifically, the module will explore contemporary ethical issues within marketing. Marketing is a crucial business activity, but due to its practices, it also faces considerable criticism. Understanding and appreciating ethical marketing issues is an essential facet of marketing. This Responsible Marketing module discusses some of the key criticisms levelled at marketing and the ethical issues marketers confront in their marketing endeavours, such as developing products, segmenting markets, advertising, and pricing.

We will also consider ethical issues concerning the consumer, such as materialism and unsustainable consumption patterns, advertising to young and vulnerable consumers, promoting harmful products, and the challenges posed by new media outlets and online issues. This module will encourage students to navigate the challenges and pitfalls present in a variety of activities.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completing this module, students should be able to:

• Describe and assess the key trends that impact the contemporary relationship between marketing and society;
• Assess the impact ethical issues have on the development of marketing ideologies, strategies, and practices;
• Explore a range of topical ethical issues and analyse the role of marketing within these;
• Understand how marketing can be utilised to alleviate societal problems;
• Apply different theoretical perspectives to practice and policy;
• Display critical thinking skills in written and oral presentations, and construct an argument based on a wide reading of the academic literature;
• Work in a collaborative team process to produce high-quality work.

Indicative Module Content:

Key Topics:

* Ethics/Business Ethics/Marketing Ethics
* Ethical Reasoning and Marketing Decisions, Marketing Ideology, Strategy, Tactics
* Consumption Ethics
* Marketing in Action: Ethics and the Marketing Mix
* Social Marketing (Behaviour Change)
* Intersectionality and the 'Woke' Agenda in Marketing
* Sustainability Marketing

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Small Group

30
Specified Learning Activities

35
Autonomous Student Learning

30
Total

119

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module is a blended learning course. It combines a mixture of lectures, case-studies, class debates and student interaction.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

MKT20020 Marketing: Firms, Customers and Society or similar introductory marketing module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Individual assignment - details provided in Week 1. Week 12 Graded Yes
60
 Yes
Group Work Assignment: A group project - details provided in week 1, final group allocation in week 2. Week 9 Graded Yes
40
 Yes

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Tues 12:00 - 13:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 2 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Tues 15:00 - 16:50
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