Final answer:
The ethical question in marketing concerns whether value is being created for consumers or if they are merely being distracted by advertising strategies. It includes critiques of product differentiation and advertising costs in a market-oriented economy, against the backdrop of the pervasive influence of corporate branding and a historical culture of consumption.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question addresses the ethical dilemma within marketing ethics: whether companies are creating value or simply distracting consumers with their advertising strategies. It touches on the concerns highlighted in Naomi Klein's No Logo, which focuses on the impacts of corporate branding and conglomerates' power over consumer choices. Synergistic advertising, as exemplified by consistent messaging across multiple platforms, like Miller beer ads, influences consumer behavior significantly.
Furthermore, the question dives into the economic debate on whether a market-oriented economy benefits consumers with product variety. Critics argue that excess variety and the costs of differentiating and marketing those products are socially wasteful. Conversely, defenders claim the market responds to consumer demands and that differentiation offers real benefits. Consideration of marketing impacts in monopolistic competition and the creation of desires through marketing, as seen in the post-WWI 1920s, when a culture of consumption was actively fostered, adds depth to this ethical question.
The controversy between the added value versus the distraction of consumers through product advertising represents a complex and ongoing dialogue amidst an ever-evolving attention economy.