Marketing is at a cross roads and I believe social media will force a major crash of competing values. The crossroad is a dilemma presented by a society based, for the most part, on consumption, a global economy accessible to all, and the wonderful raw rules of capitalism. This mash up has caused a society to feel wanting for genuine substance, generations to reflect on their contribution to the greater good, and a crisis of conscience. This has manifested in a number of ways including increasing calls for volunteerism, greater individual philanthropic giving, and a negative public opinion of the country’s direction.

This crossroads is probably best described by the late George Carlin on consumerism

Marketers are a major part of the issue, why? For generations, marketers have devised ways to generate demand, create locked-in recurring revenue customers, and increase profits. Hey, this is not a knock on marketers, it is just the way the system works.

Oh yes I’m sure someone from the American Marketing Association or Harvard Business will chime in with “no, marketers are focused on delivering customer value and being the voice of the customer to the company. And a company that doesn’t treat its customers well will cease being a profitable company; or words to that effect.

The truth is a little bit of both I suspect. However, the mood of the country, still the most powerful economy on the planet, long held as a model for economic freedom and capitalism, is disillusionment with our economic model. Compassionate capitalism is a concept that has been around for a while now, and chipping away at some of the root causes of our dilemma.

What role does social media play in this intersection and how can it prevent a pile up?

1) Opens dialogue that strips away the corporate façade
2) Creates a way for individuals and companies to acknowledge faults without unwarranted penalty
3) Potentially facilitates a place for communities to develop around shared objectives that benefit the whole allowing consumers to mold a company’s contribution to society

To a guy who always made people think, usually while they were laughing, God or Joe Pesci, bless you.

Here are some other resources on the topic of Compassionate Capitalism

Comment on Compassionate Capitalism

A compassionate capitalism classroom curriculum

Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff wrote a book on this issue

Do you believe marketers can have an impact on corporate compassion or are the objectives of marketing at odds with a compassionate corporation?

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