The Impact of Socially Responsible Marketing on TV Viewership and

Household Conflicts: A Theoretical Descriptive Study

AHMED M. ASFAHANI

Human Resources Management Department

University of Business and Technology

Jeddah

SAUDI ARABIA

Abstract: Marketing is used by business organizations to promote the beneficial attributes of their product and

services. The increased focus on promoting ethical and socially responsible business practices has contributed

to the emergence of socially responsible marketing. This study explores this concept and how it promotes

good/positive social and cultural norms. The research demonstrates how businesses are forced to practice

socially responsible marketing though its impact on TV viewership and household conflict remains unknown.

A qualitative descriptive study is carried out to examine the effect of socially responsible marketing on TV

viewership and household conflict. Data was collected from a sample of 15 marketing experts using a self-

administered question and analyzed through thematic analysis. The study found no significant link between

socially responsible marketing and TV viewership. Additionally, this research found that socially responsible

marketing reduces household conflict. These findings are supported by the Uses and Gratification Theory,

Functionalist Theory, and Conflict Theory.

Key-Words: socially responsible marketing, TV viewership, household conflict, marketing and advertising.

Received: July 18, 2021. Revised: December 11, 2021. Accepted: January 16, 2022. Published: January 18, 2022.

1 Introduction

Marketing basically focuses on promoting the

beneficial attributes of a product or service based on

societal values and beliefs. When marketing

products/services, marketers ignore their harmful

attributes because such information could damage

public perception and affect the purpose of

advertising. The marketing process is usually geared

toward enabling the society digest new values

developed by the marketer. As a result, marketers

utilize various mediums to communicate the

attributes of their products and services. Television

advertising is one of the most commonly used

marketing channels given its potential to reach a

large target audience. Even though marketing seeks

to influence the society regarding products/services,

it ends up having a widespread impact on the

society. Marketing is an avenue through which

different societal ideals and values are shaped. The

widespread impact of advertising has contributed to

the emergence of the concept of socially responsible

marketing, which helps promote positive societal

values and ideals.

Socially responsible marketing is a concept that

originates from corporate social responsibility,

moral philosophy, institutional economics, and

marketing history (Laczniak & Shultz, 2020). This

concept is based on three essential

elements/components – stakeholder orientation,

corporate citizenship, and social/ecological

sustainability. These elements serve as the

foundation for socially responsible marketing

because they promote a pro-social instead of an

instrumental-financial approach to marketing

practice. Therefore, the concept of socially

responsible marketing seeks to help create a better

society and world. This idea was influenced by the

widespread impact of marketing on the society and

the world. By adopting socially responsible

marketing, businesses would play a critical role in

the development of a better society and world for

all.

Landrum (2017) contends that socially responsible

marketing has become increasingly critical in

today’s business world as millennials force brands

to practice it. Millennials are forcing businesses to

practice socially responsible marketing because they

are more risk-averse and less like to spend their

money unnecessarily. Unlike previous generations,

millennials have a preference to do business with

companies and business organizations that are pro-

social messages, have ethical business standards,

and adopt sustainable manufacturing techniques.

Millennials’ preference for socially responsible

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marketing has changed the advertising practices of

many corporations and brands. Corporations and

brands are increasingly exploring and embracing

measures to practice socially responsible marketing

in attempt to appeal to millennials and demonstrate

corporate social responsibility.

2 Statement of the Problem

While socially responsible marketing is more

preferred in today’s society, its impact on TV

viewership and household conflicts remains

unknown. Media and advertising are generally

agents of social change as they influence societal

perceptions, ideals, and values. Millennials

increasingly prefer socially responsible marketing

since it’s viewed as a tool for promoting positive

societal ideals and values. As business organizations

are increasingly looking for ways to practice

socially responsible marketing, its impact on TV

viewership and household conflicts is unknown. For

businesses, the impact of socially responsible

marketing on TV viewership is critical toward

determining the effectiveness of their

advertisements. For the society, the impact of

socially responsible marketing on household

conflicts is critical to determine its effectiveness in

promoting good ideals and values in society. This

study is an attempt to explore the link between

socially responsible marketing and TV viewership

and household conflict. Such exploration is critical

to help determine the extent to which socially

responsible marketing affects social and cultural

values.

2.1 Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to examine the role

socially responsible marketing plays in TV

viewership and household conflict. In this regard,

this research seeks to establish how socially

responsible marketing affects television viewership

and household conflict. The assessment is based on

the idea that marketing and advertising are agents of

social change as they influence societal ideals and

perceptions. As the demand for socially responsible

marketing increases in the society, businesses and

the general public needs to understand its impact on

TV viewership and household conflict. Therefore,

this research seeks to demonstrate how socially

responsible marketing, TV viewership, and

household conflict are linked or inter-related.

2.2 Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the study are:

1. To explore the concept of socially

responsible marketing in today’s business

world.

2. To examine the impact of socially

responsible marketing on social and cultural

values in TV advertisements.

3. To evaluate the effect of socially

responsible marketing on TV viewership

and household conflict.

2.3 Research Question

To achieve the purpose and objectives of the study,

this research seeks to answer the following research

question:

RQ.1 What is the impact of socially responsible

marketing on TV viewership and household

conflict?

3 Literature Review

Marketing and advertising are agents of social

change as they are used to reflect reality in general

(Malik & Shehzadi, 2017). Marketing is used to

present the lifestyle of a specific class of society,

which may not necessarily reflect the values and

norms of the masses. However, marketing and

advertising consciously and unconsciously affect

moral values and social norms. According to Malik

&s Shehzadi (2017), the social and ethical fabric of

the society is partly influenced by marketing and

advertising.

Sama (2019) suggests that media advertisements

have a significant impact on consumer behavior

since they are the premise with which consumers

develop perceptions regarding various products and

services. Consequently, marketers utilize different

media platforms to engage consumers in a distinct

way and influence their behaviors. Hayko (2010)

postulates that advertising shapes consumer

behavior and influence social norms and ethical

values by manipulating ideas of real-life situations,

stereotyping, and playing with emotions. Through

this, advertising has essentially reduced many

people to the role of irrational consumers. Bellman

et al. (2014) contend that advertising has contributed

to the emergence of social TV, which entails the use

of different communication devices and applications

to connect with others. These researchers contend

that marketing and advertising have both positive

and negative impacts on individuals and the general

society. Senthilkumar & Venkatesh (2017) state that

the impact of the media, particularly media

advertisements, on the everyday lives of people has

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increased to a great extent as information

technology continues to evolve.

3.1 The Concept of Socially Responsible

Marketing

Socially responsible marketing is a concept whose

origin can be traced back to the history of

marketing, moral philosophy, corporate social

responsibility, and institutional economics

(Laczniak & Schultz, 2020). Therefore, socially

responsible marketing is a normative-ethical

standard to advertising that has been influenced by

the demands for corporate social responsibility and

ethical standards in business practices. As a

normative-ethical standard, socially responsible

marketing plays a critical role in the development of

socially responsible business enterprises in today’s

society. Ilic, Radnovic & Zivkovic (2012) content

that socially responsible marketing has emerged as a

new way for businesses to address social

responsibility. This new approach provides a

framework for businesses to meet their own needs

as well as cater to the interests and needs of the

society. Businesses have a responsibility to help in

solving problems or issues in the society, which has

shaped the expectations of the society with regard to

business organizations.

According to Gorokhova (2020), socially

responsible marketing is a marketing philosophy

and approach through which business organizations

consider the best interests of the society both in the

short- and long-term. In this case, business

organizations make positive marketing decisions in

consideration of the needs and interests of the

society. Through this marketing approach,

businesses go beyond communicating to customers

and delivering products/services as they incorporate

sustainable development and corporate social

responsibility in marketing practices. Socially

responsible marketing is commonly practiced by

business organizations that implement corporate

social responsibility principles as a means to show

their positive environmental and social behavior for

ethical consumers. By practicing socially

responsible marketing, businesses demonstrate their

commitment to take responsibility for their actions

and aim to lessen the negative consequences of

these activities (Jones, 2012). In essence, socially

responsible marketing involves integrating social

and ethical considerations into marketing practices

and activities (Wibowo, Rohman & Wijayanti,

2019).

3.2 Television Viewership and the Effect of

TV Advertising

Sirgy et al. (2013) state that television viewership

plays an important role in societal perception

regarding the quality of life. For example, television

viewership has been found to influence materialism

and dissatisfaction with the standard of living.

Television viewership plays a significant role in

influencing people on whether they are happy or

unhappy with their lives. The impact of television

viewership on societal perception regarding the

quality of life is linked to television marketing and

advertising. Television marketing reinforces

material consumption and possession through

images that determine what is good life. According

to Malik & Shehzadi (2017), television advertising

affects social and cultural norms, which shape

societal perceptions regarding the quality of life.

Buijzen & Valkenburg (2003) contend that

television advertising has an impact on materialism

and unhappiness relating to the quality of life. This

effect is attributable to the link between media

consumption and perceptions regarding social

reality (Shrum, 2002). Media consumption shapes

perceptions regarding social reality through images

that portray different aspects of life (Mehraj, Bhat &

Mehraj, 2014). These images in turn affect a

person’s happiness with his/her life depending on

what he/she possesses.

Damratoski et al. (2011) contend that television

viewership has decreased in recent years because of

rapid technological advancements. Technological

advancements have contributed to the increased use

of digital video recorders for television viewership.

The increased use of the Internet for television

viewership has affected viewership statistics and

generated new demands for marketers. Livingstone

(2009) argues that the conventional image of

television viewership involving the family is no

longer common because of the growing preference

for the use of the Internet by younger generations.

The increased use of the Internet and digital video

recorders for television viewership has generated

challenges to current television marketing and

advertising.

Television viewership has been found to have a

major impact on family image/ties through

advertising and marketing (Wiscombe, 2014). The

television family landscape was traditionally

characterized by nuclear family configuration.

However, modern television marketing has played a

major role in shaping family configuration as single-

parent families and a decline in reconstituted

families are portrayed in television programs and

advertisements. Television programs have

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contributed to increased exposure to violence,

offensive language, and inappropriate sexuality

(Canadian Pediatric Society, 2003). These factors

are strongly linked to household conflict that has

become common in today’s society.

4 Research Design, Methodology, and

Approach

Qualitative research methodology is commonly used

for studies that are exploratory, descriptive or

explanatory (Creswell, 2014). This research

methodology is suitable for studies that seek to

answer what, why, and how questions. Since the

issue under investigation is exploratory in nature, a

qualitative descriptive study approach was

employed. A theoretical descriptive study was used

to examine the effect of socially responsible

marketing on TV viewership and household

conflicts. According to Lambert & Lambert (2012),

qualitative descriptive research approaches focus on

identifying the nature of specific events or issues

being studied. Through this, the researcher provides

an accurate description of the research problem or

issue. In this case, this study provides an accurate

description of how socially responsible marketing

affects television viewership and household conflict

based on sociological theories.

4.1 Sample/Data

A sample of 15 study participants was identified

through convenient sampling approach. Using this

sampling approach, the researchers identified a

group of 15 marketing experts from his professional

network. Etikan, Musa & Alkassim (2015) contend

that convenient sampling approach is a technique

through which the researcher identifies a study

sample from people who are easily

available/accessible to him/her. This sampling

approach was utilized because of the time- and

resource-constraints in conducting the research.

Data was collected from these participants using a

self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire

was selected because of the high probability of a

100% response rate and administered online. After

identifying the group of participants, the researcher

explained the purpose of the study and its

objectives. The questionnaire was then administered

online and participants requested to complete it

within two weeks. The researcher achieved a 100%

response rate from these participants.

4.2 Data Analysis

The self-administered questionnaire comprised of

open-ended questions on the research issue. Once

data was obtained from the participants, thematic

analysis was used to identify emerging themes and

patterns in the dataset. These emerging themes and

patterns were then classified into different

categories depending on how they are inter-related.

The different categories of emerging

themes/patterns were used to answer the research

question and achieve the purpose of the study.

5 Findings

One of the categories of emerging themes in the

dataset is the view of socially responsible marketing

as an ethical and socially responsible marketing

philosophy and approach. Study participants opined

that socially responsible marketing seeks to promote

good social and cultural norms that contribute to a

better society and world. They contend that socially

responsible marketing has become critical for

modern businesses because of the increased focus

on promoting ethical business practices. Moreover,

consumers are increasingly preferring to engage

with businesses that model social and ethical

responsibility in their actions, which has forced

companies to explore ways to implement socially

responsible marketing.

Secondly, the dataset demonstrated that there is

a relatively minimal impact of socially responsible

marketing on TV viewership. 87% of the study

participants (13 out of 15) stated that TV viewership

is affected by various factors that are not necessarily

linked to television marketing and advertising. They

contend that the proliferation of technological

devices and applications as well as the growth of

social media have affected TV viewership.

Third, the dataset showed a relatively strong

link between socially responsible marketing and

reduced household conflict. As companies embrace

socially responsible marketing practices, they

promote ideals and values for a better society and

world, which in turn minimize exposure to violence

and reduces household conflict.

5.1 Discussion

The study’s findings suggest that there is no

significant relationship between television

marketing and viewership. As shown in these

findings, socially responsible marketing does not

necessarily affect TV viewership. TV viewership is

influenced by other factors such as the emergence of

social media and increased use of technological

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devices/apps. This finding is supported by the Uses

and Gratifications (U&G) Theory, which suggests

that people select media and content to meet their

needs or wants (Cha, 2016; Papacharissi, n.d.).

Based on this theory, media usage is dependent on

individuals’ perception of how it meets their needs

(Karimi et al., 2014; Mehrad & Tajer, 2016).

Therefore, television viewership is not attributable

to the kind of marketing adopted by companies, but

by its ability to fulfill people’s needs. People

increasingly use social media because it’s associated

with significant gratifications (Hossain, 2019). As a

result, there is no link between socially responsible

marketing and TV viewership.

Secondly, the study shows a significant link

between television marketing and household

conflict. As evident in the dataset, socially

responsible marketing contributes to reduced

household conflict by promoting positive social

ideals and values. This finding is supported by

Functionalist Theory, which is one of the theoretical

perspectives that guide sociological thinking on

societal problems or challenges (Creative

Commons, 2010). This theory postulates that the

establishment of a strong society requires social

stability, which is a by-product of adequate

socialization and social integration (Crossman,

2020). In this regard, socially responsible marketing

promotes social values and ideals that seek to create

social stability resulting in reduced household

conflict. By incorporating societal needs and

interests, socially responsible marketing helps to

reduce household conflict. Conflict Theory

postulates that conflict is a by-product of power

inequalities and imbalances (Creative Commons,

2010; OpenStax CNX, n.d.). Socially responsible

marketing addresses these inequalities by ensuring

businesses cater to society’s needs and interests.

6 Conclusion

In conclusion, mass media plays an important role

in the society as it helps to inform, educate, and

entertain. Businesses are increasingly using mass

media to communicate to the target audience

through advertising and marketing. Television

advertising is one of the most commonly used forms

of marketing by corporations and brands. Socially

responsible marketing has become an important

component of modern television advertising because

of the increased focus on ethical and socially

responsible business practices. As businesses are

increasingly exploring how to implement socially

responsible marketing, its impact on TV viewership

and household conflict remains relatively unknown.

This study explored the issue and found no

significant link between socially responsible

marketing and TV viewership. However, the study

found a strong link between television marketing

and household conflict. In this case, socially

responsible marketing helps to lessen household

conflict by promoting good ideals and values.

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