Can you help provide your reflections on both of the following scenarios that are relevant to practicing ethics in Marketing?

1. Scenario 1: You just graduated from UNF and now work for the Vice-President of Marketing at DiamonX Vaping company, who is trying to push sales for the company's vaping products by implementing a sales promotion where it sends a set of coasters featuring its e-cigarette brand along with recipes for mixed drinks to college students across the country, via a social media direct mail promotion, on their 21st birthdays. The brands featured on top of the coasters include Patron Silver, Southern Comfort, and Absolut. The reverse side of each coaster reads, "Go 'til Daybreak, and Make Sure You're Sittin". The campaign, called "Drinks on Us" promotes consumption strong alcohol content products.

1a. What are some of the ethical issue here with regard to the promotional activity of sending out these coasters to college students?

1b. As a new professional in marketing at this company, you are relatively close to the age group of students for whom this promotion is targeted. Do you have a concern for the college students across the student who receive these coasters? Please explain your answer.

1c. What action do you take internally in the company? Explain

2. Scenario 2. You recently graduated from UNF and get a job in the same company, DiamondX, but you are working as an Assistant Product Manager. Of particular interest & concern recently in society and in the news is the increase in the use of vaping by college students and high school teenagers. While vaping was initially promoted as being a safe substitute to smoking, more recent information indicates that vaping is associated with several deaths and serious illnesses from lung disease. Your company's own internal scientific research indicates that use of the vaping device products have caused injury to lungs but it is unknown as to whether this damage is reversible. The CDC recently has provided the following information:

• There are 530* cases of lung injury reported from 38 states and 1 U.S. territory. Seven deaths have been confirmed in 6 states.
• CDC has received complete sex and age data on 373 of 530 cases.
  • Nearly three fourths (72%) of cases are male
  • Two thirds (67%) of cases are 18 to 34 years old
  • 16% of cases are under 18 years and 17% are 35 years or older
• All reported cases have a history of e-cigarette product use or vaping.
• Based on initial data from certain states we know: Most patients have reported a history of using e-cigarette products containing THC. Many patients have reported using both THC and nicotine. Some have reported the use of e-cigarette products containing only nicotine.

While the CDC has some initial data on the health detriments to vaping, these products are yet to be banned.

2a. Given the information your employer has from its own internal research along with initial data collected from the CDC, what do you feel your role is to address this issue internally within the Product Management area of the company? Explain why.

2b. Who would you approach and what might your recommendation be in terms of new product development for the company?

2c. Discuss whether you feel comfortable working in a company who has yet to diversify into other product lines outside of vaping devices.

2d. What is your plan of action going forward?