Corporate Social Marketing and Capitalism - a contradiction in terms?

Do you roll your eyes when you see "all-natural" items on grocery store shelves?


Do you question burrito chain Chipotle's commitment to the sustainable farming movement, even if you love Willie Nelson warbling a Coldplay tune (not to mention an overstuffed burrito with steak and black beans, two kinds of salsa, sour cream, cheese and lettuce)?
Does the responsible parent in you applaud McDonald's for offering apple slices along with French fries in its Happy Meals, while the cynic in you thinks the fast-food giant is only doing it to duck a "Super Size Me" helping of negative publicity?


Me too.


So it was with great interest that I settled in last month to moderate a panel discussion on corporate social marketing at Ogilvy's D.C. headquarters on 19th Street NW. One of the pleasures of this job — it really is one of the best, despite what you read — is having the chance to quiz experts on subjects I know little about. And, as a veteran business journalist, I'm trained to be highly skeptical of these kinds of marketing buzzwords.


So my big-picture question was a simple if provocative one: Does corporate social marketing run counter to capitalism itself? 


Are the twin goals of business success and social good actually a contradiction in terms?


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