During the late 70’s and early 80’s, the stock firm E.F. Hutton produced one of advertising’s great campaigns: “When E.F. Hutton talks, people listen.” This phrase may also be said of Public Relations and Marketing author/keynote speaker Deirdre Breakenridge, as her books are always filled with sage counsel. When she writes, people notice and take note. Breakenridge continues to build on this legacy with her latest book, ‘Answers for Ethical Marketers.’ She reminds those of us in the PR and Marketing professions and in business that: “Ethics and values are not ‘pie in the sky’ ideals. They are lived every day, by everyone who wants to be a part of your company. And, on a personal level, anyone who wants to be a part of your world.” I cannot overstate the importance and timeliness of this book as it addresses the critical need for ethics and values in our professional as well as personal lives. Another great nugget of wisdom: “If you are living the real you, then ethics and values will show up both in a personal sense and as a business priority too.” Amen. This is why my read copy now sits on my desk rather than an office bookshelf.

With ethical issues becoming increasingly complicated in today’s fast-changing and complex business world, how to do things right beyond doing them well is an important challenge that marketing, PR, and communication professionals face. This book by Deirdre Breakenridge, a 30-year veteran in PR, marketing and branding, “Answers for Ethical Marketers” provides a comprehensive guide for marketers and communicators to rely on and check against the advice and ethical standards that lead to best practices. The book uses an easy Q&A format and identified a wide array of possible ethical issues and questions marketers and communication professionals may run into at some point in their professional career, and provides sound advice that can assist with communicators’ decision making and ethical behavior.
The book not only includes deep and thought-provoking insights regarding answers to the many “how”s when tackling with ethical challenges, but is also enriched with numerous real-life examples and cases. Moreover, the book incorporated perspectives/“weigh in”s on various ethical issues from a good number of other renowned marketing and communication experts that further expanded the scope of the book. Overall, this book offers a a great roadmap for today’s communicators and marketers to navigate difficult situations and ethical challenges and is a must-read for professionals and students in our field.