Business Quote by Stanley Bing
““Lying for a good business reason has become so prevalent that they had to invent a new, less censorious word for it. They call it positioning, and people get paid good money to do it, lucky for me.””
About This Quote
Source Article: Advertising Ethics, 1998
Manipulative marketing is rebranded as “positioning,” allowing unethical tactics to be normalized for profit.
In simple terms: Ethics disguised as strategy.
Key Takeaway
Scrutinize language that masks manipulation.
Themes
ethics
marketing
language
Mood
critical
cautious
Type
ethical
analytical
When to use this quote
- advertising campaigns
- product launches
- brand messaging
- public relations
Key Concepts
corporate responsibility
consumer protection
Questions to Reflect On
- When does positioning become deception?
- How can consumers see through euphemisms?
A Different Perspective
Companies may argue positioning is legitimate, blurring lines.
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)