8. Conclusion
In this article we discussed modes of duplicity in stealth marketing by deconstructing the film The Joneses. The extant literature focuses on one of six possible modes, namely the duplicity between the marketer and the consumer. We introduced examples of duplicity where the marketer keeps secrets from their own unit and other marketers, as well as the customer keeping secrets from marketers, other customers, and themselves. More importantly, we proposed that using ironic duplicity might minimize ethical concerns related to stealth marketing. Disguising promotional messages as word of mouth is currently the dominant practice; however, more and more examples using irony as a disguise are emerging in advertising (Pehlivan, Berthon, & Pitt, 2011). Although stealth marketing is perhaps as old as marketing itself, a discussion of the phenomenon as a marketing tool is of the recent decade. We believe that this marketing practice, mostly used during buzz marketing campaigns, warrants more attention from the research community, as well as more managerial attention. Not only is it necessary to discussthe ethics–—the majorfocusin the literature– —but it is also crucial to understand the process as a marketing operation and as a consumer experience. This article is a step in this direction.
