Ethics

The BuyBlvd digital media strategy project is designed to redefine how local retailers engage with digital marketing, leveraging affiliate partnerships, multi-touch attribution, and data-driven consumer insights. This premise questions how digital engagement can translate into real-world store visits, ensuring that independent retailers benefit from modern marketing tactics that are traditionally used by e-commerce giants. However, implementing this strategy requires careful ethical considerations, particularly regarding data privacy, consumer autonomy, and equitable distribution of marketing power (Martin & Murphy, 2017).

In shaping digital media strategy, consumer privacy and consent remain a central focus. The project must ensure that data collection and attribution modeling are conducted transparently, providing clear opt-in mechanisms and maintaining compliance with regulations like GDPR and CCPA. Instead of relying on intrusive tracking methods, this model prioritizes aggregated, anonymized data to assess marketing effectiveness while still respecting consumer rights. “Privacy is not only a regulatory requirement; it is a dimension of trust and an enabler of long-term customer relationships” (Martin et al., 2020, p. 43). The project also aims to create a fair system for retailers and affiliates. Traditional digital marketing models favor large companies with extensive analytics resources and high advertising budgets, leaving small businesses at a disadvantage. This strategy incorporates accessible digital tools that allow independent retailers to track consumer engagement, evaluate marketing impact, and optimize promotional efforts without the need for advanced technical expertise. At the same time, affiliate marketers will benefit from a fair compensation model, where commissions reflect multi-channel consumer journeys rather than relying on simplistic last-click attribution (Li & Kannan, 2014).

The project revolves around shifting digital marketing strategy from a click-based model to an engagement-driven one. Traditionally, affiliate and digital marketing strategies have been structured around direct e-commerce conversions, with little attention to how digital engagement drives in-store purchases. This project challenges this norm by incorporating multi-touch attribution and online-to-offline tracking, helping retailers understand the true impact of digital interactions on brick-and-mortar sales. As Anderl et al. (2016) note, “marketers must go beyond simplistic attribution models and consider the entire customer journey to optimize decision making” (p. 458).

This shift presents both opportunities and ethical challenges for all stakeholders:

Consumers:

The project introduces new ways to measure user engagement, but it must avoid overstepping privacy boundaries. Consumers should retain control over their data, with clear consent processes and the ability to opt out of data-sharing if desired (Nill & Aalberts, 2014).

Retailers:

While this strategy offers data-driven insights to small businesses, it must be designed in a way that does not create excessive reliance on digital platforms. Retailers should maintain autonomy over marketing decisions rather than feeling pressured to adopt new models without sufficient understanding.

Affiliate Marketers:

The new multi-touch attribution framework disrupts traditional commission structures, meaning affiliates may need to adjust their expectations regarding how they earn revenue. Transparent education and communication will be essential to ensuring fair participation.

In addition to marketing innovations, this project aligns with principles of ethical leadership and intercultural communication. Many traditional digital marketing models prioritize high-visibility influencers and large-scale campaigns, often excluding small businesses and community-driven marketing efforts. This project disrupts that model by offering accessible participation for local retailers, micro-influencers, and community marketers, ensuring broader representation and inclusion in the digital economy.

Key next steps include:

Pilot testing the attribution model with retailers and affiliate marketers to assess effectiveness.
Refining privacy safeguards to ensure full compliance with legal and ethical standards.
Developing educational materials to help all stakeholders understand the benefits and implementation process.
Continuously improving the strategy to align with evolving consumer expectations and regulatory landscapes.