Marketing and Advertisement The Halal Standard.

Marketing is the process by which products and services are transferred. In this respect promotional tools are employed in order to introduce, activate, and motivate present and potential customers. Promotion is recognized as one of the basic elements of marketing which plays a key role in creating consumer awareness of the quality of various products and services available in the Market. Promotional tools of marketing such as personal selling, advertising sales promotion, public relations and others play a key role in creating consumer awareness about the qualities of various products and services available on the market and can go a long way to contribute to economic progress and social development. The tools can be tailored to achieve healthy competition in the market, freedom for consumers to select product which suit functional and social needs, improvement in the quality of the products and above all enhancement of Islamic moral conduct. If the promotional means and their objectives are not contrary to the principles of Islam, one may proceed with them. Over zealous marketing, anxiety to maximize profits through the promotional activities is not acceptable under Islamic marketing system. Promotional tools play a significant role in our society because they somehow reflect the value of the society. The promotional measures, applied in Islamic societies should project Islamic values and in accordance with the Shari'ah framework. Therefore special attention should be paid to designing promotions that would help projecting Islamic values, building customer's character and propagating truth in societies. Since the ultimate aim of all promotional activities is to enhance trading activities like advertising, public relations, sales promotion and contests are Islamic if they follow Islamic principles. Promotional activities leading to healthy competition among firms are acceptable and should be encouraged; however unhealthy cut throat competition for the purpose of accumulating more and more wealth is condemned. Through promotional means people are lured to buy different models and brands of consumer goods, mostly for showing off and boasting. Muslim marketers have to be conscious of their position and role in managing marketing activities and should try their level best to uphold the Shari'ah framework of Islamic marketing and advertising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]