E-Marketing communications of trophy hunting providers in Namibia: evidence of ethics and fairness in an apparently unethical and unfair industry?

This paper investigates how the e-marketing communication of trophy hunting operators in Namibia may affect and reinforce the overall tainted image of this controversial industry. The online marketing efforts of 100 Namibian safari providers were examined. Two main results were discerned: (1) the majority of communication does not take into account the negative image of the industry, choosing instead to focus primarily on the hedonic values of the customer (i.e. hunters) and (2) evidence was found of concern for ethics, sustainability and fairness, but often these messages were implicit rather than explicit. Suggestions for improvement in e-marketing are provided.