The Role of Social Marketing

Marisol Barrientos

Definition of Social Marketing…

“Social Marketing is the design, implantation, and control of programs calculated to influence the acceptability of social ideas involving considerations of product planning, pricing, communication, distribution and marketing research.” Kotler and Zaltman, 1971

What is Social Marketing?

An approach used to develop activities aimed at changing or maintaining people’s behavior for the benefit of individuals and society as a whole.

What is Social Marketing?

Uses traditional marketing principles and techniques:Focuses on the consumer (audience-centered)Marketing researchSegmentationDefined objectives/goalsExchange theoryMarketing mix: product, price, place, & promotionEvaluation

Social Marketing…

Is About:Adoption of ideas or behaviorsFor social good Population of individual level

behavior change The adoption of commercial

marketing techniques Voluntary behavior change

Is NOT About:Social Networking/Media Advocacy Not-for-profit marketing Cause-related marketing Advertising and communicationHealth promotion/education

Steps in Social Marketing Plan…

Define the problemSelect and analyze target audienceSet objectives and goalsMarketing mix: product, price, place, & promotionEvaluation planImplementation plan

Applying Marketing Principles

Product

Behavior, service, product being exchanged with the target audience for a price and benefit

Behavior, service, product must compete successfully against the benefit of the current behavior

PriceCost to the target audience of

changing behaviorCan be financial, or more often

related to other “costs”• effort• lifestyle• time • psychological cost

Place

Channels through which products or programs are available (access)

Move programs or products to places that the audience frequents, in order to ease access

PromotionCommunicating to the audience

about product/program, price, and place variables• advertising• media relations• events• personal selling• entertainment• direct mail

PoliticsStimulate policy/rules that

influence voluntary behavior change• systems and environmental

change factors

Not policies that punish “bad” behaviors

Additional 4 P’s in Social Marketing:Publics: Refers to both the external and internal groups involved in the

program. External publics include the target audience, secondary audiences, policymakers, and gatekeepers, while the internal publics are those who are involved in some way with either approval or implementation of the program.

Partnerships: Team up with other organizations in the community to really be effective.

Policy: Campaigns could do well in stimulating individual behavior change, but for sustainability, environmental change is necessary.

Purse Strings: Organizations that operate through funds provided by sources such as foundations, governmental grants or donations.

Elements of Successful Campaigns (Kotler, 2002)Use what has been done beforeStart with target group most ready for actionPromote a service to support the behaviorMake access easyDevelop attention-getting, motivational messagesMake it easy & convenient for actionAllocate resources for effective reach & researchTrack results & adjust

4 P’s Implications:

New or improved offering to make it more attractive and easyWays of making it less costly or time consumingWays to reduce barriers and improve accessMessages, channels, and messengers

Thank you!