Social marketing? You meant social media right? .....Right?

Sooner than the word ‘marketing’ can be uttered from my mouth when I tell others about my chosen career path, it is all too commonly met with contemptuous reactions along the lines of, “Oh yeah, so selling people stuff they don’t want, right?”

Indeed, thanks to the nature of capitalism and the unethical manner in which some of the world’s most lucrative brands make their money (think about what McDonald’s and Coca-Cola are actually selling), such stigmas are unavoidable - and perhaps warranted.

Perhaps this is why the sub-industry of social marketing (no, not social media) is so refreshing. Rather than persuading people to forsake their own best interests in the pursuit of profit, social marketing, as the term implies, does the precise opposite. It borrows and re-applies the principles of commercial marketing for the noble purpose of improving the voluntary health behaviours of society [1]. In the case of obesity, the desired behavioural change outcome would be to improve a population’s diet and/or increase their level of physical activity.

To expound further, take the cornerstone of commercial marketing theory, the 4 P’s. Yes, it does apply to social marketing... but with a twist:

• Product refers to the end benefit of adopting the desired behavioural change. In the case of getting fitter and losing weight, the product would comprise ‘features’ such as more energy, decreased risk of disease and higher self-esteem [1].

• Price still refers to the cost paid by the consumer in order to achieve the promised benefit. Only the cost is far more intangible than money. It could comprise such aspects as diminished pleasure, psychological stress or loss of time [1].

• Promotion still refers to the communication strategies used to convey the product’s attributes and prompt adoption of the product. In social marketing, promotion strategies can go beyond the traditional avenues such as advertising and also include such things as policy changes, skill building and community-based activities [1].

• Place (a.k.a. distribution) still refers to where and when the consumer will perform the desired behaviour and receive the associated services. In this case, the ‘place’ could be a fitness class or healthy cooking session. [1]

If I’ve done my job correctly, by now you should have a sound understanding of (and respect for) social marketing and how it works. In my next entry, we begin to look at some of the specific challenges social marketers face when dealing with dietary behaviour.

References:

1. Sonya, G. and A.B. Carol, SOCIAL MARKETING IN PUBLIC HEALTH. Annual Review of Public Health, 2005. 26: p. 319.