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Social Marketing
Social marketing is the systematic application of marketing alongside other concepts and techniques to achieve specific behavioural goals for a social good
Social marketing began as a formal discipline in 1971, with the publication of "Social Marketing: An Approach to Planned Social Change" in the Journal of Marketing by marketing experts Philip Kotler and Gerald Zaltman.
Speaking of what they termed "social change campaigns,"
Although 'social marketing‘ is sometimes seen only as using standard commercial marketing practices to achieve non-commercial goals, this is not the case, and an over-simplification.
The primary aim of 'social marketing' is 'social good', while in 'commercial marketing' the aim is 'financial'.
Social marketing seeks to influence social behaviour, not to benefit the marketer but to benefit the general public/target audience.
Social marketing has been used in international health programmes especially in areas like heart diseases, organ donations, prevention of alcohol and drug abuse
Social marketing uses commercial marketing theories, tools and techniques to social issues
It applies a “customer orientated” approach and uses the concepts and tools used by commercial marketers in pursuit of social goals.
Components/Marketing Mix for Social Marketing:
Social marketing makes use of commercial marketing theories, tools & techniques to social issues. It applies a customer-oriented approach.
The planning process takes ‘consumer focus’ into account by addressing the elements of the marketing mix. This refers to decisions about:
The conception of a Product
Price
Place or the distribution mix
Promotion
These are called the 4 Ps. In Social marketing, there are a few additional Ps namely,
Policy
Partnership
Politics
Purse-strings
Publics
Product: The social marketing ‘Product’ is not necessarily a physical offering. A continuum of products exists, that range from the tangible/ physical products (e.g. condoms) to services (medical examinations), practices (e.g. breast –feeding, ORT, eating a nutritious/healthy diet) and finally more intangible ideas (e.g. environmental protection).
In order to have a product that is viable, it is essential that people must
first perceive that they have a genuine or serious problem and that the
product offering is a good/correct solution for Social marketing aims at
providing mental guidelines for future behaviour. The role of research
here is to discover the consumer’s perception of the problem and the
product & to determine how important they deem fit to take the
necessary action against the problem.
• Price: This refers to what the consumer must do in order to obtain the social marketing product. The cost maybe monetary, or may require the consumer to give up intangibles, such as time, or effort, or to risk embarrassment & disapproval. If the cost outweigh the benefits for an individual, the perceived value of the offering will be low is unlikely to be accepted. However, if the benefits are perceived as greater than their costs, then the chances of trial and adoption of the product is much greater. E.g. a smoker who is being persuaded to give it up must be convinced that he is giving up smoking for his own well-being. Must be able to appeal to an existing set of values already in society.
In setting the price, particularly for a physical product, such as contraceptives, many issues must be considered. If the product is priced too low, or provided free of charge, the consumer may perceive it as low quality. And, if the price is too high, some will not be able to afford it. It is important to balance these considerations.
Place: Place describes the way that the product will reach the consumer/target audience. For a tangible product, ‘place’ refers to the distribution system- warehouse, trucks, sales-force, retail-outlets or places where it is given out free. For an intangible product, place refers to decisions about channels through which consumers are reached with information or training. This may include doctor’s clinics, hospitals, shopping malls, mass-media vehicles, schools, clubs, institutions etc. Another element in ‘place’ is deciding how to employ the accessibility of the offering & quality of service delivery.
Promotion: this consists of the integrated use of advertising, Public Relations, Personal selling, Media advertising and entertainment vehicles. The focus is on creating and sustaining demand for the product. Public Service Announcements (PSAs) or paid ads are one way but there are other methods such as coupons, editorials, media events, in-store displays, demos etc.
Policy: Social marketing aims at providing mental guidelines for future behavior. It must motivate individual behavior change. It involves the determination of specific policies as a part of the goals to be achieved. The policy should not violate ethical, cultural or religious norms that exist in a given society.
Politics: Since social marketing is associated with the community in general, political and governmental patronage is required to make it a success. It makes marketing easier and effective.
Publics: Social marketers often have many different audiences that their programs have to address in order to be successful. Publics refer to both the external and internal groups involved in the program. External publics include the target audience, the secondary audiences, policy makers & gatekeepers; while the internal publics are those who are involved in some way with either approval or implementation of the program.
Purse Strings: Most organizations that develop social marketing programs operate through funds provided by services such as foundations, governmental grants or donations. It is important to consider from where money will be generated for the execution of the program.
Partnership: This refers to people who will partner with you in your endeavor. They maybe other organizations who will support your cause and partner with you. They could be media partners too who will help in publicizing your cause And sometimes, your purse strings and partnership may come from the same source.
Benefits of Social Marketing
- is needed to promote the desired pattern of behaviour in a society
- to promote health and hygiene among the public ( polio drops etc)
- to promote awareness among the illiterate section
- to promote sustainable development
- to promote ecological consciousness
- to promote social emancipation like women empowerment, ban on female
infanticide, dowry, sati,
Question Bank ( 2008 – 2013)
1. Plan a Social Marketing Campaign for a women’s self help group manufacturing home need food products in India to be promoted through the internet.(2008)
2. Devise a social marketing campaign to support stationery and gift articles created by the physically handicapped with a special focus on internet as a promotional tool. (2008)
3. Design an Internet campaign for an NGO seeking support to maintain AIDS infected orphaned children.(2009)
4. Plan a Social Marketing Campaign for a women’s self help group manufacturing home need food products in India to be promoted through the internet. (2009)
5. Create a Social Marketing Campaign to make people aware about the safety measures against anti- social activities during the festival season(2010)
6. What is Social Marketing? Create a Social marketing campaign on :
a) Reducing noise pollution b) Save electricity (2011)
7. What is a social marketing campaign ? Provide the marketing mix for an “antiragging campaign” across the educational campuses of our country. (2011)
8. How does a social marketing campaging differ from general marketing campaign ? State the marketing mix to promote “ Save the seniors awareness campaign among the citizen.(2011)
9. What is Social marketing ? How would you go about preparing a campaign for “ Noise pollution (2012)
10. You are required to make a social marketing campaign on any one of the following :
Organ donation
Eradication of literacy
Women empowerment campaign for safety
Social marketing is the systematic application of marketing alongside other concepts and techniques to achieve specific behavioural goals for a social good
Social marketing began as a formal discipline in 1971, with the publication of "Social Marketing: An Approach to Planned Social Change" in the Journal of Marketing by marketing experts Philip Kotler and Gerald Zaltman.
Speaking of what they termed "social change campaigns,"
Although 'social marketing‘ is sometimes seen only as using standard commercial marketing practices to achieve non-commercial goals, this is not the case, and an over-simplification.
The primary aim of 'social marketing' is 'social good', while in 'commercial marketing' the aim is 'financial'.
Social marketing seeks to influence social behaviour, not to benefit the marketer but to benefit the general public/target audience.
Social marketing has been used in international health programmes especially in areas like heart diseases, organ donations, prevention of alcohol and drug abuse
Social marketing uses commercial marketing theories, tools and techniques to social issues
It applies a “customer orientated” approach and uses the concepts and tools used by commercial marketers in pursuit of social goals.
Components/Marketing Mix for Social Marketing:
Social marketing makes use of commercial marketing theories, tools & techniques to social issues. It applies a customer-oriented approach.
The planning process takes ‘consumer focus’ into account by addressing the elements of the marketing mix. This refers to decisions about:
The conception of a Product
Price
Place or the distribution mix
Promotion
These are called the 4 Ps. In Social marketing, there are a few additional Ps namely,
Policy
Partnership
Politics
Purse-strings
Publics
Product: The social marketing ‘Product’ is not necessarily a physical offering. A continuum of products exists, that range from the tangible/ physical products (e.g. condoms) to services (medical examinations), practices (e.g. breast –feeding, ORT, eating a nutritious/healthy diet) and finally more intangible ideas (e.g. environmental protection).
In order to have a product that is viable, it is essential that people must
first perceive that they have a genuine or serious problem and that the
product offering is a good/correct solution for Social marketing aims at
providing mental guidelines for future behaviour. The role of research
here is to discover the consumer’s perception of the problem and the
product & to determine how important they deem fit to take the
necessary action against the problem.
• Price: This refers to what the consumer must do in order to obtain the social marketing product. The cost maybe monetary, or may require the consumer to give up intangibles, such as time, or effort, or to risk embarrassment & disapproval. If the cost outweigh the benefits for an individual, the perceived value of the offering will be low is unlikely to be accepted. However, if the benefits are perceived as greater than their costs, then the chances of trial and adoption of the product is much greater. E.g. a smoker who is being persuaded to give it up must be convinced that he is giving up smoking for his own well-being. Must be able to appeal to an existing set of values already in society.
In setting the price, particularly for a physical product, such as contraceptives, many issues must be considered. If the product is priced too low, or provided free of charge, the consumer may perceive it as low quality. And, if the price is too high, some will not be able to afford it. It is important to balance these considerations.
Place: Place describes the way that the product will reach the consumer/target audience. For a tangible product, ‘place’ refers to the distribution system- warehouse, trucks, sales-force, retail-outlets or places where it is given out free. For an intangible product, place refers to decisions about channels through which consumers are reached with information or training. This may include doctor’s clinics, hospitals, shopping malls, mass-media vehicles, schools, clubs, institutions etc. Another element in ‘place’ is deciding how to employ the accessibility of the offering & quality of service delivery.
Promotion: this consists of the integrated use of advertising, Public Relations, Personal selling, Media advertising and entertainment vehicles. The focus is on creating and sustaining demand for the product. Public Service Announcements (PSAs) or paid ads are one way but there are other methods such as coupons, editorials, media events, in-store displays, demos etc.
Policy: Social marketing aims at providing mental guidelines for future behavior. It must motivate individual behavior change. It involves the determination of specific policies as a part of the goals to be achieved. The policy should not violate ethical, cultural or religious norms that exist in a given society.
Politics: Since social marketing is associated with the community in general, political and governmental patronage is required to make it a success. It makes marketing easier and effective.
Publics: Social marketers often have many different audiences that their programs have to address in order to be successful. Publics refer to both the external and internal groups involved in the program. External publics include the target audience, the secondary audiences, policy makers & gatekeepers; while the internal publics are those who are involved in some way with either approval or implementation of the program.
Purse Strings: Most organizations that develop social marketing programs operate through funds provided by services such as foundations, governmental grants or donations. It is important to consider from where money will be generated for the execution of the program.
Partnership: This refers to people who will partner with you in your endeavor. They maybe other organizations who will support your cause and partner with you. They could be media partners too who will help in publicizing your cause And sometimes, your purse strings and partnership may come from the same source.
Benefits of Social Marketing
- is needed to promote the desired pattern of behaviour in a society
- to promote health and hygiene among the public ( polio drops etc)
- to promote awareness among the illiterate section
- to promote sustainable development
- to promote ecological consciousness
- to promote social emancipation like women empowerment, ban on female
infanticide, dowry, sati,
Question Bank ( 2008 – 2013)
1. Plan a Social Marketing Campaign for a women’s self help group manufacturing home need food products in India to be promoted through the internet.(2008)
2. Devise a social marketing campaign to support stationery and gift articles created by the physically handicapped with a special focus on internet as a promotional tool. (2008)
3. Design an Internet campaign for an NGO seeking support to maintain AIDS infected orphaned children.(2009)
4. Plan a Social Marketing Campaign for a women’s self help group manufacturing home need food products in India to be promoted through the internet. (2009)
5. Create a Social Marketing Campaign to make people aware about the safety measures against anti- social activities during the festival season(2010)
6. What is Social Marketing? Create a Social marketing campaign on :
a) Reducing noise pollution b) Save electricity (2011)
7. What is a social marketing campaign ? Provide the marketing mix for an “antiragging campaign” across the educational campuses of our country. (2011)
8. How does a social marketing campaging differ from general marketing campaign ? State the marketing mix to promote “ Save the seniors awareness campaign among the citizen.(2011)
9. What is Social marketing ? How would you go about preparing a campaign for “ Noise pollution (2012)
10. You are required to make a social marketing campaign on any one of the following :
Organ donation
Eradication of literacy
Women empowerment campaign for safety