Social Marketing Chapter 13 Donna Wall PADM 7040 Jerry Merwin

Defining Social Marketing Social marketing seeks to influence social behaviors to benefit the target audience and the general society. The goal is not to market a product or service but to influence a social behavior. Sponsors wish to make the world a better place. Chapter 13, p. 329

Domain of Social Marketing The boundaries of social marketing are broad. They included any planned effort to influence human behavior. Anyone can carry out social marketing. Which lends itself to the fact that it’s applications are broad as well. Social marketing is a means of social manipulation and control. Social marketing works best when the behavior change is one in which people do not have “large vested interests.” Ch. 13 p. 331

Types of Social Behavior Change Programs The goal of social marketing is to produce an optimal plan for bringing about a desired social change. There are three major dimensions that determine the difficulty of successfully changing social behavior: 1. low involvement or high involvement 2. one-time or continuing 3. by individuals or groups (p. 330) It is more difficult to change behaviors that are: 1. High involvement 2. Group Decisions 3. Continuing

Taxonomy of Social Behavior Table 13-1 page 331 Low InvolvementHigh Involvement One-Time Behavior IndividualDonating money to a charity Registering to vote Signing up for Medicaid Donating Blood GroupVoting for a change in a state constitution Voting out restrictive membership rules in a club Continuing Behavior IndividualNot smoking in elevatorsStopping Smoking or drug intake Practicing family planning GroupDriving 55mph Driving on the right side of the road Supporting the concept of an all-volunteer army

One-Time Behavior Changes “One-time behavior changes require that the target market comprehend something and take a specific action based on this comprehension” Action Involves a cost to the actors

Continuing Behavior Changes Permanently changing behavior is more difficult than making one shot action changes. People must unlearn old habits, learn new ones and continue the new behavior

Basic Concepts  Exchange Is Accorded a Central Role: Choices or “exchanging” one behavior for another  There Is a Willingness to Change the Offer: The offer is not an objective reality but what the customer thinks it is  There Is a Focus on coordinated Programs: Effective marketing therefore requires a coordinated attack on all the major benefits and costs  Market Research Is Given a Central Role: Research must be carried out at the very start of the strategy development process and then throughout as implementation takes place.  There is a Predilection for Segmentation: Recognition that traditional demographic approaches are seldom adequate

Basic Concepts  There Is a Bottom-Line Orientation: Constant attention to the efficiency and effectiveness of everything done.  There Is a Commitment to Planning: Systematically think through major steps to be undertaken  There Is a Willingness to Take “Reasoned Risks”: With this there are two consequences. First, marketers realize that some of their actions will fail. Secondly, marketers must be experimental as their environment is in many ways unknowable or unpredictable.