Using Social Marketing Strategies to Reform Social Policy: A Lesson from British History

ABSTRACT

This article presents a general framework for the social marketing process. An example from British history is used to demonstrate an effective model for gaining public and government support for a social marketing initiative. The historical analysis illustrates a key issue: public interpretation of the importance of the social marketing cause is dependent upon its core values and that its values may differ from the group advocating social action. The advocacy group's effectiveness in obtaining support for its cause will hinge upon its ability to strike a resonant chord with the social values of society and its cause.     

Transport Behavior: A Role for Social Marketing

SUMMARY

This article discusses travel behavior widely acknowledged to be a significant source of pollution: the use of private transport commonly referred to as the automobile. While this behavior can be tackled in a number of ways, this article presents an overview of key issues inhibiting a voluntary change in behavior among automobile users. These topics were identified based upon qualitative research data that was gathered from a number of UK households. The research methodology adopted different social marketing collateral in each of the households during the period of research. While weaknesses are identified in the marketing collateral, the research concludes that social marketing in itself cannot persuade people to make significant changes in their travel behavior. There are deeper issues at work for commuters that need to be more fully understood by the transport research community. The value of social marketing instead may lie as an effective channel of communication that can be utilized by designated authorities in delivering important transport messages to commuters and private transport users at large.     

Health Belief Model: Evaluating Marketing Promotion in a Public Vaccination Program

National health objectives are driven to increase participation rates. Individual health decisions are determined by attitudes, behavior, lifestyles, and government policies. This research, therefore, examined not just the development and delivery of a message targeting individual voluntary behavior change, but the intention of changes in social structures that will facilitate individuals reaching their potential; thus the purpose of this article is to shed light on the uptake of the human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization using the health belief model (HBM). Research was conducted with the use of focus groups by drawing on the framework of the HBM. This research approach is conceptual by nature, based on the virtue of marketing promotion and on HBM literature. Though offering the vaccine free to the general public provides additional evidence to certain groups on the intention to act or uptake of the vaccine, awareness levels were found to be poor despite increased efforts by the government trying to promote this vaccine. There was evidence that social capital and trust can produce effective communication message strategies that reinforce social bonds. This article provides an interesting basis for further investigation; however, as implausible as it seems the article also contributes to the concept of perceived benefits and of self-efficacy.     

The Impact of Social Marketing on Social Engineering in Economic Restructuring

SUMMARY

Social Marketing is a rapidly growing marketing sub-discipline based on the premise that bringing successful commercial marketing technologies to bear on problems of individual and social welfare can generate positive outcomes. This paper gives an overview of recent developments in Social Marketing in a global context and discusses the relationship of these developments to those in commercial, not-for-profit or third sector and public sector marketing, and public relations. The paper then relates the global context back to developments in Australasian and Asian nations, with particular reference to social engineering during economic restructuring.     

运用公共市场学提高公共组织的社会效益

所有公共组织都面临提高效益的艰巨挑战 ,尽管市场学在工商领域的运用多年来效果显著 ,但是市场学最重要的意义还在于它在公共组织中的实践活动。公共市场学在公共组织的运用已经在发达国家得到了成功。运用公共市场原理和手段 ,为改善公共组织 ,机构和公共团体的经济效益和管理效益 ,提高公共事业的服务质量 ,促进社会进步有重要意义。     

Defining the Product in Social Marketing: An Analysis of Published Research

Social marketing, a discipline rooted in marketing principles, lacks consensus on the conceptual and operational definition of product. The purpose of this article was to explore how social marketing researchers have conceptualized the product and how this definition has influenced strategy development. A systematic review of 10 years of peer-reviewed literature resulted in 92 intervention-based articles. Nearly all studies focused on health-related behavior change. Few studies used marketing language and the three product level classification. One-third of studies provided a tangible product while communication was the only strategy in over half of the studies. The focus on behavior as the product and using communication as the primary or sole strategy may limit social marketing's effectiveness as the approach resembles other social change strategies. If social marketing research aims to advance its position as a social change strategy, a starting point should be to reexamine the definition of product.     

Health and Sickness: A Buddhist View and Implications for Social Marketing

It is known that while health-care issues are highly important consumer concerns and closely tied to well‐being and quality of life, the perspective on the consumer often becomes clouded amid increasingly complex processes. This paper explores how Buddhist principles can permeate the marketing strategies of health-care organizations to deliver a positive, healing influence and thoughtful and sensitive services with an ethnographic study of a Nichiren Buddhist organization. It offers a vision for health-care marketing in crafting a message for severely ill patients to find meaning in life and live as fully as possible while accepting the presence of the illness.     

Marketing Chewing Gum: A Case Study of a Cypriot Company

The purpose of this article is to examine the issues related to the chewing gum marketing practices employed by a Cypriot company importing gum. Thus, the product, its target market, and competition are examined, a SWOT analysis is performed and the marketing mix is presented. Then the results are compared with the international market.

The case study method was employed to gain an initial understanding of the marketing practices employed by the company concerning the production of chewing gum.

The findings showed that the company offers a gum of superior quality, which in two years' time has captured a great share of a very competitive market. The company is giving special attention to the distribution and the promotion of the product.     

Evaluation of Social Marketing Efforts Designed to Increase Enrollment in the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

ABSTRACT

Expanded eligibility criteria for children in the federally funded Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP) has created unique social marketing challenges because of the need to engage families that historically have not received public support. The purpose of this article is to evaluate statewide outreach strategies to increase CHIP enrollment. Quantitative research identified the outreach strategies used by Ohio counties and determined the counties that demonstrated the greatest increases in child health insurance enrollment. Qualitative research explored consumer and outreach staff perceptions of which marketing strategies led to success. Findings, implications, and application to social marketing theory are discussed.     

Targeting Young Voters in a Political Campaign: Empirical Insights into an Interactive Digital Marketing Campaign in the 2007 Finnish General Election

At general elections across Europe, turnout among young people tends to be significantly lower than among older voters. Therefore, this article examines a digital marketing campaign that was targeted at young voters in the 2007 Finnish general election. More specifically, this article aims to provide insights into the creative development process of a political marketing campaign and the nature of the client-agency relationship in political campaigns. The methodology adopted in this article consisted of in-depth interviews with key informants involved in the campaign planning and implementation. The results provide new empirical insights into the challenges that political campaigner may face when they target political marketing at young voters. In addition, the results suggest that there are differences between commercial and political marketing also in a digital marketing context. Finally, the results support the view that marketing professionals have a strong role in a creative development process of a political marketing campaign. The ideas put forth herein can certainly help advertising professionals to plan political marketing campaigns that engage young people in future elections and therefore aid candidates in their quest to achieve electoral success.     

Marketing Orientation in the Third Sector: The Art of Afro Reggae

Although there is a plethora of literature on marketing orientation in the private sector, within the nonprofit arena, this topic has been largely ignored. This paper analyzes the orientation and experience of Afro Reggae, a successful Brazilian nongovernmental organization that maintains a permanent presence in four drug-dominated slums in Rio de Janeiro. The present research uses the case study method for purposes of collecting and analyzing information. The paper discusses the implications for research in the area of marketing orientation in the third sector as well as the lessons learned regarding the low-income population vis-à-vis their experience with Afro Reggae.     

A Public Sector Marketing Model to Measure the Social and Environmental Values of Public Strategies: An Empirical Study on a Green Public Service

This article develops a public sector marketing model to measure the social and environmental values of public strategies. Applying partial least squares path modeling, the authors empirically test the model by conducting a quantitative survey (N = 603) among users of a green public service in the form of a public bike-sharing system. The findings reveal that users simultaneously perceive public outcomes on the social value and environmental value dimensions. The effect estimated on the perceived social value dimension of the green public service was slightly stronger than the effect on the environmental value dimension. Thus, users primarily perceive self-centered values, before considering values generated for the environment. The findings also show that engaging citizens now in the actual usage of green public services can foster green consumption intentions in the future.     

Marketing,violence and social cohesion: first steps to a conceptual approach to the understanding of the normalising role of marketing

ABSTRACT

This paper answers a call for contributions ‘dedicated to revealing how markets and marketing make violence culturally acceptable and socially normalised’. Such an investigation has to involve some in-depth conceptualisation with respect to the meanings of both marketing and violence. The market is an institution related to other institutions which altogether are – as in all societies – trying to cope with violence. Today our societies are based on both markets and democracy, but those institutions tend to be mutually contradictory. When marketing tends to replace politics and to almost religiously convert citizens into consumers it is social cohesion that is at stake. This paper aims at contributing to a deeper understanding of social/historical trends. As it highlights the importance of ideas (representations and motivations) and their links with changing institutions, it might help researchers and marketers to a broader understanding of their role and towards a more conscious social behaviour.     

A Case Study: How a Retail Jewelry Store Learned to Compete in the E-Commerce Market Place

ABSTRACT

The Case Study describes how a retail jewelry store adapted to a new e-commerce market place. Until the mid-1990s, their marketing strategy included (1) a large dramatic sign visible from surrounding streets, (2) local print and radio advertising, (3) a sales staff that aggressively pushed the perceived value and emotional component of jewelry, and (4) an after-sales follow-up program. Typical customers were in the lower to middle socio-economic segment.

E-commerce created more knowledgeable customers who recognized their buying alternatives. The Store reacted by developing several proprietary web sites, displaying products in the store “as seen on” the home shopping networks or on various web sites, and offering classes on how to become a more knowledgeable jewelry shopper. During the implementation of the e-commerce changes, problems arose in two areas: project management issues (deadlines, staffing, testing) and cultural adaptation issues. Once these issues were effectively addressed, and the e-commerce changes were implemented, sales stabilized and returned to prior levels.

The Case Study explores a well-known strategic principle: all organizations must monitor their changing environment and adapt accordingly, e-commerce is a current example; there will always be others.     

Social marketing and big social change: personal social marketing insights from a complex system obesity prevention intervention

ABSTRACT

To address ‘wicked problems’ such as obesity, family violence or community safety, we need systems change interventions that reach large numbers, are scalable and can be enriched over time.

Follow the development of a social marketing platform as it became a critical component of Healthy Together Victoria; an internationally recognised, and radically different, approach to driving change for better health. Working beyond the delivery of public education campaigns, social marketing became a key pillar of this powerful movement – one that emboldened governments, business and other partners across sectors and communities – to tackle the rising tide of obesity through leadership, big thinking and joint action.     

The Application of Stakeholder Theory to Relationship Marketing Strategy Development in a Non-profit Organization

Non-profit (NP) organizations present complex challenges in managing stakeholder relationships, particularly during times of environmental change. This places a premium on knowing which stakeholders really matter if an effective relationship marketing strategy is to be developed. This article presents the successful application of a model, which combines Mitchell’s theory of stakeholder saliency and Coviello’s framework of contemporary marketing practices in a leading NP organization in the U.K. A cooperative enquiry approach is used to explore stakeholder relationships, dominant marketing practices, and to surface differing perceptions about the organization’s marketing strategy. Resolving these differences sets the scene for developing choices in marketing strategy for the future. Simon Knox is Professor of Brand Marketing at the Cranfield School of Management in the UK and is a consultant to a number of multinational companies including Levi Strauss, DiverseyLever, BT and Exel. Upon graduating, he followed a career in the marketing of international brands with Unilever plc in a number of senior marketing roles in both detergents and foods. Since joining Cranfield, Simon has published over 100 papers and books on strategic marketing and branding and is a regular speaker at international conferences. He is a Director of the Cranfield Centre for Brand Management Development in the School and is currently looking at the impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Brand Management. He is the co-author of two recent books, "Competing on Value", published by FT Pitman Publishing in the UK, Germany, the USA and China, and "Creating a Company for Customers", FT Prentice-Hall, in the UK, Brazil and India. Colin Gruar is currently studying for his Doctorate of Business Administration at the School. His thesis is concerned with developing marketing strategy across stakeholder groups in the Not-for-Profit sector.Formerly Head of Marketing at a major UK medical research charity, Colin has also had senior roles in sales, marketing and operations management in a range of sectors including manufacturing, financial services and energy supply.     

Social Marketing: Using Stages of Change Model to Assess HIV/AIDS Testing Intentions Among University Students in Ghana

This research sought to utilize the stages of change model to assess HIV/AIDS testing intentions among university students in Ghana. A quantitative research method using a questionnaire based on a random sampling method was employed to interview 167 students of the University of Ghana Business School in Accra. The analysis of variance and one-sample t-test statistical methods were employed to establish the relationship between variables. The study found that most university students in Ghana (80.9%) are at precontemplation, contemplation, and preparation stages. This suggests that social marketing intervention programs encouraging university students to know their HIV/AIDS status have not been effective, since most university students in Ghana have not yet taken action to test for HIV/AIDS. The study also found some university students at more than one stage at a time.     

The Transitioning of Marketing Practices from Segment to Customer-Centric Marketing in the African Business Context: Toward a Theoretical Research Framework

ABSTRACT

Although marketing has long been posited to be shifting from segment marketing to customer-centric marketing, there is little theoretical insight into the status of such transformation, especially in emerging African economies. Therefore, this paper develops an integrated theoretical framework for assessing (a) the extent to which firms in African economies use the segment marketing mix (4Ps) versus the customer-centric marketing mix (4As) as well as (b) their antecedents and performance outcomes. Propositions drawn from qualitative data and theoretical tenets in strategic management and in institutional theory are offered to guide systematic empirical research.     

Marketing in Chinese Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs): The State of the Art in a Chinese Socialist Economy

This paper adopts the context-embedded approach to examine the marketing practices of 307 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the People’’s Republic of China by comparing the survey findings with that of Hong Kong and Guangdong SMEs. Chinese SMEs focus on regional markets to avoid direct competition with Hong Kong SMEs in the international markets and also their Guangdong counterparts in the turbulent nationwide market. To market their own brands, Chinese SMEs have to analyze the market and use superior marketing strategies in the competitive markets. Chinese SMEs do not attain the superior competitive positions as that of their Guangdong counterparts, but they use customer satisfaction surveys and claims investigation to help develop excellence in product performance. Also, Chinese SMEs have to provide value-added products and services and also a well-rounded marketing competitive strategy to gain market shares. The traditional state-owned enterprise structure in China facilitates the development of hierarchical organizational structure and joint decision making process. Thus, care should be taken in assuming that marketing tools and techniques are equally applicable across all places, even in similar cultural contexts. Socio-cultural influences and mediating environmental factors should be considered when attempting to understand the marketing practices of Chinese small firms, specifically when China is in transition to a socialist market economy.     

皖江地区公共物品供给的实证研究——以教育、医疗及社会保障支出为例

公共物品供给状况是一个国家或地区经济和社会发展程度的重要指标。公共物品内涵广泛,其供给模式也多种多样。近年来,皖江地区在公共物品供给方面有较大增长,但也存在诸如少数项目支出增长相对缓慢等问题,与周边其他城市相比还存在一定差距。各级政府必须正视这些问题,探索并优化公共物品供给模式。