Social Marketing Is The Systematic Application of

Social marketing
is the systematic application of marketing, along

with other concepts and techniques, to achieve specific behavioral
goals for a social good.[1] Social marketing can be applied to
promote merit goods, or to make a society avoid demerit goods and
thus to promote society's well being as a whole. For example, this
may include asking people not to smoke in public areas, asking
them to use seat belts, or prompting to make them follow speed
limits.
Although "social marketing" is sometimes seen only as using
standard commercial marketing practices to achieve non-
commercial goals, this is an over-simplification.
The primary aim of social marketing is "social good", while in
"commercial marketing" the aim is primarily "financial". This does
not mean that commercial marketers can not contribute to
achievement of social good.
Types of social marketing

Social marketing uses the benefits and of doing social good to
secure and maintain customer engagement. In social marketing the
distinguishing feature is therefore its "primary focus on social good,
and it is not a secondary outcome. Not all public sector and not-for-
profit marketing is social marketing.
Public sector bodies can use standard marketing approaches to
improve the promotion of their relevant services and organizational
aims. This can be very important, but should not be confused with
social marketing where the focus is on achieving specific behavioral
goals with specific audiences in relation to different topics relevant
to social good (e.g.: health, sustainability, recycling, etc.). For
example, a 3-month marketing campaign to encourage people to
get a H1N1 vaccine is more tactical in nature and should not be
considered social marketing. Whereas a campaign that promotes
and reminds people to get regular check-ups and all of their
vaccinations when they're supposed to encourages a long-term
behavior change that benefits society. It can therefore be
considered social marketing.
As the dividing lines are rarely clear it is important not to confuse
social marketing with commercial marketing.
A commercial marketer selling a product may only seek to influence
a buyer to make a product purchase.
Social marketers, dealing with goals such as reducing cigarette
smoking or encouraging condom use, have more difficult goals: to
make potentially difficult and long-term behavioral change in target
populations.
It is sometimes felt that social marketing is restricted to a particular
spectrum of client—the non-profit organization, the health services
group, the government agency.
These often are the clients of social marketing agencies, but the
goal of inducing social change is not restricted to governmental or
non-profit charitable organizations; it may be argued that corporate
public relations efforts such as funding for the arts are an example
of social marketing.
Social marketing should not be confused with the Societal
Marketing Concept which was a forerunner of sustainable
marketing in integrating issues of social responsibility into
commercial marketing strategies. In contrast to that, social
marketing uses commercial marketing theories, tools and
techniques to social issues.
Social marketing applies a "customer oriented" approach and uses
the concepts and tools used by commercial marketers in pursuit of
social goals like Anti-Smoking-Campaigns or fund raising for NGOs.
Product
The social marketing "product" is not necessarily a physical offering.

A continuum of products exists, ranging from tangible, physical
products (e.g., condoms), to services (e.g., medical exams),
practices (e.g., breastfeeding, ORT or eating a heart-healthy diet)
and finally, more intangible ideas (e.g., environmental protection). In
order to have a viable product, people must first perceive that they
have a genuine problem, and that the product offering is a good
solution for that problem. The role of research here is to discover
the consumers' perceptions of the problem and the product, and to
determine how important they feel it is to take action against the
problem.
Price
"Price" refers to what the consumer must do in order to obtain the

social marketing product. This cost may be monetary, or it may
instead require the consumer to give up intangibles, such as time or
effort, or to risk embarrassment and disapproval. If the costs
outweigh the benefits for an individual, the perceived value of the
offering will be low and it will be unlikely to be adopted. However, if
the benefits are perceived as greater than their costs, chances of
trial and adoption of the product is much greater.
In setting the price, particularly for a physical product, such as

contraceptives, there are many issues to consider. If the product is
priced too low, or provided free of charge, the consumer may
perceive it as being low in quality. On the other hand, if the price is
too high, some will not be able to afford it. Social marketers must
balance these considerations, and often end up charging at least a
nominal fee to increase perceptions of quality and to confer a sense
of "dignity" to the transaction. These perceptions of costs and
benefits can be determined through research, and used in
positioning the product.
Place
"Place" describes the way that the product reaches the consumer.
For a tangible product, this refers to the distribution system--
including the warehouse, trucks, sales force, retail outlets where it is
sold, or places where it is given out for free. For an intangible
product, place is less clear-cut, but refers to decisions about the
channels through which consumers are reached with information or
training. This may include doctors' offices, shopping malls, mass
media vehicles or in-home demonstrations. Another element of
place is deciding how to ensure accessibility of the offering and
quality of the service delivery. By determining the activities and
habits of the target audience, as well as their experience and
satisfaction with the existing delivery system, researchers can
pinpoint the most ideal means of distribution for the offering.
Promotion
Finally, the last "P" is promotion. Because of its visibility, this
element is often mistakenly thought of as comprising the whole of
social marketing. However, as can be seen by the previous
discussion, it is only one piece. Promotion consists of the integrated
use of advertising, public relations, promotions, media advocacy,
personal selling and entertainment vehicles. The focus is on
creating and sustaining demand for the product. Public service
announcements or paid ads are one way, but there are other
methods such as coupons, media events, editorials, "Tupperware"-
style parties or in-store displays. Research is crucial to determine
the most effective and efficient vehicles to reach the target audience
and increase demand. The primary research findings themselves
can also be used to gain publicity for the program at media events
and in news stories.
Additional Social Marketing "P's"
Publics--Social marketers often have many different audiences that

their program has to address in order to be successful. "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.
Partnership--Social and health issues are often so complex that

one agency can't make a dent by itself. You need to team up with
other organizations in the community to really be effective. You
need to figure out which organizations have similar goals to yours--
not necessarily the same goals--and identify ways you can work
together.
Policy--Social marketing programs can do well in motivating

individual behavior change, but that is difficult to sustain unless the
environment they're in supports that change for the long run. Often,
policy change is needed, and media advocacy programs can be an
effective complement to a social marketing program.
Purse Strings--Most organizations that develop social marketing

programs operate through funds provided by sources such as
foundations, governmental grants or donations. This adds another
dimension to the strategy development-namely, where will you get
the money to create your program?

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Social marketing

is the systematic application of marketing, along

Types of social marketing

The social marketing "product" is not necessarily a physical offering.

"Price" refers to what the consumer must do in order to obtain the

In setting the price, particularly for a physical product, such as

Additional Social Marketing "P's"

Publics--Social marketers often have many different audiences that

Partnership--Social and health issues are often so complex that

Policy--Social marketing programs can do well in motivating

Purse Strings--Most organizations that develop social marketing

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