Genius Advice

Social marketing is the systematic application of marketing along with other concepts and techniques to achieve specific behavioural goals for a social good.

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.

Increasingly, social marketing is being described as having 'two parents' - a 'social parent' = social sciences and social policy, and a 'marketing parent' = commercial and public sector marketing approaches.

Beginning in the 1970s, it has in the last decade matured into a much more integrative and inclusive discipline that draws on the full range of social sciences and social policy approaches as well as marketing.

Applications of social marketing

Health promotion campaigns in the late 1980s began applying social marketing in practice. Notable early developments took place in Australia. These included the Victoria Cancer Council developing its anti-tobacco campaign "Quit" (1988), and "SunSmart" (1988), its campaign against skin cancer which had the slogan Slip! Slap! Slop!.

WorkSafe Victoria, a state-run Occupational Health and Safety orginsation in Australia has adopted social marketing as a driver in its attempts to reduce the social and human impact of workplace safety failings.

While still heavily pushing the idea of potential criminal sanctions for safety breaches, the personal impact is high on the agenda. the popular 'Homecomings' advertisement of 2006 was first produced in Victoria and is now used in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.

Dancesafe followed the ideas of social marketing in its communication practices.

On a wider front, by 2007, Government in the United Kingdom announced the development of its first social marketing strategy for all aspects of health.

Two other public health applications include the CDC's CDCynergy training and software application, and SMART (Social Marketing and Assessment Response Tool).

Social marketing theory and practice has been progressed in several countries such as the U.S, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK, and in the latter a number of key Government policy papers have adopted a strategic social marketing approach. eg: 'Choosing Health' public health white paper 2004; 'It's our health! independent national review of social marketing 2006; and 'Health Challenge England' policy paper, all represent steps to achieve both a strategic and operational use of social marketing.