In 2014, the Boards of the International Social Marketing Association, European Social Marketing Association and Australian Association of Social Marketing endorsed the following definition of Social Marketing:
“Social Marketing seeks to develop and integrate marketing concepts with other approaches to influence behaviours that benefit individuals and communities for the greater social good. Social Marketing practice is guided by ethical principles. It seeks to integrate research, best practice, theory, audience and partnership insight, to inform the delivery of competition sensitive and segmented social change programmes that are effective, efficient, equitable and sustainable.”
What Issues Can Benefit from Social Marketing?
Social marketing is used to influence specific behaviors that will improve health, prevent injuries, protect the environment and contribute to communities. Major issues that social marketing can benefit include:
What are Steps in the Planning Process?
Where Did the Concept Originate?
Social marketing has been considered a distinct marketing discipline since the early 1970s, originally distinguished by Philip Kotler in the early 1970s.
Who Does Social Marketing?
"It is rare for professionals to have social marketing titles. More often, these professionals are program managers or are working in community relations or communication positions. Social marketing professionals might consider themselves researchers, academics, students, physicians, economists, environmentalists, or public health professionals. The practice of social marketing principles and techniques are used by various stakeholders on the front lines to influence public behaviors that improve public health, prevent injuries, protect the environment, engender community involvement and enhance financial well being."
Source: Lee, N. & Kotler, P. Social Marketing: Changing Behaviors for Good. SAGE 5th Edition
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