Social marketing is a strategy that aims to promote positive societal transformation by influencing individuals’ actions or lifestyles. Unlike traditional commercial marketing, which focuses on selling products or services, social marketing prioritizes the “common good.” Here are some key points about social marketing:
Definition and Approach:
- Social marketing utilizes elements from commercial marketing and applies them to social concepts.
- Its primary goal is to achieve positive behavioral changes for the benefit of society.
- Rather than just financial gains, social marketing aims to create positive social impact.
Origins and Evolution:
- Social marketing has been around for some time but gained prominence in recent decades.
- Initially, it used newspapers and billboards, but now it heavily relies on social media.
- It has evolved beyond individual behavior change to address broader socio-cultural and structural issues.
Two Parents of Social Marketing:
- The “social parent” draws from social science and policy approaches.
- The “marketing parent” employs commercial and public sector marketing techniques.
Expanded Focus:
- Social marketing now encompasses a wider range of objectives.
- It promotes not only efficiency and effectiveness but also equity, fairness, and sustainability in social programs.
Social marketing strives for effective, equitable, and sustained social transformation, making it a powerful tool for positive change in our communities
