Social Marketing

Social marketing is receiving unprecedented focus and support from government, the private sector and charities internationally. Social marketing attempts to educate people in the hope that they will make informed(i.e. healthy) choices regarding diet, lifestyle and health-related issues. The effective application of social marketing principles can be complex and controversial. Social marketing planning cannot be reduced to a simple set of actions on a checklist; there is no single strategy for success, and strategies that have proved successful with one population may not transfer to other populations. This text explores the complexities involved in researching, planning and implementing effective social marketing programmes, using illustrative cases from both successful and unsuccessful real-world programmes.

The authors provide a critical analysis of the origins of social marketing as a concept and of the claims made by its supporters and detractors in order to highlight what social marketing can and cannot achieve.  This is followed by a review of strategic issues that must be considered in developing social marketing programmes, including persuasion resistance, message relevance and message framing. 

Key themes included in the text are the impact of cultural factors on health-related behaviours, ethical issues and attitudes as a key factor underlying health-related behaviours. The authors introduce concepts, theories and strategies that will aid the development, testing and implementation of social marketing interventions.

Key features

• Mini case studies provide real-world applications of the theories and concepts under discussion.
• Summaries at the end of each chapter reinforce key terms, concepts and theories.
• Discussion questions provided at the end of each chapter can be used for class discussions and both formative and summative assessment activities.
• An online glossary is provided as a quick reference tool.
• An instructors manual and PowerPoint slides are provided for lecturers and there are multiple choice questions and weblinks for students. 

The book is suitable for both undergraduate and postgraduate students of business and marketing and those studying modules in social marketing.

About the authors

Professor Lynne Eagle is Professor of Marketing at James Cook University, Australia.

Dr Stephan Dahl is Senior Lecturer in Marketing at Hull University Business School.

Susie Hill is Global Adviser on health behaviour change and health promotion for Shell Plc.

Sara Bird is Senior Lecturer in Marketing at University of the West of England.

Dr Fiona Spotswood is Lecturer in Marketing at the University of the West of England.

Professor Alan Tapp is Professor in Marketing at the Un...