Since I work for a social marketing company and am involved daily with a
large social marketing campaign about breastfeeding in the United States, I
decided try to explain social marketing to you all.

The accepted definition of social marketing is as follows:

"Social marketing is the application of commercial marketing technologies to
the analysis, planning, execution and evaluation of programs designed to
influence the voluntary behavior of target audiences in order to improve
their personal welfare and that of their society." (Alan R. Andreasen, 1995)

Social marketing is never used to "sell" an actual product such as formula,
tennis shoes or cars. The product is always a behavior.  Literature review
and actual one-on-one research about this behavior is done with the target
audience.  This target audience is very carefully defined and the "product"
is carefully pre-tested with this audience to be sure that it is reaching
that audience with the information it needs to make this behavior change.
This information is carefully placed in selected venues where the target
audience is used to finding information.  Most social marketing projects use
many kinds of outreach materials so that they reach as much of the target
audience as possible.

I work as the project coordinator for the "Loving Support" campaign and can
use this as an example.  The "deliverables" are in many forms.  They include
standard educational materials such as pamphlets, posters, and billboards.
There are also TV ads and promotional items such as T-shirts, mugs, tote
bags.  These items help to educate the public (and boost the morale of the
staff) as one of the findings in the research was that the public is not
supportive of mother's breastfeeding efforts.  There are also professional
educational materials because the research told us that staff, both WIC and
other professionals, did not feel secure in their knowledge of breastfeeding
issues.  They didn't feel confident to suggest and support breastfeeding
because of their own lack of knowledge.  As you can see the "products" are
suggested by the research which is done with the actual audience.

Many companies launch what is termed a social marketing campaign when these
campaigns do not fulfill the definition of social marketing.  There is a
misunderstanding and misuse of the term social marketing in the US.  Many
people believe that any advertisement involving a social issue is therefore
social marketing.  This is not a true use of the principles of social
marketing.

If you are interested in learning more about this subject please email me
privately.  I can put you in contact with the University of South Florida's
Social Marketing Conference staff.

Linda J. Inglis, BS, IBCLC
Breastfeeding Coordinator
Best Start Social Marketing
Tampa, FL
1-800-277-4975

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