social marketing

The Center for Disease Control has created an educational module to learn about the basics of Social Marketing.

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/socialmarketing/training/basics/index.htm

The CDC’s Social Marketing Basics online learning module demonstrates the use of commercial marketing campaign strategies to reach a target population.  The goal is to encourage VOLUNTARY behavior that will improve their PERSONAL WELFARE as well as that of SOCIETY as a whole.  Social Marketing needs to be more than simply an advertising campaign.  It needs to involve systematic and strategic planning.  I think this is one of the most important points in the course.  Often when audiences are exposed to advertising on television, they do not realize there is more involved than simply filming a commercial. 

A Social Marking plan needs to present a total package that includes identification of:

Primary target audience (TA) – first clear target population who will benefit

Secondary audience – persons who influence the decisions made by primary audience

Formative research – which helps choose, identify and understand the TA and the best ways to reach them

Behavioral objectives – a CLEAR, SPECIFIC, MEASUREABLE and FEASIBLE goal that describes the behavior you want the TA to take on

Intervention strategy – or market strategy – a guiding plan of action of the social marketing program.  This needs careful thought as it is an all-encompassing step that includes identifying TA segment, the specifics of the behavior change goal, costs, barriers, marketing mix and activities.

Social Marketing is different from other Public Health planning campaigns because the elements are addressed collectively. Because it is so driven by the TA, it is truly a valuable tool for population-based research.  The Public Health Practitioner needs to take the time to understand the perspective of the audience.   The 4 Ps of marketing (product, price, place and promotion) are used at this point and highlight the use of commercial marketing strategies.  In the end, the detailed account of the TA and all associated factors often allow for a smaller budget but certainly for a better, clearer use of resources.  

I think the CDC was a good starting point.  But I wanted to look a little further so found this video..

It inspired me.  And even though I am still working on the end result, I started looking at using several mediums to process my message.  I will continue to work on this as time allows.  But here is a start.....

For full disclosure, I will need to work on the logo - it is the one from my business that I closed.  I need to get American added in there - but I love it and will get that graphic fixed asap.  It is supposed to be a dinner plate, in case you were wondering.