The Primary Purpose Of Social Marketing

Page 50 of 199

Social marketing can, however, be approached in various different ways. Social marketing is often seen as a continuum of ways in which marketers can approach the subject, which is illustrated in figure 8.

Figure 8: The social marketing continuum

As outer poles, we have social marketing as a practical tool and as a mindset. In reality, social marketing can be used as illustrated in figure 8. How you as a marketer approach the discipline depends on where you start examining and considering it. On one hand, for some, it is a framework or paradigm of how to handle behavioural challenges. On the other hand, for others, it can be a tool that can be used in situations where social marketing is applicable (French et al., 2010). In this thesis, the researchers use the discipline as a mindset, which can be used as an approach to shed light on social goods. Seeing social marketing as a mindset rather than a practical tool gives the researchers the opportunity to gain a holistic view of Plastic Change’s marketing efforts, instead of as a tool that can be applied in useful situations. However, the concept should be seen as a continuum, which implies that the concept is dynamic.

Page 51 of 199

sustainability etc. in which the latter mentioned is the core focus of this thesis. Thus, the difference between commercial-related marketing and social marketing lies in the focus on social good. Since the researchers have chosen the focus of social marketing as opposed to commercial-related marketing, the analysis focuses on the social goods. The word primary is, however, worth shedding light on. Naturally, social marketing contains aspects other than its focus on social good. Furthermore, it also includes the aspect of commercial marketing in terms of providing financial and shareholder value which cannot be neglected in this thesis (French et al., 2010). Focusing on the primary purpose of social marketing, it should only be applied in situations where it is effective and appropriate (Andreasen, 2002).

Effectiveness

When looking at effectiveness it is rather difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of social marketing interventions since it is difficult to measure the outcome of a social marketing intervention. Causalities of the intervention are difficult to pinpoint directly as the reasons for the outcome can be impacted by individual actions. To make it less difficult, the marketer must ask himself three questions (Andreasen, 2002, p. 8):

1. Was the campaign truly an example of social marketing or was it merely a communications campaign?

2. Was it truly effective in that it reported actual behavioural outcomes?

3. Did it demonstrate that social marketing itself played a significant role that caused the positive result?

Social campaigns contain a wide range of potentially influential interventions that collectively make it difficult to identify specific effects (Andreasen, 2002). It can be argued that social marketing can help increase awareness of social challenges, however, it is difficult to directly measure the specific change of behaviour when using social marketing.

Appropriateness

Appropriateness involves matters of informed judgment and ethics (Andreasen, 2002). If social marketing is successful in a specific context two issues still occur:

Page 52 of 199 1. Is it the best approach in the context?

2. Is it ethical to use social marketing rather than some other approach?

These specific questions should shed light on whether the use of social marketing is appropriate in the context it exists. Social marketing should, as a rule of thumb, only be used when it comes to changing behaviour as opposed to commercial marketing which is applicable in multiple situations.

Social marketing on different levels

Common to all researchers within the field of social marketing, one of the idiosyncratic dimensions of social marketing is that behavioural change occurs both on an individual and societal level (Domegan, 2008). Zaltman & Levy (1975) identified three dimensions in society that are affected by the change sought in social marketing campaigns: The micro level, the group level and the macro level (Domegan, 2008). The characteristics are further explained in table 2 below.

Change Micro level

(individual) Group level

(group/organisation) Macro level (society) Short-term Behaviour change Change in

norms/administrative change Policy change Long-term Lifestyle change Organisational change “Socio-cultural

evolution”

Table 2: Levels of social marketing campaigns (Domegan, 2008)

Like commercial marketing, the first step is the micro level - the individual. However, social marketing strives beyond that. Social marketing also pays attention to the next two levels, the group and macro levels. The group level is rather similar to the micro level as the only difference is in the scale of the change, going from one individual to a group or an organisation.

Furthermore, social marketing adds the third level, the macro level. The macro level affects the two levels below and vice versa (Domegan, 2008). However, the third level becomes even more complex than the two first levels. The interconnection between individuals and groups are dynamic capabilities also affecting the macro level and that is why the macro level cannot change policies without considering the other levels. Hastings & Saren (2003, p. 135) see this three-levelled change process as the social marketing’s biggest contribution to the field of change by bridging the “gap between the corporate sector and public welfare” (Domegan, 2008

Page 53 of 199

p. 137). The relationships are simultaneously active across all three levels; this creates synergy between the multiple possibilities of change in behaviour (Domegan, 2008). Bagozzi refers to this co-creation of value as a complex marketing exchange (ibid.). Therefore, social marketing is seen as a co-creation of complex social and economic benefits and value for consumers (ibid.).

The different levels of social marketing campaigns are highly relevant in order to figure out where the change of behaviour should be addressed. In the case of this thesis, we focus on social marketing campaigns on the micro level since the product of the partnership with Naturli’

focuses on individuals. The researchers, therefore, use the dimensions to get an understanding of how Plastic Change should approach the different levels properly.