Business

Consumer behavior has always been the focus of most companies since they need to know what the consumer needs. Some marketing theories have been made but nothing seems to be parallel to the concept of social marketing theory. According to the National Social Marketing Centre (2006), social marketing is the application of social marketing theory along with other methods to mainly achieve a behavioral change for a social good. Generally, social marketing theory is geared towards influencing the public to behave in a manner that would possibly benefit them. For example, it would be a good idea to reduce the number of people who have the smoking habit so that citizens could live healthier and more productive lives. By adhering to the tenets of social marketing theory and using some commercial marketing approach, the public may be persuaded to give up smoking.

Basically,the very origin of social marketing theory can traced to G.D. Wiebe since in 1950s he came up with the concept that perhaps it’s feasible to sell brotherhood and social thinking the way commercial goods like soap are sold. His journal on “Merchandising commodities and citizenship on television” proposed that non-profit campaigns that could eventually solve social problems can be made like commercial campaigns. After twenty years, his concepts were formalized later by well-known marketing guru Philip Kotler and Zaltzman in their work “Social Marketing: An Approach to Planned Social Change” published in 1971. This seminal work by Kotler and Zaltzman can be considered as fundamental since it began social marketing theory.

As a result, some countries adapted the social marketing theory and applied them in public campaigns. It would be good to cite United Kingdom’s effort in launching aggressive commercial campaigns against drunk driving which were designed to be gruesome so the public would be shocked. In the same manner, Australia spearheaded in bringing social marketing theory to practice as the Victoria Cancer Council launched an anti-tobacco campaign in the late 80s according to the VicHealth history. Even developing countries like Philippines applied principles of social marketing theory in convincing the public to not use on New Year’s eve which results to loss of limbs.

Truly, the application of social marketing theory has ushered a new type of campaign that governments can help them in promoting something worthwhile effectively.

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