Social Marketing
Introduction
The way in which businesses and companies carry out their operations has been transformed by the idea of social marketing. Presence of many websites in the market has facilitated instant feedback whether positive or negative. Those people who receive and influence the goods and services of the business world have been given the power (Honeyman, 2008). This is viewed by Philip Kotler and Sidney Levy during the inception of social marketing in 1969.
According to the video released by The Health Communication Capacity Collaboration, lucky strike secrets are rebranded and smoking as the ultimate symbol of winning deliberation. Campaigns that influence the consumer behavior are to be designed. Social and behavior change communication are the approaches needed today. Some areas have used and realized the success of social marketing, for example, requisition of marketing, and national mass media where individuals have been helped to develop healthy behaviors.
Social marketing has four main principles. They include; the product which may be tangible or intangible, the price which is the consumer’s investment (Pantane, 2016), the actual platform for product’s distribution and finally the product promotion.
There are numerous ways in which social marketing can result in both negative and positive outcomes. This is symbolic on the two sides of a coin, for instance, a supplier of the same product. the Super Bowl ads that were aired on February can be considered. Budweiser promoted their product by showing it to the youths who were young and vibrant and also felt that it was their best time to take the Budweiser. However much the act was beneficial to the company, it was a bad show for the society as well. Most young children will believe that the best way to have fun is by drinking. This normally happens when they watch the game at the popular commercials where they can easily drink. Research shows that in a population of 8.7 million comprising only ages 12-20 years, about 45.5% of them take alcohol. In this group, 23% are males while 22.5% are females. This consumption rate of alcohol is adversely high. Helen Mirren scolds people not to dive after taking alcohol.
There are numerous ways that you can raise health literacy of the community as far as the health is concerned. Helen Mirren gives a few tips on the methods used while she served as a clinical manager for a Special Forces Group right before getting out of the Army. Numerous issues related to musculoskeletal and sexually transmitted infections (STI) were constantly reported. One of the strategies that were done by the clinic was to post any information materials on the walls and tables bearing information on the ways of avoiding musculoskeletal injuries. Free condoms were also given out to patients when they request. It is important to know the base of the customer and their needs. If these needs are provided without necessarily waiting for the patients to ask for them, then a good relationship will be built between you and you’re your consumers. The healthcare field becomes effective when the patients get to know that you are always concerned about their welfare and checking their progress frequently. Therefore, it is important to make regular contacts and make them informed always.
In the healthcare industry, Social marketing has been in place for a couple of years. The establishment of an anti-smoking campaign known as the “truth” which slowly teaches that smoking ruins one’s health and therefore it is not the best thing, surprisingly, the ads they post now with graphic pictures, healthcare social marketing has been convincing individuals as well as their views for many years. To the people who have a feeling that social they are part of a given product Social marketing is a great way to get them.
Reference:
Honeyman, S. W. (2008, March 01). Historical Highlights of Social Marketing 1969 – 2000 [Presentation]. Retrieved from http://shopsproject.org/sites/default/files/resources/5009_file_Historical_Highlightshonemanp3.pdf
Patane, D. (2011, March 10). Social Marketing Theory. Retrieved March 17, 2016, from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/social-marketing-theory.html
Underage Drinking. (2016, January). Retrieved March 17, 2016, from http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/special-populations-co-occurring-disorders/underage-drinking