What is Social Marketing? Social marketing is “the application of proven concepts and techniques drawn from the commercial sector to promote changes in diverse socially important behaviors. This marketing approach has an immense potential to affect major social problems if we can only learn how to harness its power

How to maximize audience exposure to messages? Three Major Channels How to maximize audience exposure to messages? 3 Channels Paid Earned Owned Leverage Buy it Borrow it Build it 2/16

Social Marketing Strategies Audience Segmentation Targeting Tailoring Marketing Strategy Mission Branding Marketing mixes Create a social mobility 3/16

Social Marketing Wheel 4/16

Evidence of Effectiveness Bottom line: Small effect sizes for social marketing, but potentially large population impacts Better ways of life, both preventive and corrective Better health and quality of life Decrease in health problems Better knowledge of healthy living 5/16

Evidence of Effectiveness (2) Favorable changes in health risk behaviors Reduction of health risk behaviors should be attributed to “Non-coercive” campaigns Changes in health risk behaviors are easier to promote than those that happened in the past Healthy living styles and values should show greater effect sizes and long-term maintenance. 6/16

Social Marketing in Health Care Some efforts to change consumer behavior, primarily through risk communication Campaigns should manifest the consequences if health risk behaviors Integrated marketing communications must be efficiently and effectively implemented 7/16

Many Opportunities for Social Marketing in Health Care… Synthesize knowledge Generate knowledge Translate knowledge Purposes: Elderly Pregnant women Young children People with disabilities People with health risks Target Populations: 8/16

Social Marketing Opportunities All of these purposes and populations are currently targets of social marketing efforts by many hospitals Significant opportunities to apply social marketing Goal is to identify social marketing strategies that can be translated to health care settings Which ones seem most readily actionable? 9/16

What Strategies & Tactics Work in Social Marketing? Countermarketing Argument credibility and likeability Theory-based change models Social modeling & behavioral alternatives Risk communication (with certain populations) 10/16

What Does NOT Work in Social Marketing Negative messaging can be ineffective with specific audiences High cost tradeoffs (loss of immediate, desirable lifestyle options in return for long-term health gains) Ambiguous messages (do this, except when…) Evidence-based messages need to have clear associated behaviors Low exposure 11/16

Global Social Marketing Challenges Increase in health issues competing for public attention (tobacco, obesity, drug abuse, HIV/AIDS) Busy lifestyles, people’s time limitations, technology Cluttered media environment for health information Increase in the number and type of communication channels, including the Internet Consumers & practitioners: Demands on time, multiple education/information sources, changing practice guidelines, fads in health promotion 12/16

Potential Lessons for Health Care Social marketing messages for health care should be delivered to consumers by trusted sources that enhance credibility Consumers are more likely to change behavioral precursors and health care behaviors if messages are credible, likeable, and have source credibility. Health care providers have a unique opportunity to serve as trusted sources for some target audiences 13/16

Potential Lessons for Health Care Health care consumer behavior can be changed through underlying behavior change principles Health care choices can be portrayed as socially desirable while also providing accurate, science-based facts and information Science-based information can be made appealing 14/16

Some Principles of Effective Communication Personalize risk data -- use stories, narratives, and anecdotes Use graphics and other pictorial materials to clarify messages Be sensitive to local norms, such as culture, speech, and dress Use a variety of approaches such as written, oral, and electronic Use clear, non-technical “plain” language appropriate to the target audience 15/16

Conclusion: Implications of Social Marketing for Health Care Practice Social marketing can be useful in health care practice Evidence on social marketing suggests underlying principles can influence health care consumer decision making through multiple strategies Health care setting provides a unique opportunity to reinforce messages aimed to consumers through brief counseling As a trusted source, practitioners’ reinforcement of social marketing messages adds value beyond the effects of mass communication 16/16