A presentation on THE SOCIAL MARKETING OF RURAL SANITATION By Mr. DAVID AMISSAH NUNOO, Hygiene and Sanitation Education Snr Program Officer (CRS) September, 2007

PRESENTATION OUTLINE The meaning of social marketing Social Marketing Processes Scope of sanitation marketing and promotion Issues to consider in sanitation marketing Social marketing an indispensable input

What is Social marketing? The Design, implementation and control of programs calculated to influence the acceptability of social ideas and involving considerations of product planning, pricing, communication, distribution and marketing research. Thus it is the explicit use of marketing skills to help translate present social action efforts into more effectively designed and communicated programs that elicit desired audience response. (Kotler and Zaltman) In other words, marketing techniques are the bridging mechanisms between the simple possession of knowledge and the socially useful implementation of what knowledge allows

What is Social marketing Cont’d social marketing as the use of commercial marketing techniques to promote the adoption of a behavior that will improve health or well-being of the target audience or of society as a whole. (Wienreich, 1999) What is Social marketing OF Sanitation? It is the use of commercial marketing concepts and tools to influence the voluntary adoption of adequate sanitation by households. (Trend Group) Note: Sanitation here refers to the disposal of human excreta

The Social Marketing Approach to sanitation promotion This approach differs from other approaches. In some key areas: It seeks to respond to consumer demands : Demand based approaches focus on what people want, but are limited by what they know. This implies a need for a two-stage process Establish demand: assessments(formative research) need to be made to see whether households want improved sanitation; where people do not show through their actions that they want sanitation it will be necessary to stimulate demand through promotion campaigns Inform demand: demand may not be realistic once it has been established. Potential users may have an incomplete understanding of options open to them, the likely costs and benefits. Unrealistic expectations about who pays for the desired service will also need to be addressed

The Social Marketing Approach to sanitation promotion 2. It focuses on sanitation promotion and marketing. The common elements of sanitation promotion initiatives include the following Identifying key target groups to be reached Identifying core messages to be communicated Awareness of the prevailing socio-cultural framework, to understand what motivates people to invest Consideration of sanitation as a consumer good, not just as a potential health benefit Using a mix of communication methods, with simple language and clear messages. 3. Promotion/marketing strategies are based on motivation for improved sanitation rather than on subsidies for latrines acquisition. 4. It involves working closely with stakeholders to minimize barriers to acquisition of sanitation facilities.

The Social Marketing Processes Social marketing involves five major steps 1. Planning Formative research (motivators and barriers) Analysis Audience segmentation Strategy development  2. Message and materials development Identifying appropriate channels Developing effective messages Producing creative executions  

The Social Marketing Processes Cont’d 3. Pre-testing Conducting the pre-test Using the pre-test results  4. Implementation Developing an implementation plan Planning and buying media Generating publicity Monitoring implementation  

The Social Marketing Processes Cont’d 5. Evaluation and Feedback Evaluation design Evaluation methods Using feedback to improve the programme

The scope of sanitation marketing and promotion Marketing and promotion involve a wider scope of activities Understanding motivations and barriers Providing the right products Setting appropriate prices and payment options Arranging local sources of financing Identifying places where customers can get information Mobilization of a wide range of stakeholders (communities, DAs, artisans, rural finance institutions, CBOs, etc)

What do we need to market sanitation? Social marketing uses marketing approaches to match available resources with social needs. The basic characteristics are defined by the four P's. Product: decide what is the product and how it can be presented in terms of ‘packaging’ and characteristics. Price: what is the consumer willing to pay both in terms of direct and indirect costs. Place: where will the product be available; are there display or demonstration facilities.

What do we need to market sanitation cont’d Promotion: how will the consumers know that the product exists, what it costs, what its benefits are and where they can get it from.

So is social marketing an indispensable input? World vision is yet to provide a definitive answer However, experiences from other developing countries such as Mozambique and Bangladesh indicate that it is a more effective strategy for tackling the challenges of sanitation. Subsidies may be required for the poorest populations in rural areas.

End of presentation THANK-YOU