Social marketing: a critical appraisal

Abstract

The term social marketing was first coined in 1971 creating controversy in marketing and among health professionals. This article asks three questions of each of the social marketing tenets proposed in 1991 by A. Hastings and G. Haywood: Do the tenets offer something new or just repackaged jargon? Are they more effective than current health promotion practices? Are they ethical? Hastings and Haywood stated that the tenets of social marketing are a consumer orientation an integrated approach and the pursuit of profitability. With regard to offering something new in marketing a consumer orientation is needed to obtain competitive advantages; however in health promotion a needs assessment is conducted to make programs more effective. The integrated approach has the components of: promotion. product price and place. The most innovative component of social marketing is the pursuit of profitability which harbors potentially adverse consequences. The effectiveness of social marketing hinges on commercial versus social marketing. In health promotion priorities are set by epidemiological incidence and prevalence of disease therefore anti-disease promotion proceeds irrespective of the clients desires. The market feature of exchange of goods and services for money is manifested in profitability but nonprofit agencies can also engage in marketing activities. The highly altruistic quality of improving public health stands in direct contrast to the pursuit of self-interest characteristic of the market. Another issue is commercial versus health communication to improve public health. The prerequisites to health include peace shelter education food income a stable ecosystem and social justice. The ethics of social marketing concern the type of motivation for program development and the relationship of the promoters with the public. A 1986 review of scholarly works on advertising states that it reinforces materialism cynicism selfishness anxiety social competitiveness powerlessness and loss of self-respect. The problems of the social marketers relationship with the public relate to the mutual antagonism between the parties (caveat emptor) based on the cost-benefit equation.