Societal marketing and social marketing
Societal Marketing and Social Marketing
Societal marketing should not be confused with social marketing.
The societal marketing concept was a forerunner of sustainable marketing in
integrating issues of social responsibility into commercial marketing strategies.
In contrast to that, social marketing uses commercial marketing theories, tools
and techniques to social issues. Social marketing applies a “customer
orientated” approach and uses the concepts and tools used by commercial
marketers in pursuit of social goals like Anti-Smoking-Campaigns or fund
raising for NGOs.
Differences:
The objective of social marketing may not necessarily be profit
oriented, but a preemptive network against unnecessary and preventable
morbidity, which affects the individual and society adversely. It is not
uncommon to see social marketing efforts been central government and donor
funded. Societal marketing aims at long term profitability.
Societal marketing may simply refer to the practice where a
company attempts to be socially responsive and responsible in the provision of
good and services that best suit the needs of its clientele. A poorly
constructed building that collapses on the inhabitants, a fake drug that has
little or no active ingredient etc are not capable of being credited with
societal marketing credentials.
The elements of social marketing
People may mistakenly assume social marketing by viewing it as
using commercial techniques to ameliorating social problems. This is far away
from what social marketing really is because of over-simplification. Social
marketing must involve the elements of:
Influencing customers’ behaviours (customer orientation)
Social marketer put focus on customers as campaign requires their
active participation to get success
The social change being the primary purpose of the campaign
Event there is any organized efforts promote good social values,
once their primary purpose is not promote social goods, they are not recognized
as social marketing activities.
Being an exchange
Social marketing emphasizes voluntary behaviour which facilitates
the process of exchange (communications and distribution are carried out).
Long-term planning approach
The duration of the social marketing should be in long-term
continuing basis. It is more of the strategic planning level rather than
tactical level.
Moving beyond the individual consumer.
Social marketing targets from individual customers to group or
organisation. It is believed that the influence will spread through the
society.
Explanation
As we mentioned above Societal Marketing can be defined as a
“Marketing with a social dimension or marketing that includes non-economic
criteria”. Societal Marketing “concerns for society’s long term
interests” .It is about “the direct benefits for the
organization and secondary benefit for the community” . It makes a difference
between the immediate consumer’s satisfaction and the long term consumer
benefits.
Social Marketing is a discipline that began in 1971, with Kotler
and Zaltman. It is defined as an “adaptation of commercial marketing
technologies to programs designed to influence the voluntary behavior of target
audiences to improve their personal welfare and that of the society of which
they are a part”. Social Marketing uses more traditional commercial techniques
and strategies, focusing on selling, to achieve goals for the greater social
good. Its campaigns can either encourage merit goods, as for example fund
raising for Not-for-profit organizations or dissuade the use of demerit goods
promoting society’s well being, as Non-smoking campaigns or promote the use of
seat belts. Another characteristic of Social marketing is, that is planned to
influence individuals’ behavior to improve their well-being. It includes “more
than just advertising in print media, radio or television”, it includes
sponsorship or online marketing and is usually planned or implemented by
governmental and nongovernmental organizations. A clear example that
differentiates Societal from Social Marketing is a marketing campaign on
non-smoking. A focusing smoking cessation advertisement is an example of social
marketing, but if the marketing strategies and techniques used in that campaign
focus on increasing the well-being of society, that same campaign can be an
example of societal marketing.
Another Example: Societal Marketing and CSR
As different from Societal Marketing, CSR has existed for many
years. Another difference is that CSR “focuses more in a corporate level and
stakeholders”, while Societal Marketing, is more concerned about the consumer
and their long term benefits. CSR social and environmental concerns are
integrated into all business operations. Comparing CSR to Social Marketing, the
first one is mainly run by companies, while Social Marketing mainly by
Government or Non profits organizations. One example of CSR among companies is
what Haagen-Dazs is doing with their “microsite” to raise awareness to the
general public about the preservation of the honeybee.
Information Source:
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