Social Sustainability
Social Marketing
Definition
Social marketing is the systematic application of commercial marketing concepts and techniques — audience segmentation, exchange theory, the marketing mix, competition analysis — to influence voluntary behaviour for social good rather than profit. Developed by Kotler and Zaltman in the 1970s, it is distinguished from commercial marketing by its objective (behaviour benefiting individuals, communities and the environment) and from mere communication campaigns by its use of the full marketing toolkit.
References
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This reference provides supporting context for how “Social Marketing” is defined and used.
Overview
How it is used
The discipline structures public health campaigns, energy and water demand programmes, recycling promotion, conservation behaviour initiatives (rare species protection, anti-littering) and community-based social marketing programmes.
Why it matters
Sustainability transitions are behaviour transitions; social marketing is the evidence-based craft of making the sustainable choice the easy and attractive one.