Voluntary choice and dangerous consumption

Social marketing as an ideological and infrastructural device for engagement with “misbehaving”

consumers

Dr Stephen Dann, Australian National University

Parameters

Social Marketing

“adaptation and adoption of

commercial marketing

activities, institutions and

processes as a means to

induce behavioral change in

a targeted audience on a

temporary or permanent

basis to achieve a social

goal”

Dann, S “Redefining Social Marketing: Adapting and adopting contemporary commercial marketing thinking into the social marketing discipline”, Journal of Business Research, doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2009.02.013

Social goalthe objective of the campaign to change or maintain society in accordance with the long term objectives of the campaign’s organizers

Behavior Changeprocess of altering, maintaining or encouraging the cessation of a specific activity undertaken by the targeted audience.

Competitive SM offeralternative product offering that satisfies the same needs an individual in the targeted audience is currently meeting through the consumption or use of less socially desirable products.

Commercial Marketing

"Marketing is the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably“

A few keys tricksPrice, Product, Distribution, PromotionMarket research, consumer behaviour

Advertising != marketing

Advertisingdirect marketingsales promotionpublicitypublic relationspersonal sellingSponsorship

The visible one

Last minute persuasion

The embarrassing one.

Sponsorship

it's a tax on companies who can't do math on ROI

The Diffusion of Innovation

Ultimate aim is: Change in Behaviour

Diffusion of innovation model, Rogers (1995)

Fitting into the social change agenda

One technique, not the technique

Currently in use…

National Prevention AgencyNational Preventative HealthNHMRC (2000) guidelines for implementing

medical evidence in practice

Types of causesGambling reduction, heart disease, crime

reduction, countering radicalization, road safety, sun cancer, breast cancer, cancer self checks, increasing sport activity

Sometimes, it’s without recognition

Sport Panel - Independent Sport Panel Report (Crawford Report)

http://www.sportpanel.org.au/internet/sportpanel/publishing.nsf/Content/crawford-report

How do we* get people to change?

Many models available which explain behaviour change from different perspectives

Different people react differently to the same information and situation

Understanding different perspectives on behavioural change and different elements of the behaviour change process can help divisions customise their programs for different groups

*Marketers and Social marketers

Three macro alternatives

Education Persuasion

Compulsion (legislation)

Knowing

Access

Doing

Time

Believing

Resources

Motive

Opportunity

What do we want?

When do we want it?

(How are we going to get it?)

Carrot or stick:which approach to use?

Education: most valuable when a new threat emerges and when people lack information and knowledge

Legislation/compulsion: used to change environments in which target behaviours occur or as a last resort when all else has failed

Persuasion: useful when people know what to do, but are not convinced that the benefits of changing are greater than the benefits of staying the same

Reducing dangerous consumptions

Prescriptive regulatory approaches result in people swapping one dangerous consumption behaviour with an alternative negative (product substitution)

Contrary to the aim swapping a current behavior for a new positive alternative

If we don’t offer a viable choice, the consumer will come up with their own option

Why we do it our way

You can legislate, educate and pontificate, but in the end what works is when the kids see that they are being manipulated by the tobacco industry, that they are the ones who need to rebel against the deceptions, they need to become the solution and drive the campaign. Then we see ownership, social norms change and teen smoking rates decline.

On Social Marketing and Social Change: Social Marketing and STEM Educationhttp://socialmarketing.blogs.com/r_craiig_lefebvres_social/2008/12/social-marketing-and-stem-education.html

The Consequences of Social Marketing

Fundamental Principle of Exchange

Marketing Models

Marketing methods

Exchange

Conditions of the Exchange

Freedom to leave the exchange

The Right of Rejection

Marketing Models

Innovation Adoption

Stages of Change

Innovation Adoption

Innovators.

5%13%

Earlyadopter

Earlymajority

30% 35-40%

12%

Late Majority Laggard

Stages of Change

Pre-contemplation (awareness)

Contemplation (education and persuasion)

Preparation (facilitating products and services)

Action (service, support and behaviour)

Confirmation (reinforcement, re-engagement, rejection)

They know what to do, so why won’t they do it?

They don’t actually know what to dowe just think/assume they do

They know what to do but not how to do it

They don’t believe the “evidence”

They don’t care – it’s someone else’s problem

They can’t – the barriers to change are too high

They don’t want to change.

They know what to do, so why won’t they do it?

Certainty v risk

A sacrifice now doesn’t guarantee a healthier longer life

A chocolate bar or a beer now has a guaranteed performance standard and outcome

Everyone has a story about the person who did everything right and died young while the person who drank, smoke and ate chips lived to 100

Statistics don’t matter when it’s your lifestyle at risk

Marketing methods

Two overlooked methods

The Product

DangerousConsumption

Idea Practice Object

Belief Attitude Value Act Behaviour

Price

Certain (Now) versus Uncertain…

Small Future Benefit

Small Future Detriment

Massive Future Benefit

Devastating Future Detriment

Financial PriceOpportunity Cost

Social PricePrideTimeEffortSocial StatusCommunity acceptance

Conclusion

Social Marketing v. Dangerous ConsumptionMake no assumptions about the consumer

Ask. Understand. Appreciate. Respect.

Identify the barriers. Reduce themAccept that perceived barriers are realBarriers differ between groups and individuals

Accept rejection as a valid and considered response not simply an outcome of ignorance

Make a better offer.

The Footnote

Risk perception

Making risk work…