Health Education Research, Vol. 19, No. 2, 208-210,
April 1, 2004
© 2004 Oxford University Press
Book Review |
Social Marketing: Principles and Practice
R. Donovan and N. Henley
IP Communications, Melbourne, 2003
415 pp. ISBN 0-9578617-5-3 (pb)
Executive Editor
This book provides a comprehensive review of the key principles of social marketing, and critically appraises their application to health education and health promotion. The authors seek to move beyond the (original) definition of social marketing as ‘...an application of marketing principles and tools to the achievement of socially desirable ends’ and, consequently, they adopt a broader approach which has particular relevance to health promotion. For example, in addition to emphasizing the distinction between social and commercial marketing, the book also elaborates on the nature of the particular socially desirable goals that should be espoused by health promotion—asserting that these should be firmly rooted in the ideology of the United Nations Charter on Human Rights. In short, the authors not only reject a narrow victim-blaming approach that has often characterized social marketing, but also consider that a major concern of social marketing must be to ‘...to bring about changes in the social and structural factors that impinge on an individual’s opportunities, capacities, and right to have a healthy and fulfilling life’. For example, social marketing should target ‘...individuals and groups in legislative bodies, government departments, corporations, and non-profit organisations, who have the power to make policy, regulatory and legislative changes that protect and enhance people’s health, wellbeing, and quality of life’.
As would be expected, the book explores and examines key aspects of social marketing theory and practice. It provides clear definitions and principles; it elucidates differences between social marketing and commercial marketing, and, importantly, argues that social marketing must accept the importance of environmental factors in determining health. Accordingly, it asserts that the social marketer must not only acknowledge the role of the physical, social, cultural and economic factors, but should actively seek to transform negative circumstances, e.g. by helping to create social capital and act as an advocate for structural change.
Unlike most other texts on marketing, the authors move into the broader arena of education, sociology and health psychology. They discuss the nature and basis of successful communication, health education and persuasion. They describe various theories and models of attitude and attitude-change: they not only describe the venerable Health Belief Model, but range far and wide in their discussion of such constructs as Communication of Innovations Theory, Self-Efficacy, Stages of Change, etc. This could be said to be a rather high-risk strategy since there is a danger of merely presenting a kind of rag-bag of superficial and disconnected factoids. It has to be said, though, that this pitfall is largely avoided.
One of the 15 chapters in the book provides a very useful review of research and evaluation. This not only addresses constructs and practices directly related to marketing and mass media—such as concept testing, pre-testing and ‘outcome research’—it also seeks to provide background reading relating to more general public health research concepts and strategies. For instance, some 6 pages are even devoted to specific statistical notions such as odds ratios and logistic regression. Again, there is potentially a problem of superficiality (e.g. an attempt to deal with logistic regression, etc., in 6 pages might well irritate some statisticians!). However, it is my belief that those who are unfamiliar with or insecure in using such skills would find those 6 pages very useful!
The authors do, however, avoid a detailed discussion of the hegemony of the randomized controlled trial (a matter of some importance in health promotion) and content themselves with a passing reference to randomization, which is contrasted unfavourably with what they term ‘indigenous community research’ and which clearly emphasizes the significance of community participation, and formative research.
The book contains a perceptive and useful chapter on ethical issues which are central to both marketing in general and social marketing in particular. Subsequent chapters also examine a number of key marketing concepts and processes (classically identified by Solomon as 10 key principles of marketing). More particularly, a chapter is devoted to the recommendation to ‘Know your Enemy’. This is followed by a chapter that asks readers to take full account of ‘The Competition’. As is the case with the book as a whole, it provides many detailed examples and applications to health promotion and public health. For instance, it provides a detailed review of a number of programmes that are relevant to interventions having traditional preventive goals; on the other hand, it also gives examples of initiatives derived from broader ‘socio-political’ concerns. The following examples are provided:
• body image and eating disorders;
• tobacco;
• alcohol;
• prejudice—such as negative stereotyping of ethnic groups;
• and the fact that ‘Toys R not always harmless fun’.
Various measures and strategies to ‘counter the competition’ are described.
Two further chapters comprise an extensive discussion of two of marketing’s major concerns, i.e. Market Segmentation and the Marketing Mix (Product, Place, Price and Promotion). A third focuses on the essential and specific contribution of media. It incorporates both a discussion of effectiveness (i.e. what can we expect from mass media?), and an analysis of varieties of media work, developments such as ‘edutainment’, civic journalism, electronic ‘communities’, multi-media work and interactive systems, and sponsorship.
I was particularly pleased to see that media advocacy was also included in this chapter since it embodies what is, arguably, the major contribution that mass media can make to ‘critical’/radical health promotion by ‘targeting sociopolitical change.’ A further complete chapter—devoted to the question of sponsorship—also emphasizes the importance of using a marketing approach to achieve social and ‘structural change’.
One of the major strengths of this book is the way in which it manages to integrate marketing with health education and health promotion—and succeeds in doing so without undue strain. For instance, a chapter is devoted to Planning and Developing Social Marketing Campaigns. This is, of course, unsurprising as marketing has traditionally used systematic planning devices in order to develop effective and efficient interventions (indeed it did so at a time when health promotion was just beginning to acknowledge the importance of using systems approaches to planning). What is interesting, however, is the way in which the authors have cemented the links between social marketing and health promotion by electing to use the archetypal planning approach developed by Larry Green and described as the PRECEDE–PROCEED model.
Another key feature of the book is the way in which practical examples are used to illuminate theory—an observation that is illustrated by its two final chapters. Together these chapters provide detailed accounts of social marketing applications to:
• Community-wide immunization programmes (‘The Immunise Australia Program’)
• ‘TravelSmart’—a programme designed to improve the environment by restricting traffic flow and to improve individual health by fostering exercise
• Western Australia’s ‘Freedom from Fear’ campaign (‘targeting male perpetrators of intimate partner violence’)
In short—and unlike other current texts on social marketing—this publication has particular relevance to those involved with health promotion. Apart from the explicit and clearly described examples, it coheres securely with the current ideology of health education and health promotion. As mentioned above, it might perhaps be criticized by specialists, e.g. health psychologists, for its attempts to address issues such as learning theory and models of attitude change. However, in general, the value for non-specialist readers, in my view, outweighs occasional lapses into superficiality.
Finally, the book is well written and well referenced. Its use of boxes, and its wealth of illustrations and diagrams is exemplary, and its general style makes it enjoyable to read. Apart from its appeal to all those involved in media-related studies, it has particular relevance for students enrolled on graduate and postgraduate studies in health promotion, public health. I will certainly recommend it strongly to the students whom I teach.
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