Social marketing’s consumer myopia

Abstract

Purpose-Addressing calls for broadening social marketing thinking beyond 'individualistic' parameters, this paper describes a behavioural ecological systems (BEM) approach to enhance understanding of social markets. Design/methodology/approach-A conceptual framework-the Behavioural Ecological Model (BEM)-is presented and discussed within a context of alcohol social change. Findings-The BEM emphasises the relational nature of behaviour change where individuals are embedded in an ecological system that involves performances of behaviour, and social change, within a historical, social, cultural, physical and environmental setting. Layers of influence on actors are characterised as macro (distant, large in scale), exo (external, remote from individuals), meso (between the individual and environments) and micro (the individual within their social setting). The BEM can be applied to guide social marketers towards creating solutions that focus on collaboration amongst market actors, and with rather than for consumers. Practical implications-The BEM contributes to a broader holistic view of social ecologies and behaviour change; emphasises the need for social marketers to embrace systems thinking; and recognises that relationships between actors at multiple layers in social change markets are interactive, collaborative and embedded in dynamic social contexts. Importantly, a behavioural ecological systems approach enables social marketers to develop coherent, integrated and multi-dimensional social change programs. Originality/value-The underlying premise of the BEM brings forward relational logic as the foundation for future social marketing theory and practice. Taking this approach to social market change focuses strategy on the intangible aspects of social offerings, inclusive of the interactions and processes of value creation (and/or destruction) within a social marketing system to facilitate collaboration and interactions across a network of actors so as to overcome barriers and identify solutions to social problems.

Impact of Dining Hall Structural Changes on Food Choices: A Pre-Post Observational Study

“…Research and practice that address poor dietary choices is dominated by interventions that focus on the individual whose behaviour needs to change (for example, see [37,38]). Calls for social marketing to extend research and practice beyond individually-focussed efforts towards environmental influences have long been evident [4,36], yet a consumer myopia continues to dominate [26]. The wider health field has articulated the need to change environments to better support healthy behaviour [23,39,40].…”

“…This emphasises the need to offer people choices that they value, that also deliver outcomes sought by organisations and by extension, society as another stakeholder in the process. Important criticisms (such as preaching to consumers) have been leveraged at policy, public health and other behaviour change approaches that are involuntary [26,27]. A shift in behavioural change efforts away from individuals, to the factors that food services can control, ensures that one group (e.g., consumers) are not unfairly stigmatised and blamed for inappropriate food choices.…”

Tendencias en Mercadeo Social (Ms)

“…Este Modelo Ecológico Conductual (BEM) inicia comprendiendo las motivaciones y los comportamientos de las personas dentro de su sistema social incluyendo a todos los actores relevantes inclusive la industria (Brennan et al, 2015), porque los comportamientos de las personas están dentro de un sistema social y se explican por las influencias bidireccionales o multidireccionales que van desde la capa social (macro-sistema: contexto político y sociocultural), a través de capas comunitarias y locales (meso-sistemas: influencias sociales o facilitadores y conexiones entre actores) y al individuo en su microsistema, exo-sistema y el meso-sistema, repercutiendo en factores que influyen tanto en el individuo como en las entidades del sistema, por lo que se requiere la cooperación de varios interesados para crear soluciones sostenibles a los problemas sociales (Brennan et al, 2016).…”

Água Suja Também Lava: Uma Análise Do Desperdício De Água Sob a Perspectiva De Marketing Social

“…Por fim, são expostas as considerações finais. Diante dessa constatação, observou-se que marketing social tem três níveis de influência -Upstream, Midstream e Downstream -e exige que várias partes interessadas trabalhem juntas em cada um desses níveis para oferecer uma gama de intervenções sociais (WOOD, 2016;BRENNAN;PREVITE;FRY, 2016;ALMESTAHIRI et al, 2017). O upstream é uma abordagem macro em que são analisadas as influências da cultura, do sistema econômico e das condições sociais para a formulação de políticas públicas e de leis que promovam a mudança social.…”