Social marketing theory development goals: an agenda to drive change

ABSTRACT

Environmental, health, and social change is complex and frequently is framed as a problem(s) to be solved. This framing focuses effort on delivery of solutions designed to change systemic environmental, health, and social problems. Theory, an organising framework for effort, remains under-utilised in behavioural and social sciences. An individual psychological lens dominates and emphasis is placed on explaining and predicting individual behaviour and not behavioural change. It is time to break free and deliver frameworks that extend focus beyond individuals to all citizens, and apply new evaluation approaches that assess individual and structural changes. Ten Social Marketing Theory Development Goals (goals) categorised in three groups: (i) research design; (ii) building social marketing theory; and (iii) methodological innovation are outlined to assist social marketers to develop new ways of thinking that will deliver the theory and evidence base needed to outline what practitioners and policy makers should do to effect change.

KEYWORDS:

• Behaviour change
• social marketing
• theory
• theory application

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. For details please see https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/about/publications/policiesandguidelines/What-is-Healthy-Together-Victoria.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sharyn Rundle-Thiele

Professor Sharyn Rundle-Thiele is Director, Social Marketing @ Griffith and Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Social Marketing. Drawing on her commercial marketing background Sharyn’s research focuses on applying marketing tools and techniques to change behaviour for the better.  She is currently working on projects delivering changes to the environment, people’s health and for the greater social good.  Selected current projects include changing adolescent attitudes towards drinking alcohol (see www.blurredminds.com.au/students), increasing healthy eating and physical activity to combat obesity, reducing food waste and delivering change in wide variety of settings.  Research partners in 2018 include Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Australian Defence Force, Queensland Catholic Education Commission, Redland City Council, and more.  Sharyn’s research is published in more than 140 books, book chapters and journal papers.

Patricia David

Patricia David is a Research Fellow at Social Marketing @ Griffith. Her research interests are motivated by understanding what drives behavioural change. Patricia’s PhD involved advancing the Social Marketing field by taking the first steps toward the development of a Theory of Behaviour Change. Patricia was awarded a Griffith University Postgraduate Research Scholarship to undertake her PhD. Her work is award winning. Her behaviour change research has won a commendation award in the ESMC conference in 2018 and the Doctoral Colloquium Contribution to Theory & Knowledge Award in the ANZMAC conference in 2016. Patricia has led teams in research projects, working with both quantitative and qualitative approaches. She has previously worked in marketing management positions, and her current work focuses on the design, implementation and evaluation of campaigns and social marketing programs across a broad range of social issues.

Taylor Willmott

Taylor Willmott is Research Assistant, and Sessional Academic at Social Marketing @ Griffith and the University of Queensland, respectively. Taylor received both her Bachelors (Economics and Marketing, With Distinction) and Honours degrees (Social Marketing, First Class) from Queensland University of Technology; and is currently in the final year of her PhD in Social Marketing at Griffith University. The broad focus of Taylor’s research lies in applying marketing principles and techniques, combined with other evidence-based approaches, to create innovative behaviour change programs that benefit both individuals and society. Taylor’s research is multi-award winning, frequently presented at world-renowned conferences, and published in high-quality peer-reviewed journals such as the International Journal of Consumer Studies, Health Education & Behavior, and the Journal of Medical Internet Research. With expertise in systematic literature reviews, quantitative and qualitative research design and analysis, and implementation science, and a growing research profile, Taylor is recognised as an emerging thought leader within the social marketing field.

Bo Pang

Dr Bo Pang is a Research Fellow in the Social Marketing @ Griffith Centre at Griffith University. Bo holds a PhD in Marketing and offers extensive experience in conducting research and delivering programs in the field of marketing theory and social marketing, all of which are published in leading scholarly journals. Bo’s work involves implementing theoretical constructs into empirical marketing campaigns and he offers experience delivering changes benefitting community across a diverse range of projects at local, State and National governments. Bo is an active and collegial academic with passion for researching and has a significant track record of publications in high-impact journals, substantial research income, and extensive project management experiences. Bo has also actively involved in industrial engagement, working with a wide array of profit and not for profit organizations. His work has been published in over 40 refereed journal articles, conference papers, and research reports.

Lynne Eagle

Professor Lynne Eagle’s research interests centre on: trans-disciplinary approaches to sustained behaviour change in social marketing / health promotion / environmental protection interventions. Within this broad area, she is active in research relating to marketing communication effects and effectiveness, including the impact of persuasive communication and the challenges of communicating effectively with population sectors that face literacy and numeracy challenges.  She has published widely and is on the editorial board of several journals.

Rachel Hay

Dr Rachel Hay is a Lecturer in Marketing for the College of Business, Law and Governance at James Cook University.  Her recent PhD focussed on ‘The engagement of women and technology in agriculture’.  She works as a research assistant on projects surrounding technology adoption and agriculture, social marketing, readability, business coaching, instant feedback assessment techniques, climate change, FIFO and the creative industries.