The social marketing paradox: challenges and opportunities for the discipline

Journal article

Akbar, Bilal, Foote, Liz, Lawson, Alison, French, Jeff, Deshpande, Sameer and Lee, Nancy, R. 2021. The social marketing paradox: challenges and opportunities for the discipline. International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12208-021-00308-0
AuthorsAkbar, Bilal, Foote, Liz, Lawson, Alison, French, Jeff, Deshpande, Sameer and Lee, Nancy, R.
Abstract

This paper contributes to emerging discourse about the ongoing challenges and opportunities of social marketing as a discipline. The paper presents a qualitative perspective on existing challenges faced by social marketing and offers suggestions for addressing these challenges. Nine semi-structured interviews with social marketing academics and practitioners from six different countries were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to analyse and interpret the qualitative data. The study provides insight into existing challenges for social marketing, classified into three key themes according to their position within or outside of the discipline: 1) poor branding of the discipline as an internal challenge, 2) competing disciplines as an external challenge, and 3) overall reach of the discipline, seen as both an internal and external challenge. The findings suggest that social marketing needs to overcome poor branding issues to sufficiently address external challenges. We conclude by arguing for a more robust marketing of the discipline. While scholars have identified the challenges and opportunities for social marketing as a discipline, they have paid little attention to examining these challenges from the viewpoint of expert practitioners and academics. This paper presents a nuanced contextual understanding of the identified challenges through a qualitative perspective and explores how social marketing can overcome these challenges.

Keywordssocial marketing; challenges; opportunities; branding; competition; reach
Year2021
JournalInternational Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing
PublisherSpringer
ISSN1865-1992
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1007/s12208-021-00308-0
Web address (URL)http://hdl.handle.net/10545/625978
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
hdl:10545/625978
Publication dates22 Aug 2021
Publication process dates
Deposited07 Sep 2021, 09:49
Accepted10 Aug 2021
Rights

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

ContributorsNottingham Trent University, Antioch University New England, NH, Keene, USA, University of Derby, Strategic Social Marketing Ltd, London, Griffith University, Griffith, Queensland, Australia and Social Marketing Services, Seattle, WA, USA
File
File Access Level
Open
File
File Access Level
Open
File
File Access Level
Open
Permalink -

https://repository.derby.ac.uk/item/940w3/the-social-marketing-paradox-challenges-and-opportunities-for-the-discipline

Log in to edit

Download files

  • 49
    total views
  • 63
    total downloads
  • 1
    views this month
  • 2
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Embedding the Sustainable Development Goals Into Higher Education Institutions’ Marketing Curriculum
Tomasella, B., Akbar, B., Lawson, A., Howarth, R. and Bedford, R. 2024. Embedding the Sustainable Development Goals Into Higher Education Institutions’ Marketing Curriculum. Journal of Marketing Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/02734753241231182
Fans as consumers: psychographics and tribalism in Doctor Who fandom
Lawson, A. and Lawson, D. 2024. Fans as consumers: psychographics and tribalism in Doctor Who fandom. in: Booth, P., Hills, M., Rayner-Roberts, T. and Piedmont, J. (ed.) Adventures Across Space and Time: A Doctor Who Reader London Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 117-123
Evaluation of the impact of implementing a new digital communication platform in hospital workflow
Lawson, A., Zaib, J. and Daniel, J. 2023. Evaluation of the impact of implementing a new digital communication platform in hospital workflow. The British Academy of Management (BAM) Conference. Newcastle 06 - 08 Sep 2016 British Academy of Management (BAM).
Placemaking as a driver for co-creation in cultural tourism in rural Zimbabwe - the scope for creative entrepreneurs and tour operators
Lawson, A., Masiye, T. and Banwait, K. 2023. Placemaking as a driver for co-creation in cultural tourism in rural Zimbabwe - the scope for creative entrepreneurs and tour operators. The British Academy of Management (BAM) Conference. Newcastle 06 - 08 Sep 2016 British Academy of Management (BAM).
Challenges for co-creation in Zimbabwe's cultural and creative industries
Lawson, A., Masiye, T. and Banwait, K. 2023. Challenges for co-creation in Zimbabwe's cultural and creative industries . The British Academy of Management (BAM) Conference. Newcastle 06 - 08 Sep 2016 British Academy of Management (BAM).
Stakeholder shared value creation: a strategic analysis of academic publishing and UK higher education in the context of developing digital technologies
Lawson, A., Ahmed, S. and Baranova, P. 2023. Stakeholder shared value creation: a strategic analysis of academic publishing and UK higher education in the context of developing digital technologies. The British Academy of Management (BAM) Conference. Newcastle 06 - 08 Sep 2016 British Academy of Management (BAM).
Using appreciative inquiry in business research
Lawson, A. and Veasey, C. 2023. Using appreciative inquiry in business research.
Social marketing as a behaviour change strategy to increase tourists' pro-environmental behaviour
Lawson, A., Akbar, B., Tomasella, B. and Azara, I. 2023. Social marketing as a behaviour change strategy to increase tourists' pro-environmental behaviour. in: Ramkissoon, H. (ed.) Handbook on Tourism and Behaviour Change Cheltenham Edward Elgar. pp. 138-155
Two-stage taxonomy for measuring success in social marketing practice
Akbar, B., Amoncar, N., Cateriano, E. and Lawson, A. 2023. Two-stage taxonomy for measuring success in social marketing practice. Journal of Social Marketing. pp. 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSOCM-11-2022-0226
Conceptualizing, Embracing, and Measuring Failure in Social Marketing Practice
Akbar, B., Foote, L. and Lawson, A. 2023. Conceptualizing, Embracing, and Measuring Failure in Social Marketing Practice. Social Marketing Quarterly. pp. 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1177/15245004231187134
Real work opportunities in the curriculum: three different approaches
Hancock, C., Powell, T., Day, J. and Lawson, A. 2023. Real work opportunities in the curriculum: three different approaches. in: Hansen, S. and Daniels, K. (ed.) How to Enable the Employability of University Graduates Cheltenham Edward Elgar Publishing. pp. 89-99
Mind the gap: employers' and students' perceptions of skills and knowledge needed by accounting graduates in Greece
Anastasiou, E., Neary, S. and Lawson, A. 2023. Mind the gap: employers' and students' perceptions of skills and knowledge needed by accounting graduates in Greece. in: Hansen, S. and Daniels, K. (ed.) How to Enable the Employability of University Graduates Cheltenham Edward Elgar Publishing. pp. 67-78
Extending Lauterborn's 4Cs for social marketing
Akbar, M. Bilal, Lawson, Alison and Turner, Nick 2022. Extending Lauterborn's 4Cs for social marketing. in: Palgrave/ Springer.
An analysis of social marketing practice: factors associated with success
Akbar, Bilal, Garnelo-Gomez, Irene, Ndupu, Lawrence, Barnes, Elizabeth and Foster, Carley 2022. An analysis of social marketing practice: factors associated with success. Health Marketing Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1080/07359683.2021.1997525
Social Marketing: Advancing a New Planning Framework to Guide Programmes
Akbar, M Bilal, Ndupu, Lawrence, French, Jeff and Lawson, Alison 2021. Social Marketing: Advancing a New Planning Framework to Guide Programmes. RAUSP Management Journal. https://doi.org/10.1108/RAUSP-08-2020-0186
Managing strategic accounts with empowerment and management support for co-creation of value
Veasey, C., Lawson, A. and Kotera, Y. 2021. Managing strategic accounts with empowerment and management support for co-creation of value. British Academy of Management.
An empathetic approach: Using appreciative inquiry to gain balanced insights
Veasey, C., Lawson, A. and Hancock, C. 2021. An empathetic approach: Using appreciative inquiry to gain balanced insights. Academy of Marketing.
Use of social marketing principles in sexual health: an exploratory review
Akbar, M Bilal, French, Jeff and Lawson, Alison 2020. Use of social marketing principles in sexual health: an exploratory review. Social Business. https://doi.org/10.1362/204440820X15929907056698
The UK's reading culture and consumers' emotional response to books
Lawson, Alison 2020. The UK's reading culture and consumers' emotional response to books. in: Routledge.
From KAM to KARMA: The evolution of Key Account Management for co-creation of value
Veasey, C. and Lawson, A, 2020. From KAM to KARMA: The evolution of Key Account Management for co-creation of value. British Academy of Management.
Critical review on social marketing planning approaches
Akbar, M Bilal, French, Jeff and Lawson, Alison 2019. Critical review on social marketing planning approaches. Social Business. https://doi.org/10.1362/204440819x15633617555894
Alternative research methods: introducing marketing sensing, a qualitative and interpretive perspective on research
Longbottom, David and Lawson, Alison 2018. Alternative research methods: introducing marketing sensing, a qualitative and interpretive perspective on research. in: Routledge.
Learner identities in the context of undergraduates: a case study
Lawson, Alison 2014. Learner identities in the context of undergraduates: a case study. Educational Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2014.934557
Mapping services theory to PhD supervision: lessons to be learned for doctoral students' visibility
Lawson, Alison 2017. Mapping services theory to PhD supervision: lessons to be learned for doctoral students' visibility. British Academy of Management.