Comments on: Colonoscopies are not Colas: The Challenge of Social Marketing

By: John Medicine

John Medicine — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 23:32:18 +0000

How it is adjusted at the state level of a problem with health? How much state committees are close to a life and to people? What programs open in this direction? WBR LeoP

By: Nedra Weinreich

Nedra Weinreich — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 20:38:45 +0000

Thanks for your comments, everyone. All good points. Marketing intangible products is tricky, but not impossible. It just requires some creativity and a good understand of how marketing works.

By: David Reich

David Reich — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 15:51:28 +0000

Elaine, you are right on with this. I’ve been involved with social marketing clients almost since I opened my own agency in 1990. Right from the beginning, as I’ve handled publicity in the metro New York region for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the message has been don’t drink and drive or buckle your seat belt or don’t speed. But we’ve tried to put real faces to the message: Here’s what can happen if you drink and drive (talk about the real human toll and show real-life examples).
Last August, for the kickoff of the national DUI enforcement campaign “Over the Limit. Under Arrest,” we staged a media event in Times Square. We had to have the traditional talking heads — the government folks and police brass from NY, NJ and Conn. But what garnered the most attention from the press, as we expected, was the daughter of a woman who had been mowed down and killed by a drunk driver in a high-profile case. In this job, I’ve heard so many heart-wrenching stories, but even I had a big lump in my throat as this woman bravely told her story. The press coverage, which was massive, conveyed the message perfectly for us — not simply don’t drink and drive, but “Look, here’s what could happen if you drink and drive. You could get a ticket, or you end up killing someone.”
Any time you can put a real-life human story to a safety or health-related message, it helps get it noticed and, most importantly, it helps hammer home why your audience should take (or not take) certain action.
New York State has lately been running an ad campaign, probably as part of the tobacco settlement money. My guess is it’s been effective. Instead of simply a “don’t smoke” message, it has vignettes with people obviously very ill saying things like “if I had quit smoking 10 years sooner, I wouldn’t need this machine to help me breathe.”
The ads aren’t pretty or easy to watch, but I’d say they get the message across.

By: Elaine Fogel

Elaine Fogel — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 23:59:23 +0000

Good post, Nedra. I’ve worked for nonprofit organizations before becoming a consultant, and I’ve noticed how the most effective social marketing campaigns are so out-of-the-box or controversial that people take notice.
Many nonprofits experience the same challenges – they’re trying to market something intangible – and changing lives can’t be purchased, touched or felt with immediacy. It makes this marketing form a challenging one, but ever so gratifying.

By: Lewis Green

Lewis Green — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 14:13:52 +0000

Nedra,
Excellent post and so true. I have done marketing for both health care institutions and peace and justice groups, and your statement below proved to be the biggest obstacle:
“Preventing health or environmental problems in the future may not be compelling enough to motivate someone to take action now. It’s a harder sell to get people to inconvenience themselves for something they may not ever see a benefit from.”
We are a society searching for silver bullets and instant gratification. It’s hard to see anything–social or commercial–that doesn’t offer either.

By: Paul Barsch

Paul Barsch — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 14:00:21 +0000

Thanks for the education on the difference between social marketing and social media marketing.