The authors describe 3 types of marketing orientations and how to view social marketing as an exchange process. Reflect on your own experiences, either personal or professional. Currently what type of marketing orientation is dominate for the health promotion/education industry? Give an example. For your example, what do you perceive were the costs & benefits of using this type of marketing strategy?
According to Philip Koltler social marketing is defined as "the design, inmplementations and control of programs calculated to influence the acceptability of social ideas, and involving consideration of product, planning,pricing,communication,distribution,and marketing research."Social marketing is not just social advertising that seek to reach out for a particular group of consumers, it is a much systematic process which focuses on the needs of consumers. According to the article, early in the marketing history, social marketing was perceived as an economic exchange of some payment for some tangible product. However, in recent years, social marketing has become more and more sophicticated. This technique of social maketing, now, not only seeks to target the physical needs of the consumers but also the psychological needs. One of the most popular programs of social marketing in the health care domain which gained a lot of attention recently is the ALLI program. The program does not promote the selling of some diet pills but it also forces the buyer to adopt a healthy lifestyle. The goal of the program is to help buyers realize that obesity is unhealthy and that lifestyle changes need to be made. The program uses a strategy design system to publicize the product. The alli is seen everywhere, on television commercials, popular magazine ads, at drugstores and at physician's offices. The program also offers a detailed agenda on how to maintain a healthy weight. It also includes a small booklet on some healthy food recipes. For the consumer who decides to be part of the alli program, the benefits might be far greater than the costs. Unlike most diet programs, the alli program does not promise the consumer to notice dramatic weight loss just by taking the pill. The program clearly indicates that consumers need to plan a healthy diet, as well as excerice along with the pill in order to see results. This realistic view of the alli program makes it easy for consumers to believe in the reliability of the program and thus buy the product. By doing so, the program uses the communication strategy outlined in the article to tell consumers about the product. The cost of alli is relatively expensive comparing to the other over the counter diet pills. The cost of developing some serious side effects can also be a concern for some individuals.