CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. Background of the Study

The concept of social marketing has gained widespread recognition in the field of marketing. Social marketing can be seen as the design, implementation and control of programs calculated to influence the acceptability of social ideas and involving considerations of product planning, pricing, communications, distribution and marketing research (Kotler & Zaltman, (1971). 

Social marketing began as a discipline in the 1970s, when Kotler & Zaltman (1970) argued that the same marketing strategies that have been so successful in selling products and services to consumers could also be used to promote socially beneficial ideas, attitudes, and behaviors. Hence, social marketing is the adaptation of commercial marketing technologies to programs designed to influence the voluntary behavior of target audiences to improve their personal welfare and that of the society of which they are part of (Brenkert, 2002). The use of such marketing techniques has been expanding in our society. For example, most persons are familiar with campaigns to “market” political candidates and their platforms, energy conversation and abstain from smoking. Many of these efforts encompassing various aspects of marketing go beyond simple advertising. For instance, some “stop smoking” organizations sponsor informational seminars, distribute special products designed to alleviate the desire to smoke in those who want to quit smoking, and initiate publicity aimed at the general public regarding the disadvantages of smoking. There is substantial pressure within the discipline of marketing and among the general public to expand the application of modern marketing’s tools and theories in the dissemination of social ideas (Lazer & Kelly, 1973). However like any new social development, this trend may have positive and negative societal effects. 

On the positive dimension, there are sufficient literature which illustrate how marketing thinking has improved the sale ability of useful social programs (Kotler, 1975). However, on the negative side, it is quite possible that the widespread involvement of marketing professionals in the marketing of social ideas may raise severe ethical problems and further turn public opinion against marketers and the marketing field (Smith, 2001).

In the private sector, marketers seek to influence voluntary consumer spending and choice. Marketers attempt to influence behaviour through behavioural shaping or reinforcement strategies although consumers may decide not to buy. Thus, a marketer’s basic talents lie in influencing voluntary behavior, and the talents are incorporated in social marketing (Gene, 1999).

Social marketing is becoming increasingly relevant to the developing world. Success of social programmes has significantly contributed to the process of development in the countries of the third World. The success has been attributed to the adoption of marketing approach to the social/development programmes. For promoting any social idea or issue it is not enough to prepare the communication programme. Social marketing involves the marketing mix and dimensions, not simply advertising (Hastings and Angus, 2011). Like commercial marketing, social marketing involves its own marketing dimensions or mix:

 According to Peattie et al (2009), social marketing dimensions include: social proposition, accessibility, social costs of involvement and social communication.  Based on the foregoing, the primary essence and aim of this study is to carry out an empirical analysis of social marketing dimensions and customer patronage of beer brands in Enugu North, L.G.A.

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