Social marketing 709
However, the other barriers to segmenta-
tion are more fundamental. For example, as
already discussed, because of the nature of their
objectives, social marketers have less freedom
than commercial marketers to choose target
segments.
Ethical considerations may also prevent a
social marketer from targeting a particular
segment, even where this segment is identifi-
able, accessible and the most in need. Case 5
illustrates how a government drugs prevention
initiative using social marketing principles was
unable overtly to target young drug users for
fear of stigmatization. In this instance, a partial
solution was found by combining blanket
targeting with self-selection, whereby young
people with particular interests and needs
could ‘opt in’ to certain components, such as
peer-led workshops (MacKintosh et al., 2001).
The assumption is that small groups with
similar interests and experiences regarding
drugs will naturally gravitate towards suitably
tailored offerings.
Segmentation criteria in social
marketing
Commercial marketers typically segment
according to three broad criteria: personal
characteristics, behavioural characteristics and
benefits sought by consumers (Wilkie, 1994), all
of which are relevant to social marketers. They
are outlined in Table 27.2, along with some
additional attributes which are of particular
relevance to social marketing.Personal characteristics
The relevance of demographicsegmentation to
social marketing is widely accepted. As noted
at the beginning of the chapter, for many health
and social problems, the main predictors of
mortality, morbidity, health behaviour and
health risk continue to be demographic. The
role of poverty has already been highlighted,
but ethnicity (Kochanek et al., 1994), gender (for
types of cancer and for coronary heart disease)Case 4 ‘5-a-Day for Better Health’: segmentation in a social
marketing programme
This programme in the USA aiming to increase fruit and vegetable consumption was one of the first large
applications of marketing database technology to a health promotion initiative (Lefebvre et al., 1995).
Quantitative and qualitative research was conducted before programme planning to quantify the nature
of the problem, to explore possible messages, and to begin to identify potential segments. This
information was then augmented by data collected annually from the Market Research Corporation of
America’s survey of 2000 representative US households’ food consumption, attitudes, interests, lifestyle
and media habits. Data from the survey were analysed to profile two population segments, those eating
five fruit and vegetables a day and those eating around three a day, in the contemplation stage (i.e.
reportedly trying to eat more) (Prochaska and DiClemente, 1983). The latter was the target group.
To refine this profile further, the intervention planners added a question on previous day’s fruit and
vegetable consumption to an omnibus survey, the DDB Needham Lifestyle Survey of 4000 individuals.
From these two information sources, people in the target group could be identified as impulse buyers
who led hectic lives with little spare time. Their media habits were also described. As a result of this
profiling, the intervention planners could not only build up a clear ‘visual representation of the target’
(Lefebvre et al., 1995, p. 233), but could also develop a ‘personality’ or ‘tonality’ for the campaign (p. 224),
and choose appropriate communication materials and channels.