Management for Professionals

M. Mercedes Galan-Ladero
Helena M. Alves Editors

Case Studies on
Social Marketing
A Global Perspective
Management for Professionals
More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/10101
M. Mercedes Galan-Ladero •
Helena M. Alves
Editors

Case Studies on Social

Marketing
A Global Perspective
Editors
M. Mercedes Galan-Ladero Helena M. Alves
University of Extremadura Department of Business and Economic
Badajoz, Spain University of Beira Interior
Covilhã, Portugal

ISSN 2192-8096 ISSN 2192-810X (electronic)

Management for Professionals
ISBN 978-3-030-04842-6 ISBN 978-3-030-04843-3 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3

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Preface

In a globalized and interconnected world, societies face an increasing number of

problems such as public health; social, cultural, and educational issues; or environ-
mental challenges, among many others. Such problems need social marketing
approaches to be resolved.
Thus, social marketing becomes a key tool to design and implement programs to
promote socially desired attitudes and behaviors (or change undesired attitudes and
behaviors). Importance, popularity and usage of social marketing have grown in the
last few decades.
The aim of this book is to describe several cases to illustrate the application of
social marketing in different areas, in different countries, and by different
organizations. Thus, this book includes social marketing campaigns developed:

– By public and nonprofit organizations.

– In countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Hungary, India,
Norway, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, or the United Kingdom; or in several
countries simultaneously (Latin America, or internationally).
– On topics such as environment (greenwashing, fire prevention, water pollution
reduction), public health (childhood obesity, blood donation, Zika virus infection,
HIV infection, antibiotics use, mental health, tap water consumption), social,
cultural, and educational issues (child marriage, access to cultural events for
socially disadvantaged children, work integration for vulnerable citizens, social
innovation in solidarity economy, consumer protection), and safety and security
(youth and gender-based violence, transportation accessibility for disabled peo-
ple, road safety, abandonment, and mistreatment of animals).

This book focuses on contributing to social marketing literature from an interna-

tional practical perspective. The objective is to offer a useful book for social
marketing courses, and for social marketers or professionals that need examples of
social marketing campaigns developed around the world to improve their ability to

v
vi Preface

design and implement social marketing programs to reinforce or influence attitudes

or behaviors, or promote behavior change.

Badajoz, Spain M. Mercedes Galan-Ladero

Covilhã, Portugal Helena M. Alves
Contents

Theoretical Background: Introduction to Social Marketing . . . . . . . . . . 1

Helena M. Alves and M. Mercedes Galan-Ladero

Part I Social Marketing Cases: Environment

Greenpeace: The Threat of the Dark Side of Volkswagen . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Antonio Chamorro-Mera
Plan of Action Against the Fire: Educational Programme “Bombi,
the Firefighter” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Enrique Bianchi and Carolina Sánchez
Greenpeace’s Detox Campaign: Towards a More Sustainable Textile
Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
José Manuel Ortega-Egea and Nieves García-de-Frutos

Part II Social Marketing Cases: Public Health

Going Beyond Downstream Social Marketing: The Case of “Jamie’s
Food Revolution” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
María José Montero-Simó and Rafael A. Araque-Padilla
How to Promote Blood Donation? The Case of the Blood Donor
Association of Cantabria (Spain) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
M. Mar. García-De los Salmones and Andrea Pérez
The Importance of Social Marketing in Global Health Emergencies:
The Case of Zika Virus Infection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
M. Mercedes Galan-Ladero and M. Angeles Galan-Ladero
Social Marketing Applied to HIV/AIDS Prevention: The Case
of a Five-Year Governmental Response in Portugal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Beatriz Casais, João F. Proença, and Henrique Barros
Social Knowledge in Public Health: Case Study on Substantiating
and Instrumenting the Social Marketing Campaigns in Romania . . . . . . 101
Ani Matei and Corina-Georgiana Antonovici

vii
viii Contents

Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health: Bringing People Together

for a Cause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Deep Shree, Shiksha Kushwah, and Mahim Sagar
How to Encourage the Consumption of Tap Water: A Case Study
on Águas do Porto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Ana J. Almeida, Ana P. Ribeiro, Rute D. Martins, Marisa R. Ferreira,
and João F. Proença

Part III Social Marketing Cases: Society, Culture and Education

The Role of Social Marketing in a Controversial Cause: The
Eradication of Child Marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Francisco I. Vega-Gomez and M. Mercedes Galan-Ladero
A Successful Festival for Kids in Győr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Ida Ercsey
Social Marketing for Social Innovation: The Employment Plan
of the Spanish Red Cross as a Case Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Marta Rey-García and Vanessa Mato-Santiso
The Role of Civil Society Organizations in Social Innovation
as an Example of the New Social Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Begoña Álvarez-García, Luis Ignacio Álvarez-González,
Marta Rey-García, Noelia Salido-Andrés, and María José Sanzo-Pérez
The Social Role of Awareness Campaigns on Consumer Protection:
An Extension of the Social Marketing Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Ani Matei and Carmen Săvulescu

Part IV Social Marketing Cases: Safety and Security

Preventing Youth Violence in El Salvador: A Relational Social
Marketing Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Reynaldo Rivera
Equality and Gender-Based Violence in the University: A Practical
Case of Social Marketing to Implement in the Framework
of Non-Profit Marketing Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Juan José Mier-Terán Franco and Pedro Pablo Marín-Dueñas
Social Marketing and Their Related Challenges for the Limited Access
for People Living with a Disability: A Serbian Case Study . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Ana Vulevic, Dragan Djordjevic, Rui Alexandre Castanho,
and José Cabezas-Fernández
Contents ix

Social Marketing in the General Directorate of Traffic’s Campaign

Called “Caminantedigital” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Estela Núñez-Barriopedro
Combat to Abandonment and Mistreatment of Animals: A Case
Study Applied to the Public Security Police (Portugal) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Bruno Sousa and Daniela Soares
List of Contributors

Begoña Álvarez-García University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain

Luis Ignacio Álvarez-González University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
Ana J. Almeida Porto Business School, Porto, Portugal
Helena M. Alves University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
Corina-Georgiana Antonovici National University of Political Studies and Public
Administration, Bucharest, Romania
Rafael A. Araque-Padilla Universidad Loyola Andalucía, Seville, Spain
Henrique Barros Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
Enrique Bianchi Catholic University of Córdoba—Unit Associated to CONICET
(National Scientific and Technical Research Council), Córdoba, Argentina
José Cabezas-Fernández Environmental Resources Analysis Research Group
(ARAM), University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
VALORIZA – Research Centre for Endogenous Resource Valorization, Portalegre,
Portugal
Beatriz Casais University of Minho, School of Economics and Management,
Braga, Portugal
Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, Barcelos, Portugal
IPAM Porto – Universidade Europeia, Porto, Portugal
Rui Alexandre Castanho ICAAM—Institute for Agrarian and Environmental
Sciences, Évora, Portugal
Environmental Resources Analysis Research Group (ARAM), University of Extre-
madura, Badajoz, Spain
VALORIZA – Research Centre for Endogenous Resource Valorization, Portalegre,
Portugal
Faculty of Applied Sciences, WSB University, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Poland
Institute of Research on Territorial Governance and Inter-Organizational Coopera-
tion, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Poland
xi
xii List of Contributors

Antonio Chamorro-Mera University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain

Dragan Djordjevic Institute of Transportation – CIP, Belgrade, Serbia
Ida Ercsey Széchenyi István University Győr, Győr, Hungary
Marisa R. Ferreira School of Management and Technology, CIICESI, Porto
Polytechnic Institute, Porto, Portugal
M. Angeles Galan-Ladero Andalusian Health Service, Almeria, Spain
M. Mercedes Galan-Ladero University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
Nieves García-de-Frutos Department of Economics and Business, University
of Almería (ceiA3), Almería, Spain
Shiksha Kushwah Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of
Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, Delhi, India
M. Mar. García-De los Salmones Business Administration Department, Univer-
sity of Cantabria, Santander, Spain
Pedro Pablo Marín-Dueñas University of Cadiz, Cádiz, Spain
Rute D. Martins Porto Business School, Porto, Portugal
Ani Matei National University of Political Studies and Public Administration,
Bucharest, Romania
Vanessa Mato-Santiso School of Economics and Business, University of A
Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
Juan José Mier-Terán Franco University of Cadiz, Cádiz, Spain
María José Montero-Simó Universidad Loyola Andalucía, Seville, Spain
Estela Núñez-Barriopedro University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
José Manuel Ortega-Egea Department of Economics and Business, University of
Almería (ceiA3), Almería, Spain
Andrea Pérez Business Administration Department, University of Cantabria,
Santander, Spain
João F. Proença Faculty of Economics, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

ADVANCE/CSG, ISEG, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

Marta Rey-García School of Economics and Business, University of A Coruña, A
Coruña, Spain
Ana P. Ribeiro Porto Business School, Porto, Portugal
Reynaldo Rivera School of Communication, Austral University, Buenos Aires,
Argentina
List of Contributors xiii

InterMedia Social Innovation, Rome, Italy

University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
Carolina Sánchez Catholic University of Córdoba—Unit Associated to CONICET
(National Scientific and Technical Research Council), Córdoba, Argentina
Carmen Săvulescu National University of Political Studies and Public
Administration, București, Romania
Mahim Sagar Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology
Delhi, Hauz Khas, Delhi, India
Noelia Salido-Andrés University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
María José Sanzo-Pérez University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
Deep Shree Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology
Delhi, Hauz Khas, Delhi, India
Daniela Soares School of Economics and Management, University of Minho,
Braga, Portugal
Bruno Sousa CiTUR and UNIAG, IPCA – Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and
Ave, Barcelos, Portugal
Francisco I. Vega-Gomez University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
Ana Vulevic Institute of Transportation – CIP, Belgrade, Serbia
Theoretical Background: Introduction
to Social Marketing

Helena M. Alves and M. Mercedes Galan-Ladero

Abstract
Currently the importance of social marketing is unquestionable. Social marketing,
also called marketing of social causes, has become a key tool for all types of
organizations (public and nonprofit organizations and even companies). Since
1971, when the first definition was published, social marketing has grown in
popularity and has been used in different areas.
In this theoretical chapter, some definitions and core concepts are considered,
and social marketing approaches are analyzed. The main steps of a social
marketing program are also explained. Finally, ethics and cultural differences
are referred as key aspects in social marketing.

H. M. Alves
University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
e-mail: [email protected]
M. M. Galan-Ladero (*)
University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
e-mail: [email protected]

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 1

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_1
2 H. M. Alves and M. M. Galan-Ladero

Learning Objectives
• To discover the importance of social marketing for all types of
organizations.
• To define social marketing.
• To analyze social marketing approaches.
• To study the main steps of a successful social marketing program.
• To understand ethical dilemmas that can appear in social marketing.
• To consider the importance of cultural differences in social marketing
campaigns, especially in an international context.

Introduction

Currently the importance of social marketing is unquestionable. Social marketing,

also called marketing of social causes, has become a key tool for all types of
organizations (public and nonprofit organizations, and even for companies).
Social marketing has grown in popularity and usage (Grier and Bryant 2005) in
different areas since 1971, when the first definition was published:

– In Public health
• Promotion of healthy food consumption—fruit and vegetables—, reduction of
fat and sugar consumption, promotion of physical activity, ... to avoid health
problems: obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, heart attack, etc.
• Prenatal care, breastfeeding promotion, implementation of hygienic measures,
vaccination promotion, improvement of potable water access, etc., to reduce
child mortality
• Periodic reviews, tests, mammograms, ... to prevent cancer—or detect it on an
early stage
• Promotion of blood and organ donation, to save lives
• Awareness to prevent several diseases (such as HIV infection and other
sexually transmitted diseases)
• Awareness about antibiotics use, to avoid they become ineffective
• Reduction of smoking, drinking, or drug use
– In Education
• Promotion of road safety, to avoid traffic accidents (e.g., do not drink when
driving, rest from time to time, respect speed limits, etc.)
• Awareness of the need of accessibility for disabled people, work and social
integration for vulnerable people, etc.
• Training in socially desired values (e.g., to avoid gender violence)
• Education to avoid harmful traditions and cultural practices, such as female
genital mutilation, child marriage, etc.
• Awareness of pet care, to avoid abandonment and mistreatment of animals
Theoretical Background: Introduction to Social Marketing 3

• Information about consumer rights and awareness of consumer protection

– In Environment
• Recycling promotion, to reuse materials
• Promotion of responsible water consumption, to avoid wasting potable water
• Reduction of environmental pollution, to protect and preserve nature
• Forest protection, to stop desertification and improve air quality

A common problem is that social marketing is perceived by some professionals as

a predominantly promotional or, even more narrowly, a communication activity—
social advertising (Grier and Bryant 2005). However, social marketing is more than
simple advertising, and it includes marketing concepts and approaches adapted to the
social context.

Definition and Core Concepts

The first definition of social marketing was proposed by Kotler and Zaltman in 1971.
They defined this new concept as “the design, implementation and control of
programs calculated to influence the acceptance of social ideas and implies
considerations of product planning, price, communication, distribution and market-
ing research” (Kotler and Zaltman 1971: 5). This definition was very innovative at
that time, because it meant transferring the marketing mix scheme (the 4 Ps) to the
realm of ideas as a new type of product (until then, marketing had only been applied
to goods and services). However, this definition also made social marketing fre-
quently be confused with social propaganda and social communication (Andreasen
1993). This distinction has since been fully resolved (O’Shaughnessy 1996). Social
propaganda deals only with the strengthening of beliefs and is entirely didactic in
nature, while social marketing is based upon studies of the needs of the respective
target audiences (O’Shaughnessy 1996). Indeed, social marketing involves all the
4 Ps, not just one (Fox and Kotler 1980).
A later definition describes it as “the use of marketing techniques and principles
to influence an objective public that voluntarily accepts, rejects, modifies or
abandons behavior for the benefit of individuals, groups or society as a whole”
(Kotler and Lee 2005: 115).
Moliner (1998: 27) considers that “social marketing is an extension of marketing
that studies the relation of exchange that is originated when the product is an idea or
social cause.”
To sum up, social marketing focuses on accepting, modifying, changing,
discouraging, or abandoning ideas, beliefs, attitudes, values, practices, and behaviors
(Andreasen 1994). Donovan and Henley (2010) go further and include “involuntary”
behavior in these definitions. These authors propose that the goal of social marketing is
not just encourage individual voluntary behavior and change the environments that
facilitate such changes, but also trying to influence and change the social structures that
will facilitate individual changes. This will mean targeting the individuals that have the
power to change policies and legislation. To achieve that, a combination of three
4 H. M. Alves and M. M. Galan-Ladero

approaches is advisable, namely, downstream approaches (addressing the problem by

facilitating access to solutions), upstream approaches (acting upon the main causes of
the problem), and midstream approaches (acting upon those that can help behavior
change, like families, friends, coworkers, among others) (Donovan and Henley 2010).
In order for social marketing to become effective, four dimensions must be
present (Hastings and Domegan 2014):

– Client orientation: identification of people’s needs, aspirations, values, and

priorities
– Creative orientation: Finding imaginative ways to engage them
– Collective dimension: Recognizing that social context matters
– Competitive orientation: Critically addressing the competition while reducing
the price for the target

Social marketing scientists and practitioners have been supporting these

orientations, in their practice and research, with the useful insights of several theories
and models of behavior change (Donovan and Henley 2010; Hastings and Domegan
2014), namely, the Health Belief Model, the Protection Motivation Theory, the
Social Learning Theory, the Theory of Reasoned Action, the Theory of Planned
Behavior, the Theory of Trying, the Theory of Interpersonal Behavior, the Exchange
Theory, the Stages of Change Theory, the Social Cognitive Theory, and the Social
Capital Theory, among many others. All these models and theories contribute to
understand the influences on behavior and hence provide a framework to develop the
strategy and campaigns to fight social problems.

Social Marketing Approaches

Social marketing is characterized by the coordination of different complementary

approaches, to achieve the realization or modification of behaviors or ideas. Thus,
Santesmases (1999) points out four main approaches:

– A legal approach (with laws, regulations, sanctions, etc.):

• To regulate traffic, there are laws and rules that drivers must respect (failure to
comply them may involve fines, withdrawal of driver’s license, and even jail
sentences).
• To avoid the consumption of tobacco, several laws have been enacted in many
countries, which prohibit smoking in public places, regulate the advertising of
this product, etc.
• To prevent teenagers from consuming alcohol, the sale of this product to
minors (under 18 or 21 years old, depending on the country) is prohibited by
law in many nations. Also, to avoid excessive consumption of alcohol by
citizens, in general, the sale and advertising of alcoholic beverages have been
regulated in many countries.
• To prevent the use of drugs, they are forbidden in many countries.
Theoretical Background: Introduction to Social Marketing 5

– A technological approach (based on innovations that facilitate the desired

behavior):
• To increase driving safety, airbags, seat belts, speed limiters, breathalyzers,
and drug tests have been invented.
• To avoid the tobacco consumption, gum and nicotine patches have been
manufactured.
• To avoid excessive alcohol consumption, alcohol has been eliminated in
different beverages (e.g., beer, liqueur).
– An economic approach (reducing the cost of carrying out the desired behavior, or
increasing the price to discourage unwanted behavior):
• Fines for speeding.
• To avoid tobacco consumption, the sale price has been increased.
– An informational approach (focused, above all, on persuasive information):
• To reduce and avoid traffic accidents, the administration has distributed
brochures, magazines, advertisements on TV, radio and internet, talks, etc.
• To reduce tobacco consumption, warning labels, fear-appeal messages, and
images have been included in the cigarette packs.

The Social Marketing Program

According to Kotler and Lee (2008) in order to create a successful social marketing
program to change behaviors, the planning process should comprise several steps:

Step 1: Define the Problem, Purpose, and Focus In this step, the social marketer
needs to identify what the problem is and what causes it, as well as who is affected by
it, and try to find the numbers that bring evidence of the problem. At the same time, it
is important to identify who is most likely to change and who is able to change.

Step 2: Conduct a Situation Analysis In this step, PEST and SWOT analyses are
carried out. It is important to understand how macroenvironmental forces such as
political/legal, economic, social, and technological forces influence the problem or
its possible solution.

Step 3: Select Target Audiences This step comprises the identification of the target
audience by identifying the segments most affected by the problems and the ones the
organization can have access to. In order to achieve it, several criteria can be taken
into consideration (Santesmases 1999; Andreasen and Kotler 2008; Hastings and
Domengan 2014):

– Demographic criteria: age (children, teenagers, youth, adults, seniors), sex (males
vs. females), ethnicity, etc.
– Psychographic criteria: lifestyle, values, and personality characteristics
6 H. M. Alves and M. M. Galan-Ladero

– Behavior criteria: current behavior (heavy vs. light users; users vs. non-users),
future intentions (new users vs. non-users), readiness to change (people willing to
change vs. people not willing to change), and product loyalty (loyal users vs. not
loyal users)

Step 4: Set Marketing Objectives and Goals On this stage, the social marketer
needs to establish the main objectives and goals of the program, that is, to specify
desired behaviors and changes in knowledge, attitudes, and/or beliefs. According to
Santesmases (1999), four main strategies that can be followed in social marketing
are the following:

– A reinforcement strategy: When attitudes are positive and behaviors are consis-
tent (they are realized). In this case, the objective of the strategy would be to
reinforce this situation. The actions to develop this strategy can be very varied
(e.g., awards, rewards, economic or noneconomic incentives, legal norms, etc.):
• Blood donations: Social recognition and awards for people with the highest
number of blood donations; or gifts, every time a donation is made (e.g., a
sandwich with a soft drink, a key chain, a beach ball, a pen, etc.).
• Discounts on garbage collection taxes, if it is properly separated to be recycled.
Or not to pick up garbage, or even give fines, if it is not properly separated and
classified.
– An induction strategy: When attitudes are positive but socially desired behavior
is not carried out. The objective of this strategy is to try to induce toward the
accomplishment of that behavior. Actions are also very diverse (e.g., establishing
social controls, facilitating material and human resources to carry out desired
behavior, providing incentives, etc.):
• Blood donation: To approach blood collection points to potential donors (work
centers, universities, central areas, etc.).
• Recycling: It can be facilitated by putting collection points close to homes. Or
even picking up the product from home (e.g., used oil).
• Many people know that they should eat fruit and vegetables, but they do not do
it for the time it takes their preparation and the cost that they have. Making
fruits and vegetables cheaper to purchase, easier to prepare them, or more
available (in grocery stores and supermarkets, but also in all types of
restaurants) can increase the attractiveness for them.
– A rationalization strategy: When a desirable social behavior is put into practice,
but the attitude toward such behavior is negative. The goal of the strategy is to
generate a change in attitude that is consistent with behavior, through actions such
as persuasion, controls, etc.:
• Speeding: To inform drivers about the reasons why they should not exceed
speed limits and make them aware of being prudent on the road (and not just to
avoid fines).
• There are parents who send their children to school only to avoid be
imprisoned (in countries like Spain, basic education is compulsory and,
Theoretical Background: Introduction to Social Marketing 7

according to the law, parents must take their children to school): To make them
aware of the advantages their children will have in the future, if they receive an
educational training.
– A confrontation strategy: When attitude and behavior are consistent but con-
trary to socially desired behavior. The goal of the strategy is to generate a change
of behavior and attitude (this is the most difficult situation to change). For this
strategy, economic sanctions, coercive actions, threat of punishment, or persua-
sive information can be used:
• Parking in double row or in prohibited areas: To educate drivers so that they do
not carry out this behavior, due to the traffic problems caused (fines are a
common way to avoid this behavior).
• Drunk driving—there are people who drink and drive, because “they always
control”: It is neccesary to make them aware of the problem and show them
that alcohol always affects driving.

Step 5: Identify Factors Influencing Behavior Adoption Before defining the

marketing mix, it is important to identify the barriers that prevent the audience of
adopting the new behavior; the benefits they may realize when adopting the new
behavior; the competitors’ behavior, that is, the other more pleasant or convenient
behaviors that prevent the target audience from adopting the new behavior; and the
influencers of the desired behavior (who can help the persistence of the current
behavior or help to change it).

Step 6: Craft a Positioning Statement The positioning statement should translate

what the target audience feels when performing the desired behavior. This definition
will help to design the marketing mix needed to achieve these feelings and differen-
tiate this behavior from other unwanted ones.
For example, citizens want to believe that, when a victim of domestic violence
calls the help line, a trustable person will help her/him and provide solutions.

Step 7 Develop Marketing Mix Strategies: The 4 Ps

First P: Product
The core product is intangible in social marketing: a desired idea, attitude, or
behavior. But it can have a support (a tangible support, such as a good or even
another intangible support, such as a service).

– For example, blood donation: To achieve this behavior, it is necessary to have

medical services (to extract blood) and a physical space (such as a hospital ward).

Consumer orientation (orientation toward target audience) is desirable. Social

marketers should offer the product with a social marketing program focused on the
benefits the target audience values most (Grier and Bryant 2005). Marketing research
is essential to understand the wants, needs, values, and motivations of these groups
and to provide them with the best appeals to the target audience.
8 H. M. Alves and M. M. Galan-Ladero

Second P: Price
Price can be monetary or non-monetary in social marketing:

– Monetary price: the cost for the promised benefits

– Non-monetary price: waste of time, effort, sacrifice, embarrassment, diminished
pleasure, psychological hassle or psychic discomfort, etc. (Grier and Bryant
2005) for achieving the wanted behavior or changing the behavior.

In any case, the required considerations must be reduced to the maximum, so that
the desired attitude or behavior is carried out.
A common characteristic in social marketing is that there is rarely an immediate,
explicit payback to target audiences in return for their adoption of the desired
behavior (Grier and Bryant 2005).
Third P: Place
Place focuses on providing appropriate distribution and response channels to
transform motivations into actions (e.g., physical location where achieving the
desired behavior: to consider its accessibility, comfort, operating days and hours,
among others).
Channels can be direct or indirect (if intermediaries are needed to facilitate the
behavior change).
Fourth P: Promotion
It is the most visible part of the marketing mix. Social advertising (similar to
commercial advertising) is emphasized, above all. But the other elements of the
communication mix should be considered, too (such as public relations, promotional
activities, personal [face-to-face] attendance, and direct marketing, among others).
Internet and social networks can help to achieve larger audiences, sharing the social
marketing campaigns quickly.
Messages used to change behaviors can be persuasive, but they also can include
fear, humor, irony, or emotional appeals.

Step 8 Outline a Plan for Monitoring and Evaluation This step defines how the
program will be monitored and how the outputs will be evaluated. Therefore, it
needs to identify which processes and outcomes will be measured, what methods
will be used to measure them, when the measurements will take place, and the costs
involved in carrying out the measurements.

Step 9 Establish Budgets and Find Funding Sources Here, the total costs of the
program are identified, including the costs to implement the program as well as the
costs to control and evaluate it. It is also important to identify the funding sources
that will support the costs.

Step 10 Complete the Plan for Campaign Implementation and Management At

this step, the outline of the division of tasks is conceptualized: who will perform
them, how much it will cost, and when they should be carried out, including the
partners’ roles.
Theoretical Background: Introduction to Social Marketing 9

Ethical Considerations

Social marketing can sometimes offer ethical dilemmas, especially for two reasons:

1. For the behavior sought: It may be an idea or conduct that is controversial

according to a certain culture or religion and even contrary to traditional practices
strongly rooted in a certain society. Thus, the proposed changes of behavior may
influence and affect community traditions and also its cultural, social, and moral
values.
For example, topics such as family planning and promotion of contraceptives,
organ donation, vaccination, eradication of child marriage or female genital
mutilation, etc. can be very controversial in some cultures or religions.
2. Because of the way in which the social marketing program has been
designed, developed, and implemented.
For example:
The language used in the campaign (political [in] correctness): For example,
some terms and linguistic uses to refer to a person with a disability are not
politically correct, and they should not be used in a social marketing campaign
(e.g., subnormal, deficient, invalid person).
Messages used to create sense of guilt, fear emotions, and fear appeals (or even
panic): They can create anxiety and alarm, especially in sensitive people (and
the improvements in the desired behavior are not significant, compared to
other styles). For example, “Yellow fever kills!” and “Yellow fever
arrived!!!!” campaigns, in Brazil; “Flu is here!”, in Spain.
Images used to recreate real situations (e.g., traffic accidents, sequelae of cancer):
They may be disturbing to some viewers.

In addition, possible interests and interference of business lobbies should be

sometimes avoided. Thus, for example, when it was discovered that tobacco con-
sumption could cause lung or throat cancer, anti-smoking campaigns were not
initially carried out because of the importance and power of the tobacco companies.
Or, for example, it has taken a long time for campaigns to reduce the consumption
of soft drinks to be launched (and only in some countries), even though the high
levels of sugar that carbonated beverages contain and their effects on health have
been known for a long time.
To conclude, two main aspects should be highlighted:

1. Cultural differences should be taken into careful consideration in social market-

ing campaigns, especially in an international context. The success of a social
marketing program will depend on the correct analysis of each situation and its
adaptation to each society.
2. The end does not justify the means in social marketing. Not everything is valid to
achieve a certain desired behavior.

Ethics is a key aspect in social marketing.

10 H. M. Alves and M. M. Galan-Ladero

References
Andreasen, A. (1993). A social marketing research agenda for consumer behavior researchers.
Advances in Consumer Research, 2, 1–5.
Andreasen, A. R. (1994). Social marketing: Its definition and domain. Journal of Public Policy &
Marketing, 13(1), 108–114.
Andreasen, A. R., & Kotler, P. (2008). Strategic marketing for nonprofit organizations (Pearson
International ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
Donovan, R., & Henley, N. (2010). Principles and practice of social marketing: An international
perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Fox, K. F., & Kotler, P. (1980). The marketing of social causes: The first 10 years. The Journal of
Marketing, 24–33.
Grier, S., & Bryant, C. A. (2005). Social marketing in public health. Annual Review of Public
Health, 26, 319–339.
Hastings, G., & Domegan, C. (2014). Social marketing. From tunes to symphonies. London:
Routledge.
Kotler, P., & Lee, N. (2005). Corporate social responsibility. New York: Wiley.
Kotler, P., & Lee, N. (2008). Social marketing influencing behaviors for good (3rd ed.). Thousand
Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Kotler, P., & Zaltman, G. (1971). Social marketing: An approach to planned social change. Journal
of Marketing, 35(July), 3–12.
Moliner Tena, M. A. (1998). Marketing Social: La Gestion de las Causas Sociales. Madrid: ESIC.
O’Shaughnessy, N. (1996). Social propaganda and social marketing: A critical difference?
European Journal of Marketing, 30(10/11), 54–67.
Santesmases Mestre, M. (1999). Marketing. Conceptos y Estrategias. Madrid: Piramide.
 Part I
Social Marketing Cases: Environment
Greenpeace: The Threat of the Dark Side
of Volkswagen

Antonio Chamorro-Mera

Abstract
In 2011, Volkswagen launched a new version of its Passat model with an
attractive advertising campaign entitled “The Force”. This campaign starred a
cute boy dressed as Darth Vader, from Star Wars. The success of the campaign
was used by Greenpeace to protest about Volkswagen’s policy of not supporting
the measures to reduce air pollution that were being discussed by the European
Union. The environmental group remade the original advert as a way of
protesting against the German carmaker. The video quickly spread through the
social networks. This protest campaign was reactivated in 2015 to denounce the
fraud involving the CO2 emissions of Volkswagen cars.
This case allows us to understand the concept of green marketing from the
social perspective and the characteristics of an anti-advertising strategy to
put pressure on companies to modify their behaviour and fight against
greenwashing.

A. Chamorro-Mera (*)
University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
e-mail: [email protected]

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 13

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_2
14 A. Chamorro-Mera

Learning Objectives
1. To understand the concept of green marketing from the viewpoint of
environmental groups.
2. To critically analyse the environmental communication campaigns carried
out by companies that do not have a genuine culture of concern for the
environment. Therefore, one must be able to spot the difference between
true green marketing and greenwashing by companies.
3. To learn about the possible strategies that environmental groups can adopt
to change the environmental behaviour of companies, being able to set out
the debate between collaboration and confrontation.
4. To learn how an anti-advertising campaign is designed and disseminated.
5. To reflect on the existing gap between people’s concerns for the environ-
ment and their actual purchasing and consumption behaviour.

Introduction

Environmental groups carry out vital actions to protect nature through working in the
natural environment itself (e.g. reforestation actions) and through research projects
(e.g. studying the melting in the Arctic). However, they also commonly have the
objective of raising public awareness and denouncing poor political and business
behaviour. Long ago, environmental groups realised that the power of marketing
could be an ally for these awareness and denouncing actions. Green marketing, from
a non-business point of view, can be defined as the set of strategies and actions
carried out by non-profit and public organisations in order to influence the environ-
mental attitudes and behaviour of the public, consumers, companies and politicians.
When focussing on companies, environmental groups can adopt opposite, albeit
complementary, strategies. On the one hand, they can promote collaboration with
those companies that show an interest in improving their environmental behaviour.
On the other hand, they can carry out denouncing, pressurising or even boycotting
campaigns against those companies and brands with the worst environmental
behaviour or conducting greenwashing actions. This concept refers to misleading
or exaggerated communication conducted by a company in relation to its environ-
mental actions to take advantage of consumers’ concerns about the environment.
One of the most attractive and aggressive ways of carrying out a marketing
campaign against a company is what we can call anti-advertising campaigns.
These can be classified as a type of knocking copy, which consists of remaking a
company or brand’s original advertisement with the objective of denigrating it or
protesting against its environmental or ethical behaviour. We will now give an
example of this type of marketing campaign.
Greenpeace: The Threat of the Dark Side of Volkswagen 15

Episode I: The Power of the Force

In 2011, Volkswagen launched the latest version of its Volkswagen Passat model
with an attractive advertising campaign entitled “The Force”. This campaign starred
a child dressed up as Darth Vader, the evil character in Star Wars. To the tune of “the
Imperial March”, the boy tries to use “the power of the force” to move various
different items in his house: the washing machine, the dog, a doll, etc. In one of the
scenes, his father arrives home with the new Passat and parks it in front of his house.
The boy comes closer and stretches his arms to try to use his power. The father
watches him from inside the house and activates the car’s automatic ignition with a
remote control. The motor and lights turn on. Finally, the power of young Darth
Vader has worked.
The 30-second-long TV advert was first shown at the start of that year’s Super
Bowl. The match took place on 6 February and involved the Pittsburgh Steelers
against the Green Bay Packers. The manufacturer is believed to have paid between
2.8 and 3 million dollars for that advertising placement. A lot of money? The match
was televised by the FOX channel and its audience surpassed 111 million viewers
(TVbythenumbers.com 2011), making it the most-watched television programme in
the history of the United States until then.
However, the great novelty of the launch campaign for the new Passat was the
merging of its off-line and online strategies. The “The Force” campaign changed the
concept of advertising linked to the Super Bowl. Four days before the Big Game, on
the Wednesday, the advert was uploaded onto YouTube. This completely went
against the strategy that most advertisers had followed until then, keeping the adverts
that were going to appear during the Super Bowl practically secret.
On the Sunday, before its broadcast, it had reached 8 million views; and between
its broadcast and the kick-off, it surpassed 17 million views (Sanburn 2015).
Towards the end of 2011, the magazine Advertising Age (2011) estimated that the
video had received 62.7 million views and said “with 600 placements, the video is on
pace to become one of the most-watched viral ads of all time”. YouTube itself (2017)
created the “List of the top 20 Super Bowl ads on YouTube from 2008 to 2016”. The
campaign “The Force” remained in third place for the number of visits during the
months of January and February in the year it was launched.
Its success with the audience and penetration was matched by its success in
advertising festivals. The campaign, created by Deutsch Advertising Inc from Los
Angeles, won two gold lions and a bronze lion at the 58th Cannes Lions Interna-
tional Festival of Creativity, the most prestigious advertisement awards in the world.
Although many aspects unrelated to its advertising success could have influenced
the Passat’s sales figures in the United States, the fact is that sales for this model
grew by 82.71%, increasing from 12,497 units in 2010 to 22,835 in 2011 (ranked
126 among all car models sold in the United States). In 2012, sales grew even more,
reaching 117,023 units, an annual growth rate of 412%, climbing to position number
37 among all models. On a worldwide level, in all its various international versions,
the Passat model ended up as the eighth best-selling automobile in 2012 (OICA
2018).
16 A. Chamorro-Mera

Without a doubt, this comprehensive advertising campaign was the work of a

company, Volkswagen, which has mastered The Force although this power might
have taken them to the dark side.

Episode II: The Force and the Conquest of the Planet Earth

At almost the same time as the “The Force” campaign, Volkswagen also launched
the “Think Blue.” programme on the American continent after releasing it in Europe
a year earlier, in 2010. The objective of this programme was to group all the
Volkswagen brand’s sustainable movement efforts under one motto. This
programme was the visible side of the company’s desire to “become the world’s
leading automaker in terms of both economy and ecology”.
It was based on three lines of action:

1. Reducing polluting emissions by focussing on technological innovation. For

motorisation and vehicle design, the company developed the BlueMotion tech-
nology for fossil fuel combustion engines, which included measures such as the
Start&Stop system, brake energy recovery, the warning device for the optimal
moment to change gears and optimised aerodynamics.
In relation to production processes, the company started designing the “Think
Blue Factory”. An example is the Chattanooga factory (Tennessee, USA) which
received the Edison Green Award and LEED certification (Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design).
2. Offsetting the CO2 emissions which, even with the technological advances,
continue being emitted by Volkswagen vehicles. To this end, the so-called
Think Blue Forests were created in numerous countries, where the company
would reforest degraded natural areas with trees. For every new vehicle of
some of their models, they planted several trees to absorb the CO2 that would
be generated by the car with normal driving in its first year of use.
3. Raising public awareness about more efficient driving methods and, generally,
about more environmentally friendly lifestyles. The programme includes cooper-
ation projects with environmental organisations from numerous countries and in
different areas.

Observing the Think Blue. programme, everything seemed to indicate that

Volkswagen would use “The Force” properly to contribute towards sustainable
development and protecting the planet Earth.

Episode III: Uncovering the Dark Side

While the success of the “The Force” advertising campaign was being enjoyed in the
United States and Volkswagen was positioning itself as a Jedi that wanted to protect
the environment, in another part of planet Earth, there was a debate about the speed
Greenpeace: The Threat of the Dark Side of Volkswagen 17

at which we had to progress in the fight against climate change and the decarbonising
of the economy.
In 2009, the European Union committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions
by 20%, to below 1990 levels, by the year 2020. In 2011, the debate was about
increasing the reduction target to 30% by the year 2020. Over 90 major companies
such as Google, Ikea, Sony, Unilever and Philips support a 30% target, many of
whom have signed public statements in support of this more ambitious target
(Greenpeace 2011).
The burning of oil in vehicle engines creates significant amounts of GHG
emissions. The European Environment Agency estimates that cars are the single
largest source of transport emissions, representing around half of the total. In 2009, it
was established that by 2015, the average emissions from all cars sold in Europe
must not exceed 130 g of CO2 per km driven and, by 2020, 95 g of CO2/km. With
this new legislative proposal, the intention was to make the standard that new cars
had to comply with stricter 80 g of CO2/km by 2020 and no more than 60 g of CO2/
km by 2025.
In this context and taking advantage of Volkswagen’s successful advertising
campaign, Greenpeace published the technical report “The Dark Side of
Volkswagen” in June 2011. In this, the environmental group accused the German
manufacturer of being “one of the driving forces in the lobbying campaign against
the introduction of these vehicle efficiency standards”. As well as the pressure
exercised through the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA),
the report calculated that Volkswagen “spends at least 2.3 million € per year on EU
lobbying alone”. For this reason, it can be argued that the “Volkswagen Group is not
just a big economic player in Europe, it is a political player too”. The German
company highlighted the negative effects that this environmental policy would have
on Europe’s economic growth and on the number of jobs.
As one of every five cars sold in Europe at that time was from this company (VW,
Audi, Seat, Skoda, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini), Greenpeace stated that “as the
biggest car company in Europe, the Volkswagen Group has the biggest climate
footprint of any car manufacturer in Europe” and its support for the new objectives
was the key to its success. Greenpeace estimates that the new cars sold by the
company in 2009 emitted over 5 million tonnes of CO2 per year, representing an
estimated 23% of the total oil use and related CO2 emissions of new European cars.
Furthermore, the German company’s advances were worse than those of other
competitors. In the period between 2006 and 2009, Volkswagen reduced “its fleet’s
average per-kilometre emissions by 7.8%, whereas rivals BMW and Toyota
achieved reductions of 18% and 14%, respectively” (Greenpeace 2011).
The strange thing is that the company had designed the BlueMotion technology to
produce highly fuel-efficient vehicles. However, instead of applying this to all its
fleet, it was incorporating it exclusively as an “accessory” in some models of its
brands while adding a price surcharge. Just 6% of the Volkswagen Group’s global
sales in 2010 were of its most efficient models.
The report by Greenpeace stated that in 2011 there were “nearly 70 different
variations of the Volkswagen Golf. Its most efficient ‘BlueMotion’ model has an
18 A. Chamorro-Mera

efficiency rating of 99 g of CO2/km. But the majority of the Golf models without
BlueMotion emit more than 130 g of CO2/km (petrol) and 120 g of CO2/km (diesel)
. . . the cheapest and most basic model of the Golf emits 149 g of CO2/km”.
Moreover, “Volkswagen’s ‘efficiency’ versions of their cars are also sold at a
much higher price than the standard models. In Germany, the Golf BlueMotion 1.6
TDI 77 kW is sold at 21,850 €, whereas the comparable Golf 1.6 TDI 77 kW without
BlueMotion costs 20,825 €, a discrepancy of nearly 1000 €. The actual cost of the
technology package, according to leading technology consultants PA Consulting,
would only be 260 €, suggesting that Volkswagen is adding a considerable mark-up
for the BlueMotion brand” (Greenpeace 2011). Even the planting of trees in the
Think Blue forests to offset the emissions during the first 20,000 km was sold as
optional equipment for an average price of 150 €.
The desire to become “the most eco-friendly automaker in the world” and the
Think Blue project were more of a greenwashing campaign than any real concern
embedded in the company’s philosophy and organisational culture. Volkswagen had
not mastered “The Force” and had gone to the dark side: taking advantage of
environmental concerns to sell more automobiles.

Episode IV: The Rebellion of the Green Jedis

A public rebellion against this greenwashing was necessary. The situation revealed
in the technical report had to be conveyed to the public to turn them into Green Jedis
that could force Volkswagen executives to move away from the “Dark Side”.
The success of the “The Force” campaign was used by Greenpeace to design an
anti-advertising campaign in protest at the German company’s behaviour. It created
the website www.vwdarkside.com and designed a video mimicking the original
advert, which was uploaded to Greenpeace’s YouTube account. The new Passat
was replaced with an old one in poor condition. And in front of the little Darth Vader
stand a little Skywalker, Princess Leia, Yoda, Chewbacca, C3PO and R2D2. They
all face Darth Vader and watch as spaceships take off from the Death Star, designed
with the logo of the German brand. The video ends with the message “VW is
threatening our planet by opposing cuts to CO2 emissions. Join the rebellion”.
In a second video, the story continues and a banner is displayed from the Death
Star which reads: “Save your Planet! Greenpeace”. It ends with a fun dance by all
the characters. Furthermore, the environmental group performed several street
marketing actions and in several printed press channels changed the company’s
logo “Das Auto” to “Das problem”.
The initial video, published on 27 June, spread quickly on the social media, and
its viral success was of the level seen for Volkswagen’s advertisement. The social
impact of the protest could be considered a battle won by the environmental activists.
However, victory in the environmental aspect would have to wait almost 2 years. In
March 2013, Greenpeace published a statement welcoming the automobile
manufacturer’s change of attitude. This is an extract (Ayech 2013):
Greenpeace: The Threat of the Dark Side of Volkswagen 19

The force is with you and together you made Volkswagen (VW) do a handbrake turn on
improving the efficiency of its cars. Something they said they could not do until you cried BS
to make VW turn away from the Dark Side! . . .
But 526,000 Greenpeace supporters across the planet have forced VW to change its
policy and its cars.
For the past two years VW refused to back a key European law which would make cars
more efficient and help reduce our dependence on oil. VW were a major obstacle against
strong targets. As the biggest and most powerful car company in Europe they used their
might to lobby politicians and block progress.
But after more than half a million people stood against them, a parody of their Star Wars
advert went viral across the internet, thousands of activists dressed as storm troopers
protested at their dealerships and on the streets, and direct actions at car shows across
Europe, VW have caved in to pressure from across the globe and announced they will meet
and support climate targets.
This victory couldn’t have happened without you. Back in June 2011 when we started
this campaign, VW preferred to remove our videos from YouTube rather than talk about the
efficiency of its cars or how it was lobbying against strong EU climate laws. VW has now
publicly agreed to live up to its promises to be the world’s greenest car company, setting an
example for the rest of the industry. This is what we can achieve when we act together! . . ..

A battle had been won by the Green Jedi, but had the dark side of Volkswagen
been defeated forever? The company still had a very strong weapon in its favour: car
sales. During the year of the conflict, 2011, the highest selling car models in Europe
were from Volkswagen (Golf and Polo), with a third (Passat) among the top 10.
Furthermore, in 2012 the company achieved record sales worldwide with 9.07
million automobiles, 11% more than in the previous year (OICA 2018).

Episode V: The Return of the Dark Side

We had to wait until September 2015 for the dark side of the Volkswagen automo-
bile group to come to light. It had been operating in the shadows during the last few
years despite its good intentions proclaimed in political forums and its commercial
communication. The scandal known as “Dieselgate” unearthed the company’s
greenwashing once again.
Following scientific research, the United States Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) proved that the German manufacturer had been lying about the
atmospheric emissions of its diesel vehicle engines, installing software which
detected when the vehicle was undergoing a test and lowering polluting gas
emissions only at that time. The software was installed in most diesel vehicles sold
between 2008 and 2015. Almost 11 million vehicles of several of the corporate
group’s brands were affected: VW, Audi, SEAT and Skoda. According to EPA
figures, those cars emitted up to 40 times more nitrogen oxide (NOx) than the
amount established by North American and European regulations. Thanks to that,
the company saved 600 € per vehicle (Rubio 2016).
In light of this situation, the Green Jedis at Greenpeace had to team up once again.
The 2011 video went viral again on the social networks. By February 2018 the video
had been viewed 1.79 million times on Greenpeace’s YouTube page.
20 A. Chamorro-Mera

New street marketing actions against the company began. The first was a
gathering in front of Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg headquarters, under the motto “No
more lies”, written on placards and images of Pinocchio. In addition, there were
placards where the advertising slogan “Das Auto” had been changed for “Das
Problem” and others where in the carbon dioxide formula, CO2, the O had been
replaced with the round trademark of VW.
As well as other actions in the brand’s car dealerships, there were activist protests
in the United Kingdom to hinder the unloading of containers carrying the company’s
cars. And Volkswagen was included in the “Justice for people and planet” report
(Greenpeace 2018), which includes 20 cases of corporations that have repeatedly
abused and violated human and environmental rights.
The severity of the facts made the movement by the Green Jedi to discredit the
brand the least of the company’s problems. After the fraud was revealed, the value of
its shares on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange fell by 36.6% in one month: from over
159 € per share on 2 September to just 101 € on 2 October.
Despite the Volkswagen group having achieved record figures in 2014 for profits
(over 11 billion €), sales (10.14 million vehicles) and turnover (over 200 billion €)
and in the first quarter of 2015 having surpassed Toyota as the leading worldwide
seller of cars, the Dieselgate scandal meant that it ended the year with 4069 million €
in operating losses and 1582 million in net losses. Behind this financial crisis were
the huge compensation figures the company was starting to face. In September 2017,
the company estimated that the cost of fines, trials, buybacks and repairs all over the
world had reached 25.1 billion € (El País 2017).
Company CEO Martin Winterkorn had to resign, and several executives were
given prison sentences in the United States. Once again the dark side seemed to have
been defeated, but . . .

Episode VI: The Fume Threat

. . . in January 2018, several German media outlets unearthed another scandal that
directly affected the German carmaker and its policy of irresponsibility towards
human health and the environment, with the sole objective of continuing to increase
sales of fossil fuel vehicles.
In 2014, ERGEHTS, an association created and financed by Volkswagen, BMW
and Daimler, had commissioned an experiment by a North American laboratory to
prove that the diesel engine of a VW Beetle was much less hazardous to human
health than the engine of a Ford van from 1999 (Ewing 2018). To do so they had to
establish the effects that the gases emitted have on the respiratory system and blood
circulation.
The experiment was initially carried out on ten macaque monkeys locked in
crystal cubicles for 4 hours while inhaling the gases that both car models emitted.
Afterwards, experts examined the respiratory tracts of the monkeys with the help of a
special endoscope. The controversial experiment had the opposite results to those
expected, but the company never made it public. Even more surprisingly, days later
Greenpeace: The Threat of the Dark Side of Volkswagen 21

190

170

150

130

110

90
2016 2017 2018

Fig. 1 Price of Volkswagen shares over time. Source: own creation based on trading prices

it was also leaked that the experiment had been carried out on 25 people, who they
forced to inhale nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

Episode VII: The Final Defeat?

Following so much disdain for its clients, human beings and the planet, the question
that remains is: Can a company like Volkswagen survive in the market or can the
force of thousands of citizens acting as Green Jedi defeat it and make it change its
behaviour?
Unfortunately, financial and commercial figures seem to suggest that defeating
Volkswagen’s dark side still has some way to go. The evolution of the German
group’s share price can be seen in Fig. 1 and does not show any punishment in the
medium and long term for the unearthed scandals.
Following the 2015 losses, the Volkswagen group returned to profit in 2016:
7103 million € of operating profit and 5144 million € of net profit. Turnover for the
group was 217,267 million €, and its worldwide vehicle sales reached the record
figure of 10.29 million units. And it became the largest automobile manufacturer
worldwide ahead of Toyota! The year 2017 closed with new sales records. It
continues to lead the worldwide market with 10,413,355 units (including all its
brands), and three Volkswagen brand models are ranked in the top 10 best-selling
(Golf, Tiguan and Polo).

Conclusions

The story outlined in this educational example allows us to draw some important
conclusions, for both company executives and those running environmental groups.

(a) Companies must reflect and carefully design their positioning strategies as
environmentally friendly brands. Behind a green marketing campaign, there
must be a company that is truly concerned with reducing its impact on the
22 A. Chamorro-Mera

natural environment. Even though one can always receive criticism, this will be
lessened if a credible and honest environmental commitment is conveyed.
(b) Environmental groups have the social networks at their disposal to convey their
messages to the public and consumers in an efficient and relatively cheap way. If
the campaign is original and creative, it will be disseminated virally on the
Internet and the social networks.
(c) Concern for the environment is increasing among consumers, but that does not
always mean that this concern is transferred to their purchasing decisions and
behaviour. Environmental attributes are usually secondary for consumers, and
there are various factors that make responsible purchasing difficult, such as
pricing, brand image, a lack of knowledge, confusion, etc.

Discussion Questions

1. In your opinion, why have the automobile sales of the company not been
negatively affected by the aforementioned scandals?
2. Why do many consumers still not reflect their concern for the deterioration of the
planet in their purchasing and consumption behaviour?
3. Do you think Greenpeace’s campaign was effective? Reflect on the indicators of
success that should be used to evaluate this type of campaign.
4. Look for other confrontation or anti-advertising campaigns carried out by
Greenpeace and note the similarities in implementing and designing them.
5. Look at the WWF group’s website and compare their campaigns dealing with
companies to those carried out by Greenpeace. How do they differ? Which of the
different strategies do you favour most?
6. Reflect on how the greenwashing that many brands carry out can be fought.

References
Advertising Age. (2011, December 12). What we shared: Top 10 viral advertising campaigns of
2011. Retrieved from http://adage.com/article/special-report-book-of-tens-2011/top-10-viral-
advertising-campaigns-2011/231497/
Ayech, S. (2013, March 6). Greenpeace takes on Europe’s biggest carmaker. . . and wins!
Retrieved from https://www.greenpeace.org/international/story/7515/greenpeace-takes-on-
europes-biggest-carmaker-and-wins/
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Plan of Action Against the Fire: Educational
Programme “Bombi, the Firefighter”

Enrique Bianchi and Carolina Sánchez

Abstract
Between 2005 and 2010, within the framework of the Policy of Wildfire Preven-
tion implemented by the Government of Córdoba Province (Argentina), the
“Primary School Sessions on Prevention of Fires of Hills and Grassland” took
place.
This educational plan of action was jointly carried out by the Department of
Preschool and Primary Education (Ministry of Education), the Bureau of Envi-
ronment of Córdoba and the Foundation of Environment, Culture and Develop-
ment. The complexity of the issue of fire required an approach that integrated
institutions related to prevention, fighting and remediation of fire; therefore, a
jointly work was coordinated.
This social marketing programme not only attained awareness increase within
the population, but it also eventually allowed to diminish fire hotbeds in the
province.

“Bombi” is the name chosen in a contest for a little fox, the pet of the Provincial Plan of Fire
Management. It can be considered a short form of the word firefighter in Spanish (bombero).

E. Bianchi (*) · C. Sánchez

Catholic University of Córdoba—Unit Associated to CONICET (National Scientific and Technical
Research Council), Córdoba, Argentina
e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 25

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_3
26 E. Bianchi and C. Sánchez

Learning Objectives
The pedagogical aims of the case are:

• To value the role of sensitization and social awareness about the issue of
fire and the forest fires through children educational programmes that seek
to reach families and the general community
• To evaluate the fulfilment of the objectives and the quality and scope of the
Programme “Bombi, the Firefighter”, an animated cartoon that protects
nature and the native forest
• Discuss different social change strategies as from the behavioural profiles
identified in relation to the caretaking of the forest and the risk of forest fires

Introduction

Once upon a time, there was a little fox from Córdoba that lived very, very placidly in the
mount with his lovely family. One day, the little fox noticed a lot of smoke near the stream
and came closer to see what was going on. At that moment, he saw that smoke changed into a
big campfire due to some glass left on the grass by some neglected people. What a scare! He
immediately put his tail in the water to splash it onto the fire. As he realized that he could not
put the fire out, he run to the village looking for help. . . When he reached the fire station, he
signalled for help to the firefighters and asked them to follow him. The firefighters acted
quickly and put the fire out; then, they talked about how courageous the little fox had been
and decided to name him the official pet of the fire station. . . his name would be BOMBI, the
firefighter fox faster than a fire engine! (Efraín Osvaldo Rost, 6 year old, from Alcira Gigena,
Córdoba, Argentina, winner of the 2004 contest “A name for our little fox”)

Between 2005 and 2010, within the framework of the Policy of Wildfire Preven-
tion implemented by the Government of Córdoba Province (Argentina), the “Pri-
mary School Sessions on Prevention of Fires of Hills and Grassland” took place.
This case addressed the complexity of the issues of fire by integrating institutions
related to prevention, fighting and remediation of fire, such as the firefighters, the
police, schools and the overall community.
First of all, this work presents the situation of the fires in the province, the risks,
causes and consequences of fires. Then, it describes in detail the educational
programme “Bombi, the Firefighter”, its characteristics, its pedagogical proposal
and how families and the community can be involved. Last, this work shows the
results of the educational programme and its impact on fire management.
Plan of Action Against the Fire: Educational Programme “Bombi, the Firefighter” 27

Case Development

The Province of Córdoba

Córdoba is one of the 23 provinces that constitute the Argentine Republic. It is

located in the Centre Region, 710 km from Buenos Aires; it has a surface of
165,321 km2, and it is the fifth largest province of the country and the second
most populated one.
As regards its geography, two morphologically well-defined areas can be
observed: a hilly area to the west and a predominantly flat area to the east. Thus,
plains, hills and valleys characterize the landscape of Córdoba.
For the above-mentioned reasons, Córdoba is a classical tourist destination of
Argentina. The hilly systems with rivers and streams surrounded by unique natural
landscapes invite tourists to enjoy nature, the typical gastronomy and cultural events,
like the outstanding festivals during summer. The dams and the reservoirs of
Córdoba are visited by fishing and water sports lovers; adventure sports like trek-
king, climbing or parapenting invite those who enjoy the adrenaline while the
peaceful Jesuit estancias or farming estates and churches allow to discover the
Spanish and Jesuit legacy.
Furthermore, Córdoba is an important economic, financial, educational and
cultural centre. International events like the Rally Dakar and the Rally of Argentina
attract argentine and foreign visitors (900,000 visitors). People from Córdoba
participate in these events with a lot of passion and fanaticism while having the
traditional asado or barbecue at the side of the road.
On the other hand, it is worth mentioning the diversity of plant formations of the
native forest composed of the Chaco forests, the espinal forests and upland forests.
Though this natural richness, Córdoba has a sad record: it has recorded one of the
highest deforestation rates of the native forest of the world. During the last century,
Córdoba lost 95% of its native forest (Fundación Vida Silvestre 2016) due to
numerous factors: agriculture growth, unsustainable forest exploitation, unplanned
urbanization and uncontrollable forest fires.

Care for the Forest: Fire Risk and Issue

The fires of forests, scrubs and bushes due to natural causes or human actions have
always been present in the geography. Deforestation as a result of urban develop-
ment and agricultural production, the logging for forest use and the overgrazing of
fields have contributed to the dramatic reduction of the area covered by forests. At
the beginning of the twentieth century, there were approximately 12 million hectares
of native forests; in 2012 there were only 594 thousand hectares left (Groshaus
2015).
The fire season in Córdoba coincides with the dry season, from the beginning of
winter until the end of spring. It is characterized by the presence of abundant plant
material that becomes dry because of frosts and drought. Moreover, the frequent
winds of August and September worsen the fires. The combination of these factors
28 E. Bianchi and C. Sánchez

(Days in the month)

100%
3 2 2 3
90% 5 6 6
80% 6 7
10 8
70% 8
3 10
60% 13
50% 7 10
40% 8
21 16
30% 10
12 9
20% 6
9
10% 4
3 3 3
0% 0 0
May June July August September October November
Low Moderate High Very High Extreme

Fig. 1 Fire weather index. Source: Guía de prevención de incendios [Guide for the prevention of
fires] (2007)

allows to forecast, through the fire weather index, the seasons of highest fire risk, as
indicated in Fig. 1.
Moreover, the following deep-rooted human habits are added to the above-
mentioned natural conditions that may cause fires:

• To light a fire intentionally to weed, ward off rodents, collect firewood and get
regrowth of grazing land to feed livestock
• Accidental fires because of not extinguishing embers after the preparation of a
barbecue in the open air and the tossing of hot cigarette butts and the disposal of
wastes from residues that act as combustible material in a rural or forest area

Forest fires cause severe damage to the ecosystem, thus having a negative impact
on nature. The main effects are shown in Table 1.

The Plan of Fire Management of Córdoba

The mission of the Provincial Plan of Fire Management involves preventing forest
fires, extinguishing them in a fast, coordinated, efficient and secure way and
reducing their environmental and social impact by helping the affected places.
The authority in charge of implementing this plan is the Former Bureau of
Environment of Córdoba (the current Secretary of Environment). The secretary
works together with the Department of Firefighters of the Córdoba Police, the
Federation of Volunteer Firefighters and the Provincial Department of Civil Defence
in the elaboration of the Annual Plan of Prevention and Fight against fires. This plan
is financed by the funds for prevention and fight against fires which consist of the
resources from the General Budget of the province of Córdoba, collections that come
from the payment of fines and sanctions, donations and other taxes collected by the
enforcement of the law.
Plan of Action Against the Fire: Educational Programme “Bombi, the Firefighter” 29

Table 1 Problems of the rural fires

Ecological The flora and fauna habitat is destroyed; old trees are burned; naturally
problems originated seeds and seedlings are lost; animals die; biodiversity is reduced;
levels in the trophic chain are eliminated (plague can appear); forest fires
contribute to soil erosion; the regulatory capacity of water diminishes (high
risk of floods); waterways are contaminated, the atmospheric humidity
diminishes; gases are released, which increases the greenhouse effect
Economic Destruction of forests for forest production; loss of harvest or pasture and
problems livestock; loss of farm facilities (perimeter fence, posts, stockyards, houses)
and reduction of livestock production
Social problems Impoverishment of the population due to the gradual loss of farm
productivity; reduction of quality of life
Health Respiratory diseases; burn injuries; traffic accidents caused by the loss of
problems visibility; loss of human lives
Source: Elaborated by the authors

As mentioned above, prevention is one of the aims of the plan. The legal
prevention comprises all those legal norms that regulate, prohibit or punish the use
of fire. At federal level, the National Penal Code establishes this in its 186 Article. At
the provincial level, the Provincial Law 8751 of Fire Management, in its Article
4, states that “it is forbidden to use fire in the rural and/or forest environment”, the
infringers will be punished with a fine, notwithstanding the penal responsibility for
the commission of the crime. In addition to legal prevention, an effective power of
control to enforce the law is crucial; this enforcement authority is represented by the
Environmental Police (which reports to the Secretary of Environment).
Cultural prevention involves both influencing the population so that it has an
active role at the issue of fire and managing to change inadequate behavioural
patterns in relation to the use of fire. In order to raise awareness about the prevention
of fires and the importance of having an active role in its early warning, different
means are available: (a) approaching the problem from the educational system;
(b) dealing with the topic in the mass media; (c) placing signposts at roads,
information posters at stores and stickers at vehicles; (d) distributing flyers to
neighbours and to toll stations; and (e) raising awareness in an individual manner
among local producers and vehicle drivers during the critical season.
Within the framework of the cultural prevention and taking into account the need
to increase society awareness as to the prevention of fires, the “Primary School
Sessions on Prevention of Fires of Hills and Grassland” and the educational
Programme “Bombi, the Firefighter” herein presented were developed and
implemented.

The Educational Programme “Bombi, the Firefighter”

Aims and Basis of the Programme

In order to reach the substantial reduction that can be observed in Fig. 2 in relation to
the number of burned hectares, the support of the educational system was crucial
since it allowed to deal with the issue in a systematized manner and on a large scale.
30 E. Bianchi and C. Sánchez

300

250

200

150

100

50

0
93

94

95

96

97

98

99

00

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10
19

19

19

19

19

19

19

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20
Number of burned hectares (expressed in thousands)

Fig. 2 Fire statistics: burned hectares. Source: Guía de prevención de incendios [Guide for the
prevention of fires] (2007)

Furthermore, the unconditional support of 50 volunteer firefighter brigades located

in the risk areas, the participation of 29 lookout posts of fires and the power of
control of the Environmental Police by verifying compliance with the legal
regulations were added.
Furthermore, working with children was key to the educational programme
“Bombi, the firefighter”, since the teachings received during the first years of
education are kept until later years. In addition, these teachings have a multiplier
effect because each child spreads their knowledge at home, thus becoming little
“teachers” and guardians of nature and making it possible to spread the message to
the local community.

Characteristics of the Programme

Materials were distributed to 2148 provincial and municipal primary schools (public
and private) so as to reach 400,000 children and 20,000 teachers. The materials kit
for each student, teacher and school consisted of:

• The booklet for children: Do not burn our future!

• The games: “Bombi Firefighter” and “Firebusters”
• A three-page leaflet for parents, teachers and the school library
• The book 2005 Educational Sessions on fire prevention of hills
• Posters with information about fire prevention to hang in the classroom and in
other places of people flow (town hall, supermarket, grocery store, filling station,
etc.)
• The video “Bombi Firefighter” and the Chest of Prevention
• A circular and assessment sheet of the educational “sessions” for each school

The educational sessions lasted, at least, 3 days and covered two situations: one
working with students and the other one with the community through extension
activities. At the end of the session, the participants filled in a form to evaluate the
activities.
Plan of Action Against the Fire: Educational Programme “Bombi, the Firefighter” 31

The Educational Session Dynamics: Suggested Activities

It was proposed that, before carrying out the “session” at the school, teachers thor-
oughly studied the following materials so as to know them and to plan the classroom
activities: the booklet for children Stop the fires!, the games “Bombi Firefighter” and
“Firebusters 2”, the video “Bombi Firefighter”, the Chest of Prevention and the guide
to “Sessions on Prevention of Hill and Grassland Fires from Primary Schools”.
In the first place, at the beginning of the “sessions”, it was suggested to work with
the students on concepts related to fires with the help of the booklet for children. This
began by the motivating and triggering reading of each concept with “The story of
Bombi” and “The Fourth Element”. Once the concepts of the booklet were taught, it
was necessary to integrate and internalize such concepts. At this point, the games
“Bombi Firefighter” and “Firebusters 2” were used, the first one intended for
younger children, the second for older children. Before playing them, the students
had to make a dice and cut the cards and game pieces that made up the game. The
opposite side of the “Firebusters 2” game cards had a simple puzzle for younger
children. In order to present or integrate the topic, a video titled “Bombi Firefighter”
and a Chest of Prevention were also available. In summary, at this point the aim was
to reinforce concepts related to fires: causes, consequences and prevention.
Once the previous aim was achieved, the next objective involved sharing these
learnings with the family. To do this, a three-page leaflet was given to each student
so as to take it home and share it with parents and other members of the family. The
family also participated in filling the last pages of the booklet. This stage was very
important because the school invited adults to actively participate in the process of
fire prevention with the purpose of changing deep-rooted behaviours and local habits
related to fire management. In order to accomplish this objective, the activities
mentioned below were suggested to be carried out at the school:

• The community was invited to a theatre play performed by the students.

• The volunteer firefighters were invited to give demonstrations and deliver infor-
mative talks.
• Parents and neighbours were invited to constitute a “Committee for the preven-
tion and early warning of fires”.

Pedagogical Material: Stories and Tales Written

The kit of pedagogical materials used in the sessions included the stories, tales and
theatre plays described below that were especially written for this programme by
specialists.

The Story of Bombi

By the end of 2004, the contest “A name for our little fox” was organized by
volunteer firefighters with the purpose of inviting children and teenagers from 6 to
15 years old to create a story and name for the pet of the plan. One thousand, four
32 E. Bianchi and C. Sánchez

hundred and fifty children and teenagers participated in the contest, and the winner
was Efraín Osvaldo Rost, of 6 years old, who named the little fox “Bombi” and
wrote the story included at the beginning of this case.

The Story “The Fourth Element (Land, Water, Air and . . . the Fire”)
This story for children and adults was written by the teacher Fanny Pérez.

Life exists in the world due to three elements that can be touched: earth, water and air.
However, for life to be possible, another element outside earth is needed: the sun. The fourth
element is fire.
This element has something in particular: though fire was far from the reach of men, it is
the only substance that can be manipulated. Fire seems to be alive, it gives light and heat but
it can also consume everything. It can cause suffering and death.
For this reason, it is said that, at the beginning of the creation, fire was owned by the gods
and that it could only be manipulated by them. You may remember that the first men did not
know how to make fire. There were neither matches nor lighters. They ate raw food or they
used the heat of the sun to cook certain food.
Fire was present in the sun, in the lightning of storms, in the heart of Earth that shows
through volcanoes. It was always far from the reach of mankind.
Words has it that when the Greek god Zeus got angry with human beings, he threw bolts
of lightning over the Earth without rain, which caused fires. But, that only happened when
Zeus got angry. In their early imagination, men attributed fire to the gods because they were
aware of its danger.
Today, we can make and use fire. It would be difficult to think about our civilization
without the use of fire. However, this element can cause fires. We know that these are rarely
caused by nature; lightning might strike and burn trees, but it rains immediately after this, or
humid weather may prevent burning from happening.
But, we also know that we need to be “careful with fire” because it can get out of hand
and cause a catastrophe and, this time, the guilty ones will not be the gods.

Performance of the Theatre Plays

Table 2 summarizes the theatre plays written to be performed within the framework
of the educational sessions.

Videos of Bombi, the Firefighter, and His Friends

A series of cartoon videos that included episodes of fire prevention was made. By
using the cartoon characters “Bombi, the firefighter and his friends”, these videos
incorporate a playful and entertaining sense. In addition to Bombi, the characters that
appear are his friends Verón, Sandro and Bola, an old firefighter called Anatoli and
Flame (the fire). The structure of the cartoon follows the logic of programmes for
children: the fight of good and evil, the triumph of good, the reestablishment of order
and a moral teaching. Table 3 presents a synopsis of each of the seven episodes,
which last 4 minutes in average.
Plan of Action Against the Fire: Educational Programme “Bombi, the Firefighter” 33

Table 2 Theatre plays for the educational sessions

Play Description
“Fear at the forest of the Bringing the world of nature nearer 5–7-year-old children and being
mistol” capable of distinguishing characteristics of the native flora and fauna
were the main objectives
The story takes place in the forest. The talking parrot brings rumours
about a fire that is burning near, which causes concern. At the end of
the play, the little fox, Bombi, the firefighter, appears; he looks tired
after extinguishing the fire and tells the audience about the causes of
the disaster
“Luciano and the Time Luciano and his group of friends are fans of scientific experiments.
Machine” They invented a machine to travel through time. The play is divided
into three scenes
Scene 1: Trip to the prehistory. They learn how fire was invented
Scene 2: Trip to a forest on fire. They observe the dreadful
consequences and sadness caused by a fire
Scene 3: They travel to the moment before the fire starts to find out its
causes and prevent it from happening
“The Explorers” This plays tells the story of some explorer boys who learn to identify
when there is danger of fire and to act accordingly. This proposal is
intended for children between 8 and 10 years old
Source: Elaborated by the authors

The prevention campaign was also addressed to a more general and undifferenti-
ated public through the mass media. The presence of Bombi was omitted from these
actions. Some of the actions and messages transmitted are emphasized below:

(a) Campaign of alert signs: a thermometer that warns of the level of fire risk,
depending on weather and atmosphere conditions, was made known.
(b) Road alert signs, warnings and recommendations in areas that are prone to fire
risks due to their environmental characteristics. It can be noticed that these signs
are placed all through the province of Córdoba, mainly in the hilly departments
of the province.

Conclusions

The Results of the Programme and Its Impact on Fire Prevention

Santesmases Mestre et al. (2007) indicate that social communication has to be

measured in relation to the change it can cause not only in behaviour but also in
attitudes. The implementation of the Provincial Plan of Fire Management and the
Sessions on Prevention of Fires provides very positive results which can be
measured in terms of the reduction of the number of burned hectares, the number
of fires recorded by year and the important levels of participation and achievement of
the activities proposed in the plan.
34 E. Bianchi and C. Sánchez

Table 3 Synopsis of the episodes of the cartoon Bombi, the firefighter

Episode Title Synopsis
1 The Brigade Bombi meets the Flame again and remembers the fire that affected
his family when he was a child. He can confront him now together
with his friends Verón, Sandro and Bola so as to protect our hills.
Due to Bombi’s efficient way of fighting the fire and, above all, due
to his courage, the firefighters name him Chief of the Brigade of
Animal Firefighters
Youtube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v¼MXe83qIgkis
2 A new fire station The members of the Brigade meet their new fire station and discover
the equipment available: fire engine, firefighting plane, intercom
equipment and all that is needed to fight forest fires. Their first
mission takes them to talk to their neighbours so that these people
become aware of the burning of grasses. The Brigade also faces their
first challenge against fire which they successfully overcome
Youtube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v¼jfxR_KT-90o&
t¼45s
3 Anatoli This episode brings a surprise. A quiet night at the fire station is
interrupted by a strange visit: the legendary Anatoli. He is a great
firefighter from a different time who will join the team to share his
experience and to collaborate in the following missions, thanks to
his deep knowledge of the hills of Córdoba
Youtube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v¼Gh1C1MRHVfQ&t¼1s
4 Ninja cigarette Bombi and his team have to deal with various incipient fires caused
butts by hot cigarette butts in an area of complicated access. The
confrontation is tough, but our friends successfully overcome
another challenge. At the same time, they teach us that starting a fire
in an unauthorized place is forbidden by law. Link Youtube: https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v¼p-ZYf15h1X0&t¼2s
5 Children and the A group of children are playing firefighters just when a fire caused
fire by an unextinguished campfire starts close to the children.
Fortunately, Bombi and his friends will arrive on time to extinguish
the Flame. Together we learn that fire is not child’s play and that,
above all, we must call a specialist
Link Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v¼w7mxfmaw0CY&t¼1s
6 Rally in Argentina The firefighters prepare themselves to work for a new edition of the
Rally in Córdoba. Our friends achieve the objective by avoiding
risks that are not usually taken into account and by providing
information about how to behave and prevent fires in the hills from
happening
Link Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v¼AA-sj3TFgxE
7 The ambush laid by After a fright, Bombi, Sandro, Bola, Verón and Anatoli analyse how
the Flame to deal with difficult situations by reflecting on the importance of
teamwork and organization to face each challenge. They arrive to the
conclusion that we must all help in prevention by taking all the
precautions we have learnt
Link Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v¼Uon-7UQH45k
Source: Cabás and Viale Linares (2010)
Plan of Action Against the Fire: Educational Programme “Bombi, the Firefighter” 35

Córdoba has gone through years of devastating fires. In the last years, it can be
noticed a decreasing trend: with 9800 burned hectares, 2016 is the year with the
smallest surface burned by forest and rural fires. Nevertheless, the task of prevention
should not be considered over at all. Statistics show that there were periods of
increase in the number of fires, like the devastating fire that took place in 2013 at
the area of Calamuchita, where 152 thousand hectares were blazing (a hilly area of
high forest and environmental complexity).
Although the comparison of burned surfaces by year gives relevant information
for making a diagnosis, it does not show a key data: the environmental and economic
impact, since the affected areas take years, or decades, to recover from fires.
The economic costs derived from fires are usually estimated by taking into
account the losses recorded in terms of burned forest resources (natural or planted),
livestock or fodder resources and the costs incurred to extinguish the fire (in relation
to human and technical resources), among others. However, these costs, as a whole,
represent only 10% of the total losses since these estimations do not measure the
recreational or the ecological value caused by the fire (Kopta et al. 2005).
Human beings are responsible for 95–98% of forest fires. In addition, the
members of the community itself are the ones who can prevent these fires from
happening. Educational and prevention actions (physical, cultural and legal)
performed through the educational sessions on fire prevention has proved to be the
adequate path to prevent Córdoba from even more fires.
During these sessions, a great participation of the community (parents, volunteer
firefighters, neighbours, police officers) was recorded; almost 100% of the
participants considered the results of the sessions as positive (excellent, very good,
good). Moreover, the constitution of committees for prevention and early warning of
fires was achieved from the schools, which involved an increased commitment of
adults to organizing themselves so as to contribute to the solution of the problem. In
addition, teacher’s great commitment to deal with the topic was stressed. An
example of this is the percentage (70%) of schools that performed the plays
proposed. On the other hand, a positive evaluation of the distributed materials was
obtained, with an average evaluation of 95% (excellent and very good). All these
indicators show that there is a great interest, willingness and concern of the whole
community in relation to the issue of forest fires. They also reveal that joint actions
among the different social participants can be coordinated so as to have an active role
and, as a whole, to manage the prevention of future hotbeds.

Discussion Questions

1. Which is the importance of cultural prevention in relation to forest fires within the
Integral Plan of Fire Management?
2. In order to change undesirable behaviour in society, different actions from social
marketing are proposed. One of them is education and information. Do you
consider that educating children so as to reach adults is an effective and produc-
tive action to raise social awareness in the community?
36 E. Bianchi and C. Sánchez

3. Throughout the case, attitudes, behaviours and actions of citizens that can
provoke forest fires are described. (a) According to those behaviours, can you
create or define different citizen profiles? (b) For each of the above-defined
profiles, identify their attitudes (positive or negative) and their behaviours (desir-
able/undesirable).
4. Based on question 3, what strategies of social marketing are relevant to imple-
ment: reinforcement, rationalization, induction or confrontation? Why?
5. In your opinion, which profile (question 3) matches the programme “Bombi, the
firefighter”? To which strategy of social change (question 4) corresponds the
programme? Explain.

References
Cabás, P. A., & Viale Linares, F. (2010). Antes que todo se queme. La estrategia comunicacional
del Plan del Manejo del Fuego para Córdoba. V Congreso Latinoamericano de Ciencia
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Greenpeace’s Detox Campaign: Towards
a More Sustainable Textile Industry

José Manuel Ortega-Egea and Nieves García-de-Frutos

Abstract
The apparel industry has been criticized for its unsustainability, with dominant
fashion firms promoting continuous changes in clothing trends, product obsoles-
cence, and ever-increasing consumer purchases. Apparel firms have also been
criticized for using highly pollutant, insecure, and unhealthy production methods,
setting irregular work conditions, and paying exceptionally low wages, among
other unsustainable practices.
Greenpeace’s Detox campaign was a major response to the need for profound
supply- and demand-side sustainability changes in the textile industry. The main
goal of the Detox campaign was to reduce water pollution caused by toxic
chemicals stemming from the global textile industry by targeting and securing
commitment from major clothing brands. This case study draws attention to the
agent/developer (i.e., Greenpeace as an NGO), main targets (brands), and the
scope of the Detox campaign. It will also consider the barriers to and benefits of
the pursued goals, approaches, strategies, marketing actions taken to address
those barriers and benefits, and the societal outcomes and industry consequences.

J. M. Ortega-Egea (*) · N. García-de-Frutos

Department of Economics and Business, University of Almería (ceiA3), Almería, Spain
e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 37

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_4
38 J. M. Ortega-Egea and N. García-de-Frutos

Learning Objectives
1. To gain insight into the hidden unsustainability problems in the clothing
and apparel sectors and current consumer shopping behaviors
2. To discover the process followed by an NGO to best develop an environ-
mentally oriented social marketing campaign
3. To understand how Greenpeace turned the main goal of the Detox cam-
paign into concrete actions
4. To learn about the actual societal and industrial consequences of a social
marketing campaign

Introduction

Excessive and nonconscious consumption contributes to the depletion of natural

resources and waste generation (Thøgersen and Grunert-Beckmann 1997). Unsus-
tainable production patterns can also be linked to local and global environmental
problems such as climate change. The apparel industry is illustrative of such
unsustainability problems, with dominant fashion firms being criticized for
shortening manufacturing and delivery times, promoting continuous changes in
clothing trends, and fostering product obsolescence, thus encouraging ever-
increasing and frequent consumer purchases. Apparel firms have also been criticized
for using highly pollutant, insecure, and unhealthy production methods, setting
irregular work conditions, and paying exceptionally low wages, among other unsus-
tainable social and environmental practices.
The need for profound demand- and supply-side changes has led for-profit and
nonprofit organizations to develop different social marketing campaigns for a more
sustainable future. Greenpeace’s Detox campaign is illustrative of a social marketing
campaign developed by an NGO and targeted at the textile industry. The main goal
of the Detox campaign was to reduce water pollution caused by toxic chemicals
stemming from the global textile industry by targeting and securing commitment
from major clothing brands.
Following the conceptualization of social marketing by Kotler and Lee (2005),
and the approaches and strategies outlined by Santesmases Mestre (1999), this case
study outlines the characteristics and development of Greenpeace’s Detox campaign.
Such a study is done in light of the agent/developer (i.e., Greenpeace as an NGO),
main targets (brands), and scope of the campaign, barriers to and benefits of the
pursued goals, approaches, strategies, and marketing actions taken to address these
barriers and benefits, and the societal outcomes and consequences for the apparel/
fashion industry (McKenzie-Mohr 2011).
Greenpeace’s Detox Campaign: Towards a More Sustainable Textile Industry 39

Agent: Greenpeace

Founded in 1971 as a nonviolent, direct action environmental NGO, Greenpeace has

become one of the most influential and largest sustainability NGOs, with offices in
approximately 50 countries (Greenpeace 2018a). Starting with a direct protest
against a nuclear weapons test, the scope of Greenpeace’s campaigning has
expanded to include environmental issues such as climate change, oceans, forests,
toxic pollution, nuclear power, and sustainable agriculture (Greenpeace 2018b). As
to their methods, in addition to direct action, Greenpeace also employs lobbying,
research, and ecotage (i.e., an environmental sabotage) to achieve its environmental
goals.

The Textile Industry: Unsustainable Trends

The textile and apparel industry includes companies involved in the design, produc-
tion, and distribution of yarn, cloth, and clothing, based on the use of natural or
synthetic raw materials or chemical products. It is a major industry that accounts for
a significant share of the economy and exports in developing countries. In 2016, the
largest exporting countries of textiles and apparel were China and Bangladesh,
representing one of the most important trends in the industry since the 1950s (i.e.,
the shift of textile production for global markets from North America and Western
Europe to Asia). China is currently the premier provider of clothing and footwear in
most Western markets—an illustrative example of economic success in a global
industry that hides environmental degradation in the producing country.
The textile and apparel sectors have been criticized as one of the top polluting
industries, mainly due to the use of persistent hazardous chemicals in the
manufacturing process. Such chemicals can evaporate into the air or be absorbed
through the skin, thus causing serious health problems like cancer. Huge environ-
mental damage is also caused when wastewater (e.g., from dyeing processes) is
dumped directly into rivers (common practice in some Asian countries). In response
to the public visibility of such health and environmental risks, consumers in Western
markets are increasingly becoming concerned about the unsustainable conditions
surrounding the origin and manufacture of textile and apparel products, as well as the
undesirable consequences of excessive and nonconscious clothing purchases (Kim
et al. 2013).

The Detox Campaign

Greenpeace launched the “Detox My Fashion” campaign in July 2011 to expose the
hidden link between the textile manufacturing facilities in Asia and the release of
hazardous chemicals into the environment and to urge the commitment of top
clothing brands to create toxic-free fashion (Greenpeace 2011). According to
Greenpeace (2016), the Detox campaign has secured commitments from
40 J. M. Ortega-Egea and N. García-de-Frutos

76 international clothing brands (e.g., Levi’s, Zara, Benetton, Victoria’s Secret, or

Puma). Leading fashion brands were targeted because of their influence on suppliers,
retailers, and trends in the fashion industry. Such a strategy has triggered political
and policy changes in both Europe and Asia. More recently, Greenpeace has shifted
the focus from detoxing the textile industry brands to slowing fast fashion (i.e.,
slowing the rate at which clothes are made, bought, used, and thrown away) and
excessive consumption.

Targets and Implementation of the Campaign

First Stage
The considerable fragmentation of the textile and clothing industry led to targeting
only sportswear brands. Such brands were viewed as influential players in the
clothing industry, with a dissonance between promoting healthy lifestyles and
lacking the policies and systems to ensure that hazardous chemicals were not
released into the environment during production. It was thus thought that they
were well positioned to lead the shift toward a toxic-free future (e.g., through on-
the-ground action and collaborative policies) (Greenpeace 2011). Connections were
identified between the sportswear brands Adidas, Nike, Puma, Bauer Hockey,
Converse (a Nike brand), and Li (a Chinese brand) with two major polluting
manufacturing plants in China. Nike and Adidas were challenged to champion the
elimination of the release of all hazardous chemicals across their entire supply
chains. In view of the pressures and public activism against Nike and Adidas—a
confrontation strategy (Santesmases Mestre 1999), Puma leaped ahead of these two
competitors and voluntarily committed to comply with the Detox requirements. Such
an offensive strategy saved Puma from being targeted by the Detox campaign while
also becoming a model for the whole industry. Further activism pressure (e.g.,
asking people to redesign the Nike and Adidas logos in a way that truly reflected
their toxic practices and signing Greenpeace’s Detox petition) led to Nike and
Adidas joining Puma in the journey toward toxic-free fashion. Other sportswear
brands and fashion brands followed: Li-Ning, Levi’s, and Burberry, among others.

Second Stage
The next step taken in the Detox campaign was to target fast-fashion retailers. H&M
was identified as the largest clothing company in Greenpeace’s Dirty Laundry
(Greenpeace 2011), with the potential to set the trend for the rest of the fashion
industry. It was criticized for maintaining very low prices at the expense of
manufacturing processes in polluting facilities in China. Greenpeace activists and
supporters exerted pressure on H&M (e.g., by pasting massive “DETOX our water”
and “DETOX the future” stickers onto H&M shop windows or rebranding H&M
stickers and making these viral on social media) once more utilizing a confrontation
strategy (Santesmases Mestre 1999), until the company complied with Greenpeace’s
Detox demands. Other fast-fashion retailers that became targets and ultimately
Greenpeace’s Detox Campaign: Towards a More Sustainable Textile Industry 41

joined the Detox challenge include, among others, C&A, Marks & Spencer, Zara,
Mango, and Primark.
Of note, as of February 2012 (i.e., 7 months into the Detox campaign),
Greenpeace prepared a step-by-step Detox plan (Greenpeace 2012) to aid fashion
companies convert their Detox commitment plans into concrete actions. That is, an
induction strategy was followed and seen appropriate at this point to facilitate
bringing about the desired changes toward a toxic-free fashion production.

Third Stage
More recently, Detox pressures have focused on leading supermarkets such as Lidl
and Aldi (both have committed), as well as outdoor fashion companies such as
Paramo and Gore Fabrics (the maker of GORE-TEX® products)—a major supplier
of membranes and coatings to outdoor brands such as The North Face and Mammut.
These latter pressures are part of the spin-off Detox Outdoors campaign aimed at
urging big outdoor brands to eliminate PFCs (and other hazardous chemicals) from
their products. Even a company like Patagonia®, with a strong commitment to the
adoption and expanding the use of more sustainable materials, has been criticized by
Greenpeace’s Detox campaign. Detox efforts are also being directed at fashion
consumers with the goal of counteracting consumers’ excessive and nonconscious
consumption. The survey “Does shopping make you happy?”, commissioned by
Greenpeace in 2017, found that people buy far more than they need or use and
questioned the “false” idea that shopping makes people happy. Results from this
survey, coupled with segmentation analyses, could be used to devise new reinforce-
ment, induction, rationalization, and confrontation Detox strategies (Santesmases
Mestre 1999), to be targeted at different types of fashion consumers.

Marketing Mix

Product
The objective of the Detox campaign is to change pollutant practices of the textile
industry by urging clothing companies to stop using hazardous chemicals that
contaminate water, not only during the manufacturing process but also every time
garments are washed. Facing individuals against such an ambitious objective may
generate them feelings of powerless. That is, they may feel that they have little to do
to force the giant textile industry to change its hazardous practices. Hence, the first
step for Greenpeace consisted in breaking down this larger objective into smaller and
more reachable goals.
Their first attempt to raise awareness of the environmental problems caused by
the textile industry consisted in the launch of the “Dirty Laundry” report where it
stated: “Brand owners are therefore the best placed to bring about change in the
production of textiles and clothing” (Greenpeace 2011, p. 7). As previously men-
tioned, Greenpeace did not focus on the whole industry, but started targeting
globally recognized brands such as Nike and Adidas.
42 J. M. Ortega-Egea and N. García-de-Frutos

Individuals may also be uncertain about the best way to induce companies to
change. In response to this uncertainty, Greenpeace provided several action plans,
which varied in terms of difficulty. Thus, individuals were encouraged to share
information about the campaign and its events, address pollutant targets and com-
plain about their unethical behavior, participate in different kinds of live protests,
and stop consuming clothes from the targeted brands. This helped individuals to
choose the action best suited to their personal interests. More importantly, the broad
and abstract objective of changing the environmental practices of the textile industry
could become as simple as sharing one petition.

Promotion
The Detox campaign has been active since 2011, but as previously mentioned, it
gradually adapts its specific plans of action and broadens the number of targets.
When a target company finally commits to the NGO’s requirements, new targets are
set. Hence, the main lines of the communication plan have been maintained, such as
the media mix and the main content of the message. However, other parts of the
campaign have undergone several adaptations, such as the language and style of the
message. This is a way to better address the specific type of consumer of each brand
targeted by the campaign. Some important elements in the communication plan of
the Detox campaign are the following:

Message Framing
As mentioned, one of the key features of the Detox campaign is its evolving and
adapting nature. Messages are adapted in order to engage with the specific type of
consumer of each targeted brand. For example, when Greenpeace launched the
Detox campaign to challenge Nike and Adidas, they launched a video that imitated
the advertisements of both brands. The people, music, and actions were similar, but
some elements were added: chemical symbols to represent the hazardous substances
that are released in the water by clothing production. At the end of the video, both
companies are explicitly addressed and urged to detox their production. Since Nike
and Adidas are sport brands, Greenpeace framed it like a challenge and wondered
which company would become the “Detox champion.” Finally, the video combines
the Detox message with a play on words with the slogans of both companies by
asking them whether they are “all in” (Adidas’ slogan: “Adidas is all in”) and
demanding that they “just do it” (Nike’s slogan: “Just do it”).
In contrast, when the NGO addressed children’s clothing companies, such as
Disney and American Apparel, they created the microsite “Little Monsters”
(Greenpeace 2014). The little monsters were depicted as drawings of small ugly
creatures, used to represent hazardous chemical substances such as phthalates or
PFCs. The language used imitated a fairy tale, starting with the “once upon a time”
formula. The images related to this part of the campaign showed children that were
visibly angry or scared because of the little monsters. This report was linked to a
microsite where further information about the problem was provided, using colorful
typography for titles and evoking children’s writing.
Greenpeace’s Detox Campaign: Towards a More Sustainable Textile Industry 43

In addition, other elements of the campaign have been maintained over time.
Perhaps, the most important element is the symbol chosen to represent the Detox
campaign. This is a Chinese character called shui (水), which represents water. The
Chinese ideogram was selected to emphasize the need to clean the water from
polluting chemical substances, especially in China, where the problem is more
serious because of the large number of companies comprising the textile industry.
The shui character is often employed as part of the Detox word, substituting the final
x character. Yet, it is also depicted alone, usually tattooed on activists’ skin. For
example, in the Adidas versus Nike video, the shui symbol can be found as part of
the Detox word in graffiti or a party invitation but also tattooed on people’s skin. In
the little monsters microsite, the shui symbol also appears tattooed on children’s
bodies.
In most of the videos and reports of the Detox campaign, Greenpeace makes an
effort to show citizens how the brands and clothes they purchase every day are linked
to water pollution. In order to do so, they offer images of branded clothes with vivid
colors and then trace the manufacturing process back, showing the factories and the
polluted rivers, all dyed in the same color—i.e., pink. They also show images of
people doing the laundry, in order to connect the whole cycle. Other imagery of the
Detox campaign shows famous models posing in factories or rivers in order to make
the fashion-pollution connection more evident.
There is a combination of rational and emotional appeals. On the rational side,
Greenpeace provides results of laboratory tests on chemical substances and the
harmful effects that each one of these substances may have on human health. This
is to foster cognitive reasoning and information processing. On the other hand, they
also use pictures of environmental degradation, i.e., polluted water, which evoke
negative feelings toward factories and brands. Connecting these images with the
ones of average people doing their laundry helps to enhance feelings of proximity to
the problem, reinforcing negative emotions toward brands.

Media and Formats

The Detox campaign uses different channels and formats to attract the attention of
the companies and the public, but the main media employed to spread their message
is the Internet.

Online On the Internet, the NGO wisely combines the publication of content on
their various websites—i.e., Greenpeace International, national Greenpeace
websites, and microsites—with a very active campaign in different social media,
i.e., Facebook, Twitter, Weibo, Instagram, and YouTube. Greenpeace employs a
variety of formats to provide content in the abovementioned online channels.
Periodic reports offer relevant information about the problem in a detailed and
scientific way, pointing to the main challenges and contributors to the problem but
also manifesting venues for citizen action. Reports also help individuals to keep
track of the achievements of targeted brands and companies. Reports are offered in
pdf format, but the information can also be displayed in a microsite, to allow greater
interactivity—i.e., individuals can automatically share a certain part of the
44 J. M. Ortega-Egea and N. García-de-Frutos

information provided or read more about a certain target. Information about the
campaign is also provided in shorter formats such as blog entries or microblogging
postings. The company also employs richer formats, such as different types of
videos—i.e., animated, documentary, or advertising-like—which have been
launched to briefly inform about the problem and the severity of its consequences
and promote citizen action.

Offline The Detox campaign places a great deal of attention on outdoor elements. In
a guerrilla-marketing tactic, they organize different interventions on targets. They
use elements such as stickers or banners with the symbols of the campaign and place
them in stores owned by those companies that have been previously selected as
targets. The NGO also organizes press conferences, sometimes programming simul-
taneous conferences in different locations. This helps to transmit the idea of the
global reach and level of organization that Greenpeace is able to exhibit. Numerous
news media have echoed some of the most important findings in the Greenpeace
reports and have published news covering their interventions in different stores
around the world. The media also publish the reactions of the companies to the
pressure of the campaign.

Place

Online One important venue for campaign development is the Internet and espe-
cially social media. Given the global nature of the campaign, Greenpeace has
employed social media such as Facebook or Twitter, which are used in many
countries around the world, but they have also turned to more locally known
alternatives, such as Weibo, which is a Chinese social media site and little known
outside of the Asian giant. In social media, Greenpeace and its followers directly
addressed targeted brands and companies in their own fan pages, filling them with
critical messages demanding action. Users also explicitly addressed the targeted
companies by using the “@þname of the company” formula in their messages, to
make sure companies received their notifications (Brunner and DeLuca 2016).

Offline The NGO has carefully selected the locations where to promote the cam-
paign and address specific targets. Most offline actions have been placed in flagship
stores of targeted brands. Such stores tend to be located in the center of large cities,
where many people pass by every day. Hence, the election of these locations is made
in accordance to the relevance of the store for the brand and the visibility of the
protest location. This has occurred in cities around the world, particularly in Europe,
America, and Asia. Protest actions have also been carried out on factories that are the
direct pollutants and supply textiles and garments to the targeted brands, for exam-
ple, in China or Mexico.

Price
Greenpeace aims to convince targeted companies that the costs of changing their
environmental practices are small. To do so, they place emphasis on the high
Greenpeace’s Detox Campaign: Towards a More Sustainable Textile Industry 45

environmental costs caused by their manufacturing practices and highlight the

benefits of changing their policies regarding toxic chemicals. The NGO challenges
companies to become sustainability leaders. Therefore, they are indirectly telling
targeted companies that by complying with their requirements, the companies will
improve their environmental reputation. In fact, Greenpeace publicly praises each
company that committed to detox their products. In addition, the NGO designed a
roadmap on how to improve the environmental conditions of garment manufacturing
and offered it to companies that were committed to the Detox objective. This
collaboration also lowers the costs for companies.
For individuals, the costs of taking action are minimized by offering them
different ways to collaborate. Those more engaged in environmental activism
could take part in the public acts and interventions in stores located around the
world. However, the NGO also offers other options, so individuals do not need to
leave the comfort of their homes to feel they are doing the right thing. Thus, it is
possible to participate in the campaign by merely clicking on a button on the
Greenpeace webpage. For example, in one of their latest microsites “the catwalk
Detox,” the NGO offers the possibility of sharing a prewritten tweet or Facebook
message specifically targeting one of the different companies that have been
analyzed. Hence, the costs of thinking of a message, writing, and posting it are
simplified.

Consequences of the Campaign

Extant studies manifest that brands targeted by the Detox campaign suffered
damages in terms of more negative attitudes toward them and lower intentions of
purchase of their products (Grappi et al. 2017). However, this effect seems to be
moderated by the reaction of the brand itself to the demands of Greenpeace. Thus,
when targeted companies finally comply with the NGO’s requirements, the effects
on attitudes and purchase intention become weaker compared to those brands that
choose to ignore the Detox campaign. Consequently, effects on companies and
brands depend greatly on the response they demonstrate to the NGO’s demands.
At a broader level, several brands, including some of them owned by the biggest
players in the industry, have committed to detox their manufacturing processes and
are taking steps in that direction. An important policy achievement of the Detox
campaign was the banning of the toxic chemical NPE from textile imports to all EU
member states (Greenpeace 2018c).

Conclusion

This case study shows how an ambitious objective, such as changing the practices of
an entire industry, can be effectively addressed by an NGO. In this case,
Greenpeace’s Detox campaign is used as an example of how, by breaking down
46 J. M. Ortega-Egea and N. García-de-Frutos

comprehensive objectives into smaller goals and with an ever-changing campaign,

positive results are possible.

Discussion Questions

1. Critique Greenpeace’s decision to first target sportswear brands in the Detox

campaign. Why not first address counteracting consumers’ unsustainable shop-
ping behavior?
2. Was the selection of the confrontation strategy appropriate? What other strategies
(e.g., reinforcement, induction, or rationalization) could be used, and how?
3. The messages used in the Detox campaign are adapted to the characteristics of
each specific brand target. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this
approach?
4. Think of a different sector (e.g., electronics), and sketch a suitable social market-
ing plan, drawing on the example of the Detox campaign.

Acknowledgments The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Spanish
Ministry of Economy and Science and the European Regional Development Fund -ERDF/
FEDER (National R&D Project ECO2015-66504-P), from the University of Almería (UAL,
ceiA3), and CySOC.

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evaluate brands after an NGO campaign aimed at reducing toxic chemicals in the fashion
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Kim, H., Jung Choo, H., & Yoon, N. (2013). The motivational drivers of fast fashion avoidance.
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 Part II
Social Marketing Cases: Public Health
Going Beyond Downstream Social
Marketing: The Case of “Jamie’s Food
Revolution”

María José Montero-Simó and Rafael A. Araque-Padilla

Abstract
Until the mid-1990s, much of the focus in social marketing was on individual
behaviour change, the so-called downstream social marketing. In recent years,
scholars have proposed a broadening of social marketing’s horizons beyond the
individual to attempt to influence those that help shape the determinants of human
behaviour, namely, the structural and immediate social environment. This broad-
ening highlights the necessity to go upper stream in search of the causes of social
problems (upstream social marketing).
This case study addresses how a more comprehensive social marketing
approach can be applied. To do that, “Jamie’s Food Revolution” campaign is
analysed. This campaign looks for engaging different agents in an attempt to take
into account their role in the change and push governments to improve their food
and nutrition policies. This campaign offers us a good example for examining the
potential of an upper stream social marketing approach to address a social
problem.

M. J. Montero-Simó (*) · R. A. Araque-Padilla

Universidad Loyola Andalucía, Seville, Spain
e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 51

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_5
52 M. J. Montero-Simó and R. A. Araque-Padilla

Learning Objectives
• Differentiate between down and upstream social marketing. Understand
what is meant by moving upstream in social marketing.
• Recognize how important it is for social marketers to think beyond the
individual and to ask themselves what kind of causal behaviours should be
changed.
• Understand that regardless of the person whose behaviour you are trying to
change, the same basic social marketing principles are applied.

Introduction

Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the twenty-
first century. The problem is global and steadily affects many low- and middle-
income countries, particularly in urban settings. The prevalence of childhood obesity
has increased at an alarming rate. According to the World Health Organization
(WHO), the number of overweight or obese infants and young children (aged 0–5
years) has increased from 32 million globally in 1990 to 41 million in 2016. In the
WHO African Region alone, the number of overweight or obese children increased
from four to nine million over the same period. The vast majority of overweight or
obese children live in developing countries, where the rate of increase has been more
than 30% higher than that of developed countries. If current trends continue, the
number of overweight or obese infants and young children will increase globally to
70 million by 2025. Without intervention, obese infants and young children will
likely continue to be obese during childhood, adolescence and adulthood.
Overweight and obese children are likely to stay obese into adulthood and more
likely to develop non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular
diseases, at a younger age. However, overweight and obesity, as well as their related
diseases, are largely preventable. Prevention of childhood obesity therefore needs to
be a high priority. The WHO Member States in the 66th World Health Assembly
have agreed on a voluntary global non-communicable disease target to halt the rise in
diabetes and obesity.
In the case of the UK, the situation is worrisome. Children and adults in the UK
lead the numbers of overweight individuals in Europe: there are seven thousand
amputations a year due to diabetes suffered by three million people. Two out of three
adults are overweight, and one in four adults suffers from obesity. To the point, the
problem is serious enough that different initiatives have recently been launched to try
to remedy the problem of obesity. One of those campaigns constitutes the content of
the case that is presented.
A necessary starting point to understand the case is analysing what typical British
families eat and what is influencing their choice of food and drink. According to The
Food Foundation report (The Food Foundation 2016), typical British families have
Going Beyond Downstream Social Marketing: The Case of “Jamie’s Food Revolution” 53

four members: two adults, a primary school-age child and a secondary school-age
child. These families have a total household income between £37,000 and £52,000,
the middle-income band in the UK in 2013. Approximately 1.5 million families of
four members in the UK have an income at or below this level. Parents in these
typical families are administrators, teachers, health professionals and builders.
Starting with national data sets, primary data collection, secondary sources and
key informant interviews, the cited report outlines three main findings:

1. The diets of typical British families now pose the greatest threat to their health
and survival. None of the UK family members meet all seven dietary standards
that directly protect their health. Two-thirds of their calories come from highly
processed foods, many of which are low in fibre and high in fat, sugar or salt
(HFSS). Adults are eating too much red and processed meat. The diets of children
are particularly concerning: 47% of primary school children’s dietary energy
comes from HFSS foods, 85% of secondary school children are not eating enough
fruit and vegetables, more than 90% are not eating enough fibre, and all are eating
too much sugar. Families are spending nearly one-fifth (18%) of their money on
food, throwing much of the food away (equivalent to six meals per week), and not
receiving value for their money.
2. Many factors in the food environment prevent UK families from eating healthy:
• Food and drink advertising reaches UK family members, including children,
through multiple channels. Adverts for prepared convenience foods and
confectioneries account for 60% of food advertising spend.
• There is an abundance of food conveniently available to UK family members.
The number of places to eat out has increased by more than 50% in the last
10 years, and the single largest category is quick-service restaurants (QSRs),
which typically sell less-healthy meals.
• Promotions cause people to buy one-fifth more than they otherwise would.
Supermarket and eating out promotions are biased towards unhealthy foods.
• Healthy choices within the UK family’s popular product categories are lim-
ited. Only 5% of items in four product lines bought by typical families (ready
meals, breakfast cereals, bread and yoghurts) have low levels of fat, saturated
fats, sugar or salt.
• Labelling is confusing due to inconsistent use of traffic lights, no consistency
in the use of portion sizes, continued use of display until and sell by dates and
inconsistency between nutrient claims and traffic lights.
• School meals offer children protection from all these factors during the school
day and during term time, but uptake is only high among infants for whom the
meals are free.
3. The balance of prices of their food is wrong, tipping them even further towards
unhealthy diets. Healthier foods are three times more expensive than HFSS foods
as a source of dietary energy, and the price difference is growing. QSR meals,
which tend to be less healthy, are £10 cheaper on average than meals in pubs,
restaurants and hotels.
54 M. J. Montero-Simó and R. A. Araque-Padilla

In summary, the children in the UK typical family have very poor diets; one in
three children is overweight and obese, with all the concomitant psychological and
health consequences, and a growing number are even experiencing type 2 diabetes in
adolescence. These children are tomorrow’s parents and the future workforce. If
nothing else, changes in the food system must be done to help ensure that they can
eat more healthily.

Case Development

As a response to the challenges above, Chef Jamie Oliver (of The Naked Chef)
launched a cross-platform campaign called Jamie’s Food Revolution.1 Currently,
the Food Revolution is an ongoing, global campaign of the Jamie Oliver Food
Foundation and its partners at the Good Foundation to provoke debate and inspire
positive, meaningful change in the way we access, consume and understand food.
From food education programmes delivered at a local level to national and interna-
tional campaigns that influence policy on key issues, the campaign aims to revolu-
tionize the way people feed themselves and their families.
The project tries to involve different stakeholders—families, schools, hospitality
industry and policy makers—in a joint effort to discuss the solutions that could
provide children with access to good, fresh, nutritious food for generations to come.
This project has established four main objectives:

1. Food education. Good food education enables people everywhere to develop a

better, more understanding and balanced relationship with food.
2. Nutrition. Ensuring that children have access to good, nutritious food is vital to
helping them grow up to be healthy and happy.
3. Food waste. Globally, we waste enough food to feed the world’s hunger four
times over. Food waste is not only immoral but also unnecessary.
4. Our planet. To sustain nutritious food for now and for the future, we need to care
for the planet that produces it, linking individuals, food and the environment to
create a sustainable, healthy food system on both commercial and domestic
levels.

The Strategy: A Multi-stakeholder Approach

A. Working with Families

The project promotes initiatives at different levels, from education at home to
support for campaigns:

1
All the information about Food Revolution Campaign has been obtained from the following
websites: www.jamiesfoodrevolution.com; www.jamieoliver.com; www.jamiesministryoffood.
com.au and https://timecounts.org/foodfoundation.
Going Beyond Downstream Social Marketing: The Case of “Jamie’s Food Revolution” 55

1. Campaigning for better school food policies and standards. Change can start at
home simply by learning to cook a few nutritious meals and passing those new
skills onto friends and family. For example, the initiative invited families to
obtain downloads such as the ones shown below and to join their “kids’ Food
Truth gang”. Additionally, it is possible to check out Jamie’s Food Revolution
breakfast recipes.
2. Raising awareness through social media, blogging and recipe sharing. For
example, one can sign up and receive all the latest news straight to his/her
inbox and share on social media.
3. Fundraising and supporting Jamie’s projects or starting a new initiative.
4. Choosing something that excites and inspires. Local groups and local
ambassadors should be able to get started and be acquainted with the current
events and campaigns in a local area.
5. Proposing new initiatives. One does not have to just stick to these exact actions. If
people have other ideas or are already working on other initiatives, they are
invited to let the project know.

B. Schools as a Change Agent

Through Jamie Oliver’s Kitchen Garden Project, primary school teachers are
empowered to integrate growing and cooking into the school day. By teaching
children about food, where it comes from, how to cook it and how it affects their
bodies, resources and recipes equip children with the knowledge and confidence to
cook from scratch. The work also extends to secondary schools through Jamie’s
Home Cooking Skills, a BTEC (Business and Technology Education Council)-
accredited programme.
These resources are also available online through the Food for Life schools and
early-year programmes. This means that one can access both programmes’ high-
quality resources for a single subscription, giving even more support to bring food
education to life as well as the support needed to take the first steps to a whole-school
approach to food.
Food for Life is an award programme that provides resources, support and
guidance to help schools and nurseries provide freshly prepared, nutritious lunches,
make lunchtimes a positive part of the day, and give children and parents the
opportunity to learn how to cook, grow food and understand where their food
comes from.
Through the programmes, schools can achieve awards that demonstrate their
commitment to children’s health to the wider world. Schools can work to meet
criteria at the bronze, silver and gold levels, while nurseries and children’s centres
apply for a single tier award.

C. Influencing Food Hospitality

Since 2002, Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant in London has trained more than
164 young adults to become chefs. Today, 80% of graduates are still in the
hospitality industry. Building on this success—and continuing Jamie’s mission to
add more new chefs to the industry—his apprentice programme will now be in
action across all of Jamie’s 46 UK restaurants, including Fifteen London.
56 M. J. Montero-Simó and R. A. Araque-Padilla

The Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group is composed of all Jamie’s restaurant brands:
Jamie’s Italian, Jamie’s Italian International, Barbecoa, Fifteen, Union Jacks, Jamie
Oliver’s Diner, Jamie’s Pizzeria, Jamie’s Deli and The Jamie Oliver Cookery
School. Each brand has its own culture and values based on Jamie’s approach to
life. These brands inspire everything from the way the staff interact with guests and
teammates to how managers develop their staff.

D. In Search of Political Action

In lobbying the UK government to introduce a strong and robust multisectoral
childhood obesity strategy, together with medical experts and professionals, Jamie
Oliver launched a six-point plan to tackle childhood obesity in the UK. He works
with partners all over the world to raise awareness and pressurize governments and
businesses to become serious about making sure children have access to the right
food. This plan details a range of proposed policies, initiatives, incentives and
community-based interventions, which together try to create a powerful tool to
change the way children access and consume food and drink:

1. Sugary Drink Tax: To pressurize the government into bringing a sugary drink
levy. The revenue will be invested in health initiatives and food education.
Recent results from the Carbohydrates and Health Report (Scientific Advisory
Committee on Nutrition (SACN) 2015) show that soft drinks are the largest single
source of sugar consumption for school-age children and teenagers. The sugges-
tion of an introduction of a 20 p levy per litre on all sugary soft drinks could not
only drive down consumption but also raise revenue of up to £1 billion per year.
The UK government should also be encouraging food manufacturers to show
sugar content in teaspoons on their products, with the aim of this labelling to
eventually become mandatory throughout the EU.
2. Sugar Reformulation: Mandatory targets to reduce excessive sugar in all products
and penalties for non-compliance.
A soft drink levy will kick-start the task of reducing childhood obesity levels,
but in the long term, food reformulation is needed. The government must ensure
that all food available for purchase in the UK is as healthy as possible as soon as
possible. A compulsory long-term programme to reformulate all food and drink
products with excessively high levels of sugar must be put in place. A compulsory
strategy must be pursued since the voluntary Responsibility Deal between gov-
ernment and industry, conceived 5 years ago in an attempt to improve public
health, failed. Ultimately, penalties should be imposed on any food companies
that fail to meet the targets.
3. Fair Marketing: A ban on food advertising targeted at children and cutting the
promotion of sugary products.
The affordability and marketing of food need urgent attention, and policies to
reduce the cost of healthy foods are required. Regulations should be put in place
to promote healthier choices and limit the quantity, frequency and amount of time
that food and drinks that are high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) can be promoted.
Going Beyond Downstream Social Marketing: The Case of “Jamie’s Food Revolution” 57

The introduction of a buy-one-get-a-reduction-on-another scheme for healthier

food products should be implemented, and supermarkets should be encouraged to
provide on-premises cooking classes for customers, with government grants for
in-store kitchens. Supermarkets should be incentivized to work more closely with
organizations such as FareShare (which has estimated that food waste could
provide 800 million meals for British people living in poverty) and FoodCycle,
so that nutritious food can be made more available to people on lower incomes.
Restrictions on the types of food businesses allowed to set up near schools
should be put in place to limit the unhealthy choices available to children. The
saturation of HFSS food in corner shops and the checkout aisles of supermarkets
must also be addressed.
4. Clearer Labelling: Mandatory and clear on-pack sugar information, such as
traffic light labelling, in addition to restrictions on portion sizes for confectionary
and sugary drinks.
Both the SACN and WHO have published guidelines recommending that
everyone should consume far less free sugar daily, but current EU-governed
labelling legislation around sugar is not proving adequate. Product labels do not
currently differentiate between the quantity of natural sugar in a product and any
free sugars (sugar found in honey, syrups and fruit juices as well as refined sugar
added to the product by the manufacturers). It is therefore extremely difficult for
consumers to judge how well they are keeping to the SACN and WHO
guidelines. In addition, front-of-pack traffic light labelling should be made
mandatory, and restrictions on portion sizes should be legislated, where
appropriate.
5. School Food: Access to healthy food at school for all children, prioritizing food
education in schools.
The project considers that it is every child’s human right to learn about real
food, where it comes from, how it affects their body and how to cook it. The
ongoing delivery of the actions in the UK government’s School Food Plan is vital
and should be made compulsory for all schools. Free school meals should be
made available to all families, and school food standards must apply to packed
lunches, with guidance from the Department of Health and Change4Life. Other
suggestions include the following. To further build on the success of the School
Food Plan (Ofsted), school inspections must report on how schools ensure
children are eating well and leading active lifestyles. Basic nutritional training
must be embedded in all teachers training, and educational programmes must be
offered to parents, parents-to-be and healthcare workers—particularly doctors,
midwives and health visitors. Out-of-term clubs would be a great opportunity for
children who might otherwise go hungry during the holidays to receive cooking
lessons, using donated food that might otherwise be destined for the landfill.
6. Education: Clear national guides on what nutritious daily meals look like,
practical resources for both parents and teachers and better consistency between
the classroom and home.
Parents should be armed with the tools to help their children be the healthiest
they can be. One way of doing so is by extending the National Child
58 M. J. Montero-Simó and R. A. Araque-Padilla

Measurement Programme (NCMP) in schools. The NCMP currently measures

the weight and height of children in the reception class and again in year
6. Ideally, it should be implemented from preschool years and then annually
throughout primary school so that early signs of obesity can be identified and
preventative measures put in place, where required. It is extremely important that
such a programme is sensitively run so that it does not lead to an increase in eating
disorders among children and young people. Expertise on this matter should be
sought so that the NCMP leads to only positive outcomes for young people.

Conclusions

This case shows us the power and creativity of social marketing to tackle complex
social problems, such as childhood obesity. In these situations, social marketers must
adopt a broader perspective of intervention. They have to be concerned with
changing the social context in which individuals make decisions about their
behaviour, going beyond individuals’ behaviour, “moving upstream” and
recognizing that there will be occasions when this strategy will provide more
effective and efficient social marketing solutions. All levels of intervention are
needed if social marketing is going to move from isolated behaviour change to
ongoing social change (Hastings 2008).
Regardless, upstream social marketing involves the adaptation and application of
marketing and other approaches to change the behaviour of decision makers and
opinion formers, which alters the structural environment and has a resultant positive
influence on social issues (Gordon 2013). One author used a metaphor to illustrate
this broader perspective of intervention in social marketing:

Some bystanders on a riverbank notice a person swept up by the river’s current and clearly in
trouble. One shouts: Why don’t you know how to swim?; a second offers swimming lesson
coupons; and fortunately, a third jumps in and pulls the drowning person out. Over time,
more and more people float down the river in trouble. Researchers take demographic profiles
of these people. The whole effort proves very expensive. Some who are saved end up falling
back in. Eventually there are so many in the river, it is impossible to save them all. Too many
were falling in. The growing group that hung around the river finally got the bright idea that
perhaps they should look upstream to see why so many people were falling into the river in
the first place. Once they got upstream, they found all kinds of signs saying things like: Jump
in. It’s fun. Don’t worry. The endorsers on the ads were attractive role models. The few signs
urging caution could hardly be seen. When these river marketers were criticized, their
answer was that they felt it was the responsibility of each individual to know his/her own
swimming abilities. It was up to the family to teach their kids. Some of the investigators
present agreed and decided to work toward better swimming curricula in the schools and
greater family involvement. But others thought that the real problem was the upstream
environment. They argued that the signs should be taken down and that commercial free
speech was not deserving of the same protection as political speech. Others worked for
counter advertising that might alter the environment. Still others thought that, although the
marketing and advertising environment was a problem, it might be wise to look even further
upstream. They found that there were large parts of the population in specific areas that were
sliding into the river. These were the areas where there was high unemployment, racism, lack
of education and economic opportunity, and limited access to health care. The story
Going Beyond Downstream Social Marketing: The Case of “Jamie’s Food Revolution” 59

concludes with the argument that these latter upstream factors are the ultimate source of
public health problems and that it is critical to link these problems with downstream
conditions. (Goldberg 1995)

Undoubtedly, the more we keep going upstream, the more stakeholders are
involved, the more difficult it is to bring changes and more necessary it is to appeal
to different strategies of action. However, otherwise, a focus on only individuals’
behaviour without paying attention to the causal conditions is not enough to influ-
ence rooted social habits.
Working at different levels implies identifying the key stakeholders and under-
standing how the different factors influencing a social problem are related. In this
line, it is crucial to count on a good analysis of the situation. Jamie’s Food Revolu-
tion project has been supported by scientific reports, such as The Food Foundation
Project, which brings stronger rationales to the proposed strategies.
The wider focus of upstream social marketing requires applying the social
marketing concepts and strategies to different stakeholders, which must be consid-
ered as not only target adopters but also intermediaries in many cases. For example,
the hospitality industry could be a target adopter when a change in their products or
promotion practices is needed to obtain social change; however, at the same time, it
is an intermediary as long as it can play a key role in raising awareness of healthy
food habits in families (e.g. involvement in public campaigns or the use of commu-
nication strategies to inform and educate).
Finally, the design of proposals for decision makers and opinion formers is
usually more controversial than actions trying to change an individual’s habits.
Unfortunately, changing structural causes is not an easy task because there are
diverse intermingled interests. The search for influence upstream requires a long-
term approach, continuous public debates, refining of proposals, searches for the
support of other social agents and a great dose of patience and persistence.

Discussion Questions

1. Explain how Jamie’s Food Revolution project has sought to go upstream in

search of greater effectiveness in social change.
2. How have the basic social marketing strategies been applied to influence the
diverse behaviours to be modified?
3. In your opinion, which key stakeholders (families, schools, industry, govern-
ment) have been the most weakly addressed in the project? Propose some
possible actions for them.

References
Goldberg, M. E. (1995). Social marketing: Are we fiddling while Rome burns? Journal of
Consumer Psychology, 4(4), 347–370.
Gordon, R. (2013). Unlocking the potential of upstream social marketing. European Journal of
Marketing, 47(9), 1525–1547.
60 M. J. Montero-Simó and R. A. Araque-Padilla

Hastings, G. (2008). Social marketing. Why should the devil have all the best tunes? Oxford:
Butterworth-Heinemann (Elsevier).
Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN). (2015). Carbohydrates and health report.
Norwich: The Stationery Office.
The Food Foundation. (2016). FORCE-FED. Does the food system constrict healthy choices for
typical British families? London. https://foodfoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/
The-Food-Foundation-64pp-A4-Landscape-Brochure-AW-V32.pdf
How to Promote Blood Donation? The Case
of the Blood Donor Association of Cantabria
(Spain)

M. Mar. García-De los Salmones and Andrea Pérez

Abstract
The present case study focuses on the application of social marketing principles to
the promotion of blood donation. In this regard, many lives depend on the
availability of safe blood supplies for transfusions and medical procedures, and
the voluntary contribution of people is key to the success of the blood donation
system. Specifically, we introduce the demographic profile of blood donors in
Spain, paying special attention to the younger segment as a relevant target in
promoting donations. We also detail the restraints and motivations that guide
people’s behaviour regarding blood donation. Later, we describe the actions
carried out by the Blood Donor Association of Cantabria (i.e. the main
non-profit association in charge of creating the permanent blood bank in this
geographical region) to promote voluntary donations, paying special attention to
young people and experienced donors. The case study ends with conclusions and
discussion questions.

M. M. García-De los Salmones · A. Pérez (*)

Business Administration Department, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain
e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 61

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_6
62 M. M. García-De los Salmones and A. Pérez

Learning Objectives
– Define the importance of blood donation as a prosocial behaviour.
– Analyse factors influencing donor behaviour.
– Analyse how social marketing can be applied to promote blood donation.
– Describe the actions carried out by the Blood Donor Association of
Cantabria in terms of convenience and communication, specifically
targeted to young people.

Introduction

Blood is necessary for life. For surgery and/or transplants, hospitals require blood to
be successful. Many lives depend on the availability of safe blood supplies for
transfusions and medical procedures (Lemmens et al. 2009). The necessity is
permanent, so the contribution of people is key for a reliable, constant supply and
for satisfying a demand that otherwise could not be met.
There are three main sources for collecting blood (World Health Organization
(WHO) 2017): (a) replacements that come from relatives of the patient, (b) paid
blood donations and (c) voluntary unpaid blood donations. According to the WHO,
the last source is the most important as it is the only system that ensures a reliable
supply of safe blood for patients whose lives depend on it. In fact, the challenge of
the WHO is to get all countries in the world to implement fully voluntary,
non-remunerated blood donations in the short term. In the same vein, the Council
of Europe has presented several reports with measurements to guarantee the self-
sufficiency of the European Community by means of unpaid blood donations.
Although most European countries report collecting blood from 100% (or almost
100%) voluntary, non-remunerated donors (WHO 2017), there are still some
exceptions. For instance, in Germany some organizations offer a reimbursement
for whole-blood donors to cover their expenses. On the contrary, in Spain any type
of payment has been forbidden since 1985, and blood donation constitutes a totally
anonymous, voluntary and free act. The implementation of this non-remunerated
system forces the development of awareness programmes to attract new donors and
retain existing ones; this is where social marketing comes into play.
Furthermore, young people’s attitude towards donating has been recently
identified as a significant challenge to the stability of the voluntary donation system
established in most developed countries. In this regard, the willingness of the
younger age groups to donate is significantly lower than older age groups, while
these older people are entering the age when they need to receive (rather than give)
donations (Solomon 2012). Thus, young prospective donors, with their long-term
donation potential, constitute an especially attractive target for blood collection
agencies (Hupfer 2006). For this reason, the identification and development of
good social marketing campaigns oriented to this group are especially useful.
How to Promote Blood Donation? The Case of the Blood Donor Association of. . . 63

Based on this information, the present case study considers the Spanish context
and analyses the application of social marketing principles to blood donation. In this
regard, Spain maintains record numbers of transplants and organ donations, and its
donation system has been a world leader for the last 26 years (National Transplant
Organization 2017). In the case of blood donation, the Spanish rate has always
remained close to the value recommended by the WHO (i.e. at least 40 donations per
1000 inhabitants to be self-sufficient in national blood supplies). These good results
are supported in a very effective donation system, frequent awareness campaigns
and, above all, much solidarity.
More precisely, the case focuses on presenting the social marketing actions
implemented by the “Asociación-Hermandad de Donantes de Sangre de Cantabria”
[i.e. Blood Donor Association of Cantabria (Spain)]. This association is the main
non-profit organization in charge of creating the permanent blood bank in this
geographical region, and it provides an interesting example of an organization
strongly committed to the promotion of voluntary donations among young donors.
Throughout the case study, the demographic profile of national and regional
donors, as well as motivations and restraints of common people regarding blood
donation, will be shown as a first approximation to the topic. Later in the chapter, the
social marketing actions carried out by the Blood Donor Association of Cantabria
will be described. Specifically, and taking into account the importance of attracting
young people to ensure the replacement of generations, the current case study details
some of the most relevant marketing strategies targeted to this group. Results that
measure the success of the social marketing strategy of the organization will also be
shown. Finally, the chapter ends with the proposition of a set of discussion questions
that will allow the reader to delve more deeply into the work of the Blood Donor
Association of Cantabria, as well as reflect on social marketing and its applicability
to blood donation.

Market Segmentation and Factors Affecting Blood Donation

Market segmentation is defined as the division of a market into distinct subsets of

customers having similar needs and wants, each of which can be reached with a
different marketing mix (Kotler 1994). The advantage of segmentation is that it
allows an organization to tailor a marketing mix to the needs and wants of homoge-
neous subsets of customers that are not shared by the general consumer (Mowen and
Minor 1998).
In the context of blood donations, profiling and segmentation studies indicate that
the majority of donors are male, owing to a higher dropout rate of females, in their
mid-30s (or older), and have higher educational, occupational and income levels
than non-donors (Grant 2010). As shown in Fig. 1, in the Spanish context, people
between 31 and 45 are the most frequent donors (Spanish Federation of Blood
Donors 2017). In Cantabria, there is also a high proportion of donors aged 46 and
over, while younger donors aged 30 and below only represent 23% of the pool of
donors.
64 M. M. García-De los Salmones and A. Pérez

18–30 years 23%

30% 46%
Women
44%
31 – 45 years 41%
40%
54%
Men
46 – 65 years 36% 56%
30%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Cantabria Spain Cantabria Spain

Fig. 1 Demographic profile of blood donors in Spain and Cantabria. Source: Compiled by the
authors on the basis of the 2016 annual reports of the Spanish Federation of Blood Donors and the
Blood Donor Association of Cantabria

Fig. 2 Profile of blood donors in Cantabria according to age. Source: Compiled by the authors on
the basis of the 2013–2016 annual reports of the Blood Donor Association of Cantabria

Focusing on the region of Cantabria, Fig. 2 shows that the donors’ profile
according to age has remained stable during recent years. The youngest segment
represents the smallest percentage of donors, whereas the group aged 46 and over
has usually been the largest. Furthermore, according to the Blood Donor Association
of Cantabria, young people are not very loyal compared to older donors, in the sense
that they do not have the habit of donating regularly. These data confirm the need for
How to Promote Blood Donation? The Case of the Blood Donor Association of. . . 65

raising blood donation awareness among young people, attracting this segment and
making them loyal to this social activity.
In order to design appropriate marketing strategies to attract blood donors in
general, and younger people in particular, it is important to correctly identify the
factors that affect these figures. In this regard, blood donation constitutes a process
that tends to generate fear and aversion, which obviously hinders donation levels
(Beerli-Palacio and Martín-Santana 2008). Specifically, some barriers identified in
previous market research are, among others, fear of needles, fear of feeling dizzy or
sick, pain or discomfort, feeling unpleasant seeing blood, previous negative
experiences, lack of intimacy in the donation act, schedule conflicts and the extrac-
tion location being too far from home (Aldamiz-Echevarría and Aguirre-García
2014). Lack of information, ignorance and being unaware of the need for blood or
other aspects of the donation process have also been consistently identified as
negative factors in potential donor decision-making (Gillespie and Hillyer 2002).
Some of these impediments are psychological issues, which can be difficult to
solve from a marketing point of view. Nonetheless, with a good strategy, acting on
trust, convenience and communication, many of the worries that currently hold back
blood donation can be overcome. For this purpose, the important thing is to reduce
the perceived costs and increase the perceived benefits of donating, placing greater
focus on the positive feelings derived from the act of donating blood (Pentecost et al.
2017). With regard to this, solidarity or altruism has been considered the primary
motivation to donate blood (Beerli-Palacio and Martín-Santana 2008). However,
Misje et al. (2005) point out that the habit of continued blood donation is not
exclusively linked to altruistic reasons but also to a combination of other motives
that include social reasons (such as the influence of friends and family),
strengthening of one’s self-esteem, positive experiences associated with the donation
and moral obligation to donate.
All these issues will be considered in the next sections of the case study, where
the authors analyse the social marketing actions related to the convenience and
communication strategies carried out by the Blood Donor Association of Cantabria
to reach young donors in particular.

Social Marketing in the Blood Donor Association of Cantabria

The Blood Donor Association of Cantabria (www.hdsc.org) is the main non-profit

association in charge of creating the permanent blood bank in this geographical
region. It was created in 1970 with the purpose of “promoting the habits of social
solidarity and contributing to stimulate the altruistic donation”, in order to “totally
and completely cover (with altruistic donations) the needs of blood and plasma of
any health facility in Cantabria”. In December 2016, the association had more than
95,700 members, which represents almost the 20% of the total population of
Cantabria. As reward for its important work, it has been recognized with the highest
regional distinctions for its extraordinary merits, such as the Golden Medal of
66 M. M. García-De los Salmones and A. Pérez

Santander City (2002) and the Golden Medal of the Government of Cantabria
(2005).

Convenience: How to Break the Barrier of the Distance

Convenience or distribution strategy refers to the process of organizing all the blood
donation units. As noted above, possible obstacles to donation could be schedule
conflicts or the extraction location being far from home. In order to overcome these
potential dissuasive barriers and to avoid long displacements of volunteers, the
Blood Donor Association of Cantabria has established a wide network of fixed
and mobile units throughout the region. Specifically, the fixed blood donation centre
is located in the Bank of Blood and Tissues of Cantabria (located at Marqués de
Valdecilla University Hospital in Santander, the capital city of Cantabria). This unit
collected 31.7% of the total blood donations in 2017. The other 69.3% of donations
were collected by the mobile units (Spanish Federation of Blood Donors 2017).
These provide service in various parts of the region, according to a schedule that can
be consulted regularly on the Blood Donor Association website. Furthermore, the
association has established numerous agreements with private companies and other
public institutions to bring blood donation units to their workplaces periodically,
making it easier for employees to donate. In the case of young people, the association
has established an agreement with the University of Cantabria under which mobile
units visit the different university centres regularly (at least three times a year). The
university community is informed of these visits through various channels of internal
communication (i.e. website, intranet, agenda). The association also displays mobile
units in local primary and high schools, where students over 18, teachers and
administrative staff can donate (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3 Mobile units of the Blood Donor Association of Cantabria. Source: www.hdsc.org (2018)
How to Promote Blood Donation? The Case of the Blood Donor Association of. . . 67

Communication: How to Inform and Persuade

When facing its communication strategy to promote donations, the Blood Donor
Association of Cantabria faces two main challenges:

– How to effectively reach different targets (i.e. young donors vs experienced

donors) with diverse motivations, lifestyles and attitudes towards social market-
ing (Hupfer 2006; Solomon 2012)
– How to solve seasonal issues of blood donation (Grant 2010), which can jeopar-
dize the stability of the voluntary donation system in the region

Reaching Different Targets

As far as the first challenge is concerned, it is evident that developing an effective

way to communicate with people as they reach the age to donate is a critical step to
be taken (Solomon 2012) and persuading them to give blood may require specifi-
cally tailored marketing communication (Hupfer 2006). Based on this idea, in recent
years, the Blood Donor Association of Cantabria has started to design specific
communication measures to target the young market segment successfully. Actually,
the association differentiates two targets within the youngest segment: (1) the target
of “potential donors over 18” and (2) the target of “non-donors under 18”. The Blood
Donor Association of Cantabria designs communication activities to both targets,
with a special focus on the “non-donor” segment, which is considered the future of
blood donation worldwide. In this segment, the communication activities focus on
raising awareness among young people who are close to the age of donation.

Communication for Young Donors

The coordinator of all the implemented activities is the Young Donation Network, a
project promoted by the Blood Donor Association of Cantabria that aligns with the
goals of national and international initiatives such as the National Committee of
Young Donors (Spain), the Ibero-American Meetings of Young Donors (interna-
tional) and the International Youth Committee (international), among others. The
project, which was proposed based on the success of a similar initiative carried out in
Catalonia (Spain) (www.donantsdesang.cat), is an educational programme for chil-
dren and young people from ages 6 to 18 to acquire knowledge and values through
the promotion of blood donation and the organization of a specific communication
campaign for the Blood Donor Association. The idea is based on a learning-service
model: “learn by doing service for the community”. First, the students enrolled in the
programme identify a problematic situation in their local community to whose
improvement they want to commit themselves. To alleviate the social problem,
they develop a social project that puts into play their knowledge, skills, attitudes
and values. In the specific case of the Blood Donor Association, the social problem
refers to the shortage of blood donations in Cantabria, for which the students create a
68 M. M. García-De los Salmones and A. Pérez

campaign to promote the donation among society that, the hope is, ends with a
massive blood collection. The programme consists of four stages:

– Stage 1. Training, in which participants learn concepts related to blood,

donations, equality and altruism and acquire knowledge to create their own
communication campaign and raise social awareness.
– Stage 2. Creation of materials, in which the educational centre prepares all the
materials needed for the communication campaign for blood donation. Specifi-
cally, the students work in groups to create logos and slogans to personalize each
campaign, design letters to the families of the centre and the neighbourhood,
create banners, devise gifts for donors, etc.
– Stage 3. Service, in which children and youngsters put into practice all the
knowledge they have learned during the programme. In this stage, they are
responsible for raising awareness in their environment with their communication
activities. Within the service stage are two key moments: before the donation
campaign and the day of the campaign.
– Stage 4. Valuation and acknowledgements. The Blood Donor Association makes
a critical reading of the campaign to generate learning and derive improvements
from the experience. In addition, participants are identified and recognized. In this
sense, recognition is essential to generate commitment and a positive attitude of
these young people towards future donation. Finally, the generated resources are
given visibility. Specifically, and if the materials are sufficient, award
competitions are held with public and media coverage.

Along this line, the role of new communication technologies and social media
among young people also represents a great challenge for the communication of the
Blood Donor Association. Accordingly, the association has a website that was
updated in 2017, on which ample information is displayed such as stories, facts,
figures and the importance of donations. On the website, the entire donation process
is explained in order to overcome the barrier that a lack of information or awareness
about the need for blood represents.
Furthermore, the association is also especially focused on social media as one of
the most effective communication channels for reaching young donors. Specifically,
the Blood Donor Association is present on four social media platforms: Google Plus,
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. It is vital that the association understand social
media as a useful and necessary way of promoting donation. In this regard, sharing
an image with friends and family of one in the process of donating blood is the
simplest and most practical form of promotion. A phrase, a testimony of someone
who has given or received blood, inspires others. As for the content of the posts,
most of them are primarily informative, describing how, where and when users can
donate at the permanent facilities of the association or the mobile units that travel the
region. Emotional messages are also posted through the use of pictures of actual
donors along with encouraging messages to promote blood donation.
Finally, the young segment is also reached through volunteerism. In this regard,
an interesting initiative has been promoted in collaboration with the University of
How to Promote Blood Donation? The Case of the Blood Donor Association of. . . 69

Cantabria that, through its volunteer programme, offers university students the
possibility of collaborating with the association in diverse activities such as the
following: promoting the blood campaigns that are carried out, distributing informa-
tion, helping to organize activities, sharing their testimonies in talks at primary and
high schools and managing the association’s presence on social media and the
Internet.

Communication for Experienced Donors

As far as experienced donors (i.e. those over 30) are concerned, one measure that is
reporting interesting benefits to the Blood Donor Association in terms of promotion
and communication is the Sports and Solidarity Group, which is an open club that
gives an opportunity for all participants to initiative activities. The Sports and
Solidarity Group of Blood Donors of Cantabria has carried out various activities
for the last 5 years. The club is mainly oriented to hiking, although activities have
also been held in spelunking and bicycle rides. Through this club, the association
appeals to the group feeling and to the emotional benefits that being part of a
collective provides its members. To date, the Sports and Solidarity Group has
sponsored more than 50 activities organized by the volunteers themselves, who
promotes the Blood Donor Association by wearing promotional T-shirts of the
association during the group’s activities. A club mascot has also been created: Gotito
(Fig. 4). The Blood Donor Association also participates in solidarity activities with
other associations, such as Limones Solidarios (i.e. Solidarity Lemons), Esclerosis
Múltiple (i.e. Multiple Sclerosis) and Buscando Sonrisas (i.e. Looking for Smiles),

Fig. 4 Gotito. Source: www.hdsc.org (2018)

70 M. M. García-De los Salmones and A. Pérez

Table 1 Conventional media that lend their support to the Blood Donor Association of Cantabria
Radio Cadena Ser (Cantabria), Radio Nacional de España (Cantabria), COPE
(Cantabria), Onda Cero (Cantabria), Onda Cantabria FM, Radio Valle del
Buelna, Radio Camargo, Ser Castro Urdiales, Onda Cero Castro, Castro
Punto Radio, Radio Cantabria Digital, Radio Laredo, Radio Meruelo,
Radio Mix Selaya, Radio Onda Occidental, Radio Santoña, Radio
Torrelavega Ser, Radio Tres Mares, Radio Intereconomía, Radio
Foramontanos, Radio Distinta, Radio Dime, OID Gestiona Radio
Television RTVE (Cantabria), Tele Bahía, Tele Costa, Televisión Reinosa Cable,
Popular TV Santander
Newspapers El Mundo Hoy (Cantabria), El Diario Montañés, Alerta, Gente, En
Santander, Crónica de Cantabria, Ciudad Viva Santander, Jovenmanía,
Faro Cantabria, Cantabria Económica, Valdecilla “La Salud” de Cantabria
Communication EFE, Europa Press
agencies
Source: Blood Donor Association of Cantabria (2014)

while it also takes advantage of national events to make itself known (e.g. World
Book Day, International Human Rights Day and others).
For the market segment of experienced donors, other promotional activities
include the regular publication of the magazine of the Blood Donor Association or
collaboration with conventional media (i.e. TV, radio and newspapers) at the
regional and local levels (Table 1). The magazine is distributed online through the
association website and offline in waiting and consultation rooms at Marqués de
Valdecilla University Hospital, at the blood bank and at the different mobile units
that visit the region (e.g. at social centres, institutes, universities). The magazine is
also available at a number of locations where volunteers are allowed to leave copies.
The magazine is published quarterly and provides information on all the activities
and collaborations in which the association has participated during each period. Each
issue includes a section noting the association’s sponsorship campaigns, whereby
members who regularly donate blood accompany first-time donors to provide
support and alleviate their possible apprehension to the process.

Solving Seasonal Issues

As for the second communication challenge of the Blood Donor Association

(i.e. seasonal blood shortages), it is observed that in Cantabria, as in any other
developed country, blood demand during the summer or Christmas holidays is
usually high due to a greater number of accidents occurring to people who have
got out of their daily routines and are engaging in new or different behaviour.
However, donors may not be motivated during that time because their attention is
diverted to other activities. This suggests an issue of maintaining awareness among
donors of the ongoing need for blood donation (Solomon 2012). Relationship and
services marketing techniques can be used in this context to raise awareness,
overcome ignorance and generate loyalty among donors, as well as to reinforce
How to Promote Blood Donation? The Case of the Blood Donor Association of. . . 71

benefits and demonstrate needs being met among end-users and customers (Grant
2010). Therefore, the communication efforts of the Blood Donor Association of
Cantabria are always intensified during these periods of the year. In this regard, not
only does the association make special appeals through social media, but when there
are specific needs for donations due to blood shortages in Cantabria (or any other
region of the country), the association sends out text messages that donors receive on
their mobile phones, indicating the specific situation that requires help and the
logistics for donating to the specific cause.

Conclusions

Blood is a source of life. Many people depend on the availability of safe blood
supplies. Thus, donation, as a free and voluntary act, should be continually pro-
moted. With regard to this, the case study has focused on the awareness actions
carried out by the Blood Donor Association of Cantabria, paying special attention to
the activities addressed to young people. According to the association, the blood
needs of the Cantabria region have always been met up to now. However, it is
important to keep working to attract new donors and retain existing ones. The
segment of the population under 30 has much potential for growth, so the Blood
Donor Association has designed awareness programmes at schools, activities with
universities and social media communication, among other measures, whose results
are expected to be seen in the short and medium term. With regard to existing
donors, the actions are linked to maintain their commitment, with different actions in
terms of public relations and advertising.

Discussion Questions

– Is there a blood donor association in your area? Describe the initiatives it carries
out to promote blood donation.
– What blood donation figures have been reached in your area in recent years?
Compare them with the figures shown in the case.
– What is the level of involvement of young people in blood donation in your area?
– What are some innovative initiatives that could be designed to improve the
awareness and participation of young people in blood donation?

References
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de sangre y estrategias de marketing para retenerles y atraerles. Revista Latino-Americana de
Enfermagem, 22(3), 467–475.
Beerli-Palacio, A., & Martín-Santana, J. (2008). How to increase blood donation by social market-
ing. International Review of Public Nonprofit Marketing, 12, 253–266.
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Blood Donor Association of Cantabria (2014). Memoria Anual 2014. Cantabria: Blood Donor
Association of Cantabria.
Gillespie, T., & Hillyer, C. (2002). Blood donors and factors impacting the blood donation decision.
Transfusion Medicine Reviews, 16(2), 115–130.
Grant, D. B. (2010). Integration of supply and marketing for a blood service. Management Research
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Hermandad de Donantes de Sangre de Cantabria. (2014). Memoria Anual 2014. Cantabria:
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exploration of the problem with recommendations. Voluntas, 23, 415–433.
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World Health Organization. (2017). Blood safety and availability. Accessed January 25, 2018, from
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The Importance of Social Marketing
in Global Health Emergencies: The Case
of Zika Virus Infection

M. Mercedes Galan-Ladero and M. Angeles Galan-Ladero

Abstract
At the beginning of 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the
infection caused by Zika virus a global health emergency, what triggered alarms
worldwide. Social marketing campaigns had a fundamental role to prevent
transmission, raise awareness, and involve citizens in solving the problem.
In this paper, the application of social marketing in the case of this disease will
be studied in depth. In order to do so, an exploratory study has been conducted.
Images from 47 campaigns launched in 19 countries of the American continent
have been analyzed.
These campaigns are characterized by being designed mainly with illustrative
pictures and simple texts so as to reach the whole population. The message
focuses on providing information about the Zika virus and on catching the
attention of all the population in order to prevent the disease. Different tones
have been used: imperative, informative, interrogative, and alarming (causing
fear). All kinds of media were used to broadcast the message: radio, TV, the press,
billboards, the Internet (websites, YouTube, social networks such as Facebook or
Twitter), and different apps.

M. M. Galan-Ladero (*)
University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
e-mail: [email protected]
M. A. Galan-Ladero
Andalusian Health Service, Almeria, Spain

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 73

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_7
74 M. M. Galan-Ladero and M. A. Galan-Ladero

Learning Objectives
1. To deepen in the role played by social marketing and to learn how it is
applied to the health field not only in general but also specifically in case of
a global health emergency
2. To analyze the consequences a global health emergency caused by a
specific virus can have (demographic, economic, technological, environ-
mental, social, cultural, political, and/or legal consequences)
3. To show the wide variety of social marketing campaigns that can be carried
out by different kinds of organizations, whether national or international
organizations, as well as NGOs, or even firms, in case of a global health
emergency
4. To analyze some social marketing campaigns launched in the case of the
Zika virus health emergency and their different approaches and/or
implementations in several countries
5. To study the population targets of those social marketing campaigns
launched in the case of the Zika virus
6. To deepen in the study of some aspects of those campaigns (messages used,
tone, purpose, etc.)

Introduction

The infection caused by Zika virus, though not a new one,1 gained media attention
and global relevance at the beginning of 2016, when the news of an unusual rise in
the number of babies born with microcephaly that might be Zika-induced in Brazil
was spread (Galan-Ladero and Galan-Ladero 2016).
Alarms triggered when the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the United
States surprised the world with a travel advisory level 2, explicitly warning pregnant
women and women of reproductive age against traveling to certain countries in Latin
America; 1 week later, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Zika a
public health emergency (Forbes 2016).
The quick spread of the virus to new areas, the serious consequences of the
disease (neurological disorders), the lack of information about the virus, the uncer-
tainty about how it gets transmitted and the real scope of the problem (really, how
many people were affected), together with the lack of availability of diagnosis tests
that were considered accurate and reliable, and the fact that there was no vaccine or
specific treatment available nor preventive therapy to protect the most vulnerable
groups (mainly, pregnant women) caused international deep concern at all levels
(health, political, and social).

1
This virus was discovered in 1947 during surveillance studies of jungle yellow fever in rhesus
monkeys in the Zika forest, in Uganda (Red Nacional de Vigilancia Epidemiologica 2016).
The Importance of Social Marketing in Global Health Emergencies: The Case of. . . 75

Nonetheless, Zika virus gained even more media attention worldwide when it was
made public that many elite athletes were thinking about withdrawing from Olympic
Games Rio 2016 over Zika virus fears (some of them actually did cancel their
appearances at the Rio Olympics that summer), what increased concerned and fear
to travel to Latin America (especially to Brazil), and even chaos in some of the
affected areas.
Faced with this certain virus threat, and predicting the (sports and economic)
Olympic Games success might get jeopardized, as well as the image of Brazil as a
country facing an enormous sanitary challenge, several measures were taken, among
them, significant social marketing campaigns that were launched in the country.
But having been declared a global health emergency, measures were also taken at
global level: (1) international measures (it can be highlighted those taken by the
World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with other organizations such
as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United
Development Program (UNDP), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in
the USA, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the
Community of Latin America and Caribbean States (CELAC), the South American
Trade Bloc–Mercado Comun del Sur (MERCOSUR), the Pan American Health
Organization (PAHO), etc.); (2) national measures (especially, in those countries
hit by Zika virus, but also in countries where imported cases of the disease were
detected); and (3) local measures (in the worst hit endemic areas).
Even though media attention is over nowadays and it is not a media issue
anymore, Zika virus epidemic goes on being a risk to the population at a global
level. New cases of people diagnosed with Zika have been reported in new regions
and new countries all over the world (America, the Pacific, Africa, Southeast Asia,
etc.), but it is true that figures have reduced significantly.2 Nonetheless, more than
2000 million people live in places with risk of getting infected (Martinez and
Sarukhan 2017).

Development of the Case

Zika Virus: Description of the Disease

Although at first it was believed that the disease was only Zika-induced by being
bitten by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes (those that also transmit dengue fever,
chikungunya, and yellow fever), other sources of transmission have been confirmed,

2
For example, in Brazil, according to the data provided by the Ministry of Health (Secretaria de
Vigilancia em Saude – Ministerio da Saude 2018), it has gone from 216,207 probable cases of Zika
virus disease registered in 2016 to 17,594 probable cases in 2017. In the first five months of 2018,
2234 probable cases had been registered, of which only 677 had been subsequently confirmed.
76 M. M. Galan-Ladero and M. A. Galan-Ladero

such as vertical transmission (by mothers infected by Zika), blood transfusions, or

sexual contact.
Zika virus infection is a minor clinical profile, characterized by a moderate fever,
maculopapular rash often spreading from the face to the rest of the body, temporary
arthritis or arthralgia (mainly small joints in feet and hands), conjunctival hyperemia
or bilateral conjunctivitis, and other non-specific symptoms such as myalgia, tired-
ness, and cephalea (Red Nacional de Vigilancia Epidemiologica 2016, p. 2).
Asymptomatic infections are common, and it is estimated that only one out of
four people infected with the virus actually have some symptoms (Red Nacional de
Vigilancia Epidemiologica 2016). In general, the disease develops without serious
complications, with low hospitalization rates. Besides, once exposed to the virus,
patients develop long-lasting immunity (Red Nacional de Vigilancia Epidemiologica
2016). That means, it is little dangerous for the general population, and its symptoms
are similar to those of any other infection (fever, general feeling of discomfort, pain),
plus the abovementioned dermatological manifestation. There is no specific treat-
ment, nor vaccine, but it heals spontaneously (De Benito 2016). The only specific
treatment is symptomatic relief and supportive measures for severe cases (Perez and
Chamorro 2018). Incubation period is short,3 but it is enough for a person to travel
anywhere before knowing he or she was infected by the virus, causing the disease to
spread worldwide.

Consequences of Declaring Zika Virus a Global Health Emergency

The consequences of declaring Zika virus a global health emergency have been
different in different countries, both in the short and in the long run. Among the most
relevant ones, we can highlight sociodemographic, economic, technological, envi-
ronmental, political, and legal consequences (Table 1).

Response Plan to the Epidemic of Zika Virus

There were very short-term proposals (very urgent), but also short, medium, and
long-term proposals to respond to the Zika virus epidemic (Table 2).

Social Marketing and Zika Virus

One of the main measures taken to face the Zika epidemic was to raise people
awareness so as to prevent the disease and to get the implication of local
communities in solving the problem. In order to achieve it, social marketing
campaigns have played a decisive role.

3
Between 2 and 7 days (De Benito 2016)
The Importance of Social Marketing in Global Health Emergencies: The Case of. . . 77

Table 1 The most relevant consequences of declaring Zika virus a global health emergency
Consequences Comments
Sociodemographic Decrease in the birth rate in some affected Latin American countriesa
Economic Affected sectors:
Negatively: tourism (international tourism, mainly) and health systems
Positively: research centers, pharmaceuticals, disinsection services,
medical services, biobanks, and other companies
Technological New applications of existing technologies, new methods of biological
control and development of new technologies
Environmental Genetic manipulation of the mosquito (ethical problems)
Effects of fumigations in risk areas and of the greater personal use of
insecticides and repellents
Political—legal Management of the epidemic: effect on the public image of the authorities,
with the corresponding results in the polls
The public health problems derived from Zika have been a major blow to
the health policies of the most affected countries
National responses against the virus in the Americas have revealed
important deficiencies
No new laws have appeared (with prohibitions or mandatory regulations),
but there are declarations of health warning and recommendations to
prevent contagion
Source: Own research, based on Galan-Ladero and Galan-Ladero (2016)
a
Because of the recommendation of the health authorities to avoid pregnancies in those months and
the increasing number of abortions

The global health emergency declared by the WHO in 2016 made us think, from a
social marketing point of view, of what has been done up to now and what is still
being done, what measures have been taken, and what Zika virus campaigns have
been launched up to now or are currently being launched, both at an international and
at a national or local level.
Exploratory research has been done by analyzing 47 campaigns launched in
19 countries within the Americas.

Methodology
Images of the different campaigns have been found by using Google and typing the
key words “campañas virus Zika’/‘campanhas Zika virus’/‘ZIKV campaigns.”
Then, the specific web pages of those campaigns have been visited. Reports from
official sources, informative dossiers from different organizations [WHO, Red
Nacional de Vigilancia Epidemiologica (National Network of Epidemiological Sur-
veillance) in Spain, etc.], and pieces of news published in international newspapers
have been consulted.
Content analysis has been carried out, focusing on the following aspects: message
of the campaign, tone used, purpose, graphic design, country, organization that
promotes it, broadcasting media, and the target audience.
78 M. M. Galan-Ladero and M. A. Galan-Ladero

Table 2 Response plan to the epidemic of Zika virus

Term Solutions
Very short term (very Quickly isolation of the Zika virus (to see its characteristics and know
urgent) the real dimension of the problem)
Strengthening epidemiological surveillance and creation of laboratory
capacity to detect the virus
Making recommendations on the clinical care and follow-up of people
infected with Zika virus
Definition of the priority research areas on Zika virus disease and its
possible complications
New medical protocols to prevent and cure the disease
International collaboration for the generation of knowledge through
R&D for new technologies of diagnosis, treatment and prevention
Sending updated information about the virus to all health personnel in
the region
Short term Vector control
Intensification of personal and population measures for the control of
mosquitoesa
Involvement of local communities in local, regional and national
preparedness and response strategies
Test of new techniques: new applications of existing technologies, new
biological control methods, and innovative technological solutions
Greater collaboration between different sectors (governments,
international organizations, universities, companies, local communities,
etc.), to avoid the lack of coordination and fragmentation of the
preventive measures programs, and for an adequate management of
information
Prevention campaigns
Border controls
Promotion of gender equality and sexual and reproductive health, so that
the response to Zika virus is effective, as well as reducing social
inequality and exclusion to promote health and development
Government aid for families with limited resources to access prevention
or treatment products against the virus
Mechanisms for social protection and health care, suitable for all
affected people (economic subsidies)
Medium term Vaccine
Long term Change of the urbanization model in Latin America: properly structured
cities invest in improvements in water supply and sanitary conditions in
cities
Long-term government aid to assist those affected by microcephaly
(they will require almost exclusive dedication and special medical,
psychological, and educational attention throughout their lives)
Additional financial resources for contingency plans, comprehensive
health services, virus surveillance, etc.
Sources: Chan and Da Silva (2016), De Benito and Sahuquillo (2016), Moneo and Marshall (2016),
Martinez (2016), UNDP (2017), and Periago (2016)
a
For example, clothes to wear, safe use of repellents and insecticides, massive fumigations, water
and waste treatment, elimination of mosquito breeding sites, etc
The Importance of Social Marketing in Global Health Emergencies: The Case of. . . 79

Results
In general, social marketing and campaigns on Zika virus have been different
depending on the country where they were launched, and their effectiveness has
been variable, too. Approaches and strategies have also been different, and
campaigns have evolved over time (differences among the first campaigns and
those launched a few months later can be noticed).
In the Zika virus case, several complementary social marketing approaches have
been used. However, the most common ones are technological and informative
approaches (Table 3).
There have been several target groups (Table 4). For example, WHO has used
mainly an informative approach, focused on two target groups: health authorities and
policy-makers. In those countries directly affected by Zika virus, different informa-
tion has been provided with regard to prevention measures, detecting symptoms, and

Table 3 Complementary social marketing approaches

Approach Characteristics
Legal approach Unlike other diseases, there have been no mandatory laws or regulations
(e.g., prohibition to travel to a certain country), although there are health
warning statements and recommendations that should be followed (e.g.,
avoid pregnancies, avoid standing water in homes and urban areas, avoid
traveling to the affected areas, etc.)
Technological Medical tests have increased and more precise diagnostic tests have been
approach developed for the detection of the virus in clinical laboratories; research has
been intensified to obtain possible vaccines and specific drugs; the
effectiveness of insect repellents has been improved; and banks of semen
have also increased and improved their services to meet the demand for
semen freezing. Genetic engineering has also acquired great importance in
the case of the Zika virus. New techniques have been also tried
Economic Free disinfection services have been provided, and insect repellents have
approach been provided in poor areas, where people had no money to buy them;
contingency plans have been made to address the epidemic; investments
have been made in research and capacity building of clinical laboratories;
epidemiological surveillance has been strengthened; and financial
assistance has been given to affected families. Important amounts have also
been allocated to develop the different campaigns and disseminate it in the
different media
Informative An official website has been created on this disease, news in the media has
approach been generalized, and official information has been provided from the
different involved ministries addressed to the affected local population, as
well as to tourists who have traveled to the areas of risk
For prevention, messages of public health, vector control at the community
level, and to change people’s attitude (active participation in the prevention
and fight against the disease) have been disseminated (UNDP 2017).
Information has also been provided on prevention measures, symptoms,
and differentiation of other diseases
On the other hand, an attempt was made to offer real-time information to
health personnel, as well as new protocols for action
Source: Own elaboration
80 M. M. Galan-Ladero and M. A. Galan-Ladero

Table 4 Targets
Target Measures and actions
Health personnel Recommendations on clinical care and follow-up of people infected with
Zika virus
Active training to learn about the new action protocols to prevent and
cure the disease and to know the new information (especially from WHO
and the national epidemiological surveillance networks)
Dispatch of updated information about the virus to all medical personnel
in the region, especially virologists and pathologists (Colombia),
pediatricians and neurologists (Brazil), and microbiologists (worldwide)
Citizens Awareness, prevention, and involvement campaigns focus on general
population. Aims:
Intensification of personal and household measures for the mosquito
control
Information for immediate defense (habits of mosquitoes, appropriate
clothing, doors and windows closed, mosquito nets, avoiding stagnant
water, do not travel to the affected areas, and postpone trips, etc.).
Safe use of insecticides (to avoid food contamination)
Recommendation of mosquito-resistant repellents
Information campaigns about the Zika virus and recommendations to
prevent infections and identify the symptoms of the disease (and
distinguish it from others with similar symptoms)
Health and public Advice on the control of the vector (mosquito)
authorities Advice on the safe use of insecticides (to avoid food contamination) and
massive fumigations (water and waste treatment) to eliminate mosquito
breeding sites, especially in large cities
Promotion of greater collaboration between different sectors
(governments, international organizations, universities, companies, etc.)
to avoid lack of coordination and fragmentation of prevent measures
programs
Border control
Aid management for the prevention and treatment of affected people
(babies with microcephaly in particular)
Recommendations to promote development programs to improve cities
Dissemination of public health messages
Raise awareness
Source: Own elaboration

how to distinguish this from other diseases. This information has been provided to
medical staff and also to the population in general (pregnant women in particular). In
countries on alert because of possible imported cases (e.g., Spain), there have been
two target groups: medical staff and the common citizen. The flow of communica-
tion has been a key factor for the right information management (to support and
reinforce prevention and response strategies and avoid reactions of exaggerated
alarm)—Martinez and Sarukhan (2017).
Nonetheless, the campaigns analyzed in this research, those broadcast in the most
important mass media, have focused on the potentially affected population. For other
The Importance of Social Marketing in Global Health Emergencies: The Case of. . . 81

target groups, these media have not been used, but just the official informative
channels (e.g., circulars and regulations from different Ministries of Health, techni-
cal journals, educational and informative talks, etc.).
With regard to the social marketing strategies used, complementarity is to be
highlighted, combining, above all, reinforcement and inducement strategies
(Table 5).
Messages are different, but they all focus mainly on (1) providing information on
Zika virus (what it is, features, ways of transmission, symptoms, distinguishing this
from other viruses, etc.); (2) identifying Aedes aegypti mosquito (transmitting
mosquito, of this and other serious illnesses); (3) elimination of hatcheries (removal
of materials); (4) preventing mosquito bites; (5) preventing self-medication; (6) call-
ing for citizen joint action; (7) fight and combat (heroes, victory); and (8) avoiding
rumors.
Different tones have also been used: imperative, informative, interrogative,
alarming (inciting fear), positive (encouraging tone), and/or impressive (feeling
guilty) tones.
Main purposes are preventing the disease, raising awareness, and/or calling for
the mobilization of the citizens.
Campaigns have been promoted by the councils of the affected areas, by
Ministries of Health of several countries, non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
(such as the Red Cross, Save the Children, Ayuda en Accion), international
institutions (lead by WHO: UNICEF, PAHO, etc.), and even enterprises. On many

Table 5 Social marketing strategies

Strategies Characteristics
Reinforcement They aim at people who have a positive attitude toward prevention and carry
out the recommended behavior
For example, remember the measures to be taken to avoid mosquito bites,
reporting the symptoms of the disease (to identify it as soon as possible, avoid
self-medication and go to the doctor, etc.)
Induction They aim at people who have a positive attitude toward prevention and the
recommendations of health authorities, but do not carry them out, for various
reasons (e.g., ignorance, forgetfulness, etc.)
For example, remember the hygiene measures to follow at home (especially in
containers with water that can promote the breeding of mosquitoes) and the
utility of having mosquito nets or windows closed
Rationalization They aim at people who have a negative attitude, even if they finally carry out
the desired behavior
For example, awareness campaigns to inform people why certain behaviors
are recommended (e.g., in trips, home, etc.)
Confrontation They aim at people who have a negative attitude toward prevention and, in
addition, do not carry out the recommended behaviors (e.g., traveling to
affected areas, without taking special precautions)
For example, awareness campaigns to show people the serious consequences
of the disease (alarming campaigns)
Source: Own elaboration
82 M. M. Galan-Ladero and M. A. Galan-Ladero

occasions, the campaign was valid (appropriate) and common for dengue fever,
chikungunya, and Zika since they are all caused by the same mosquito.
They were shown in different media: radio,4 television, the press, billboards, the
Internet (websites, YouTube), social networks (e.g., Facebook, Twitter), and apps.
But also customized information (“door-to-door”)5 and “guerrilla actions” in the
street were used. And with eye-catching designs, explanatory images and pictures
can be highlighted as opposed to written texts so as to reach the population of all
social classes.

Some Criticisms to the Campaigns That Have Been Carried Out so Far
Among the main criticisms to the campaigns carried out up to now, those gathered
by the UNDP (2017) are the ones that stand out:

1. Criticism of the messages launched.

For example, with regard to campaigns to convince women to postpone
pregnancy, it seems that women of the highest socioeconomic status paid more
attention to messages from the public health service. Therefore it has been
affirmed that those messages were addressed to middle and upper classes and
did not have the desired impact on the lower classes, the poorest ones, with no
knowledge nor means to prevent pregnancy.6
2. Criticisms due to public institutions’ contradictory messages.
For example, with regard to sexual transmission of the disease. Contradictions
were found due to cultural and/or religious issues, together with a lack of
guidelines from international organizations on how to deal with pregnancy
when infected by Zika virus (especially when the epidemic broke out).
3. Criticisms to the authorities involved because, in most cases, they just rose
awareness among the population, they warned women against getting pregnant,
and they looked for mosquito outbreaks in the streets. Besides, on some
occasions, especially at the beginning, campaigns were launch separately and
lacked coordination.

4
Radio was the main mean chosen by UNESCO, IFRC, and WHO to develop the joint Zika virus
prevention campaign in Latin America and the Caribbean, in 2016 (because of the proximity to the
population and its low cost). International networks and broadcasting organizations (20,000 radio
stations) transmitted informative and preventive spots against the spread of the virus in four
languages of the region (English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish).
5
For example, in Brazil: 220,000 members of the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force visited houses
in 350 Brazilian cities to explain to the population how to stop mosquito breeding (Martin and De
Oliveira 2016).
6
The fall in the birth rate presents differences according to the socioeconomic level.
The Importance of Social Marketing in Global Health Emergencies: The Case of. . . 83

Conclusions

With regard to Zika virus, social marketing campaigns have played an essential role.
They have been varied, presenting big differences, depending on the country where
they have been launched. Their main features are eye-catching designs, big images
and pictures with short texts in order to reach everyone, and the use of all kinds of
media to spread the information and make it known to all the population. Messages
have mainly focused on providing information on Zika virus, on preventing the
population from getting infected, and on calling for joint action to eliminate
hatcheries. Different tones have been used, from imperative to mere informative
ones, even using fear and public alarm as instruments.
The main criticisms have to do with the lack of coordination, especially at the
beginning, with the socioeconomic approach of the campaigns, with contradictory
messages sent to the population, and with the lack of comprehensive actions
remaining just as campaigns to raise awareness among the population and to look
for mosquito hatcheries in the street.
Even though Zika virus epidemic goes on being a risk for all the population at a
global level, the decrease in the number of cases detected in the Americas, together
with the low incidence rate of the disease in other continents, such as Europe, for
example (with just imported cases, without serious complications), has calmed down
the public opinion, and it is rarely on the news now (its media impact is over).
Although the health staff have been actively trained and go on paying attention to
the possibility of new cases been detected, Zika virus related social marketing
campaigns addressed to citizens are hardly ever visible in the mass media nowadays.
It was a trendy topic and therefore widely broadcast in Latin America’s mass
media in 2017, but nowadays the situation has changed, and there are no longer some
many Zika virus campaigns. Actually, they are really scarce, what makes the
population think the situation is under control, especially in big cities, even if this
is not absolutely true. The limited resources available and the outbreak of new
diseases have overshadowed Zika virus (e.g., in Brazil, in 2018, the main concern
has been yellow fever, and many campaigns on vaccination against it have been
launched to alert the population of the extremely high mortality rate this disease
presents).
Nevertheless, Zika virus campaigns are expected to be resumed in the rainy
season, when mosquitoes proliferate, but not anymore as a specific campaign but
as a general one to prevent mosquito bites, a common campaign to prevent dengue
fever, chikungunya, and Zika.
This virus has brought to light the need to combine effort and resources in a
multidisciplinary way, in order to guarantee faster and more effective responses
against emerging and reemerging diseases (Martinez and Sarukhan 2017).
84 M. M. Galan-Ladero and M. A. Galan-Ladero

Discussion Questions

1. What do you think is the degree of concern about Zika virus at an international
level nowadays?
2. Has any information related to Zika virus been provided in your country? If so,
what kind of information has been provided? Where does the information come
from (e.g., medical sources, governmental sources, the mass media, others)?
3. What social marketing campaigns related to Zika virus have been carried out in
your country? How long did they last or have lasted so far? Is there any one on
nowadays?
4. With regard to Zika virus, do you think Rio 2016 marked a turning point?
5. Assess the main consequences Zika virus has had since it was declared a public
health emergency in 2016 (demographic, economic, social, environmental, cul-
tural, technological, political, legal consequences, or of any other kind).

References
Chan, M., & Da Silva, J. G. (2016). Controlar los mosquitos para detener el zika. El País, 18/02/
2016.
De Benito, E. (2016). La UE desaconseja a las embarazadas viajar a zonas con virus zika. El País,
22/01/2016.
De Benito, E., & Sahuquillo, M. R. (2016). La OMS declara el virus del zika una emergencia
global. El País, 03/02/2016.
Forbes. (2016). Virus Zika, ¿una amenaza económica global? Forbes México. Accessed August
7, 2016, http://www.forbes.com.mx
Galan-Ladero, M. A., & Galan-Ladero, M. M. (2016). El papel del marketing social ante una
emergencia sanitaria internacional. El caso de la infección por virus Zika. 8th International
Congress of Teaching Cases on Public and Nonprofit Marketing. Porto (Portugal).
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combatir el zika. El País, 13/02/2016.
Martinez, M. (2016). La CELAC y Mercosur se coordinan contra el virus zika. El País, 04/02/2016.
Martinez, P., & Sarukhan, A. (2017). El zika, un año después. Planeta Futuro. El País, 30/01/2017.
Moneo, A., & Marshall, M. (2016). Innovación abierta contra el zika. Planeta Futuro. El País,
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Perez, J. A., & Chamorro, S. (2018). Zika virus: An emerging player in the global scenario.
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Red Nacional de Vigilancia Epidemiologica. (2016). Protocolo de vigilancia de la enfermedad por
virus Zika.
Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde – Ministério da Saúde. (2018, May). Monitoramento dos casos
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llegar hasta 18 mil millones de dólares en Latinoamérica y el Caribe. Accessed May 7, 2018,
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html
Social Marketing Applied to HIV/AIDS
Prevention: The Case of a Five-Year
Governmental Response in Portugal

Beatriz Casais, João F. Proença, and Henrique Barros

Abstract
HIV infection has been a concerning health issue prioritised by health govern-
mental institutions that has required the development of public health policies
with an integrated social marketing intervention in an upstream dimension. A
behaviour change strategy should invest in segmented communication for priority
targets, in partnership with multiple stakeholders.
This case explores and discusses the integrated social marketing programme
developed by the Portuguese Ministry of Health to prevent HIV/AIDS in the period
2006–2011 and its long-term evaluation in behaviour change, comparing data from
2005 and 2017. This case shows the initial diagnosis; the social marketing strategy
developed for different targets in partnership with civil society organisations,
following a variety of theoretical frameworks; and effectiveness evaluation in
epidemic outcomes. A guide is provided with questions for discussion.

B. Casais (*)
University of Minho, School of Economics and Management, Braga, Portugal
Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, Barcelos, Portugal
IPAM Porto – Universidade Europeia, Porto, Portugal
e-mail: [email protected]
J. F. Proença
Faculty of Economics, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
ADVANCE/CSG, ISEG, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
e-mail: [email protected]
H. Barros
Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
e-mail: [email protected]

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 85

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_8
86 B. Casais et al.

Learning Objectives
This case study illustrates and discusses a national social marketing interven-
tion in public health policy. The case discusses the application of theoretical
models in the implementation of an innovative social marketing strategy in
HIV/AIDS prevention, considering the specificities of this epidemic in the
infection’s prevalence, stigma and discrimination. Briefly, the case discusses:

– The role of upstream social marketing and partnerships between govern-

mental institutions and non-governmental organisations, in a downstream
level
– Social marketing activities developed by public policy in partnership with
business companies
– The use of targeting orientation in marketing practices
– The integrative marketing mix perspective of a social marketing strategy
– The application of the following social marketing theories: exchange the-
ory, health belief model, protection motivation theory, cognitive disso-
nance and prototype-willingness model
– Celebrity endorsement in social marketing programmes

Introduction

Social marketing is an important strategic tool for public policy. It focuses on

influencing attitude and behaviour change, and public health is one of the fields
where social marketing is mostly applied to (Gordon et al. 2006; Grier and Bryant
2005; Truong 2014). A social marketing strategy should balance the upstream and
downstream levels, considering the importance of a top-down intervention with
policy direction, regulation and educational guidelines (Gordon 2013; MartinKey
and Czaplewski 2017) but also the collaboration with civil society organisations that
develop community-based work, adapt the programme to the specificities of the
target (Milbourne 2009) and use relationship marketing to strengthen trust and self-
confidence in behaviour change (Hastings 2003).
HIV was first diagnosed in 1981 in the United States, and AIDS rapidly became a
worldwide major cause of death. Since 1996, with the discovery of effective
treatment, HIV infection presented a chronic disease course. Because behaviours
associated with the transmission of infection are stereotyped, people living with HIV
have suffered from stigma and discrimination (Merson et al. 2008). This is why HIV
prevention messages have to be adapted to the nature of the epidemic, the commu-
nity and country contexts (Merson et al. 2008) and integrated in a social marketing
strategy that requires audience research, segmenting, the use of marketing mix tools
and the consciousness of competition of unhealthy behaviours in order to get
behaviour change in an exchange process (McDermott et al. 2005). This means
Social Marketing Applied to HIV/AIDS Prevention: The Case of a Five-Year. . . 87

that theories applied to social marketing should be adapted correctly to the specificity
of the desired behaviour change and the context of intervention.
This case study consists of a description and critical analysis of practices that can
help readers understand how social theories can be applied (French et al. 2010) to
HIV/AIDS prevention, an issue with communication constraints that should be
addressed with an intervention adapted to its nature and contextual epidemic situa-
tion (Airhihenbuwa and Obregon 2000).
The evaluation of social marketing effectiveness is an important step of a social
marketing strategy that is regularly forgotten in public policy (Silva and Silva 2012).
The evaluation should analyse the integration of health messages and behaviour
change by the target audiences but should also have a long-term perspective through
monitoring the epidemic evolution (Wymer 2011). This case presents and discusses
the Portuguese governmental social marketing response to HIV/AIDS in the period
2006–2011 and analyses its potential long-term impact following epidemic data
until 2017.

Case Development

The leadership of the Portuguese governmental response to HIV/AIDS was

attributed in the period 2005–2011 to the National Coordination for HIV/AIDS,
under the umbrella of the Ministry of Health. An initial diagnosis was developed
based on reports, epidemic data and the description of previous interventions and
evaluation of their effectiveness. Among other documents, the diagnostic of the
HIV/AIDS epidemic situation in Portugal published in the National Prevention Plan
for HIV/AIDS infection control 2007–2010 was particularly important to identify
the strategic potential for social marketing intervention.

SWOT Analysis

The Portuguese plan for HIV/AIDS 2007–2010 was developed under a situation of
particular challenges. In 2005, Portugal was in an alarming situation of new HIV
diagnosis, within Western European countries context. The National Health Plan
considered fighting HIV and AIDS a priority, since the human, social, financial and
economic implications of the epidemic for individuals and their families, as well as
for society in general, were highly concerning.
In order to conduct a public policy strategy with the vision of preventing new HIV
transmission cases and providing high standards of diagnosis, treatment and social
support in a multisectoral response, there was a particular strategical potential that
enabled a successful social marketing intervention.
88 B. Casais et al.

Strengths

– Financial support from social lotteries, which prevented dependency from the
state budget
– High institutional and cause awareness due to the mass media campaigns devel-
oped and targeted to the general population
– Interrelation with civil society activities through the development of a competi-
tive project’s funding scheme
– Innovative and successful intervention with the population of drug users through
the needle exchange programme in pharmacies

Weaknesses

– Weak scientific data on knowledge, attitudes and behaviours related to

HIV/AIDS
– Absence of effectiveness evaluation reports about communication campaigns
– Development of sporadic interventions, without an established strategy for inter-
vention and control in priority settings
– Absence of specific communication especially targeted to the most vulnerable
populations

Opportunities

– The prevalence of the epidemic was mainly concentrated in specific vulnerable

populations—injection drug users and incarcerated people—and 16.5% of the
heterosexual transmission occurred in migrants from countries with generalised
epidemics. This fact helped identify the target audiences of the social marketing
strategy.
– Residual mother-child transmission.

Threats

– The incidence of HIV infection in Portugal was the second highest in Europe.
– A high rate of non-diagnosed infected people, who did not know their serological
state and may not contribute to prevent the transmission of the virus.
– High levels of misconceptions about HIV transmission and prevention methods
in the community, along with discriminatory attitudes towards people living with
the infection.
– A low rate of consistent condom use and high rates of risky behaviours in the
population.
Social Marketing Applied to HIV/AIDS Prevention: The Case of a Five-Year. . . 89

Partnerships

In order to establish an integrated response, the National Coordination for HIV/AIDS

developed a leadership strategy, involving an inter-ministerial governmental strategy
organised in a National Council. This was materialised with the development of a
national contest in partnership with the Ministries of Health and Education with the
purpose of students creating pedagogical materials for sexual education, under the
supervision of teachers, and its national presentation in a touring exhibition for basic
and secondary schools. Further, the partnership with the Ministry of Labour and ILO
(International Labour Organization) allowed for the creation of a white book for
non-discrimination in the labour context (see Fig. 1).
In international relations, cooperation with developing countries in Africa in
public health strategies had the purpose of preventing the consequent effect of an
epidemic in Portugal due to the phenomena of immigration. Governmental
partnerships in upstream levels also included the development of pilot programmes
for the implementation of rapid tests in health centres supporting drug users and for
needle exchange in prisons.
This case presents a social marketing strategy both with upstream and down-
stream actions developed in partnership with non-governmental institutions. The
funding programme to civil society, called ADIS, was optimised in order to prevent
redundant responses and promote joint efforts between institutions with complimen-
tary activities under the creation of a civil society forum. Also, the upstream
guidelines, policies and campaigns were created based on a continuous involvement
of civil society with community intervention on HIV prevention. As an example, the
process of developing a media campaign started by including a focus group with
(a) targeted people who participated in the brainstorming and pretest phases of
communication campaigns in order to share their ideas and incorporate evidence
in a bottom-up direction and (b) health professionals who contributed to national
therapeutic and support guidelines. The syringe and needle exchange programme
into community pharmacies was maintained, in cooperation with the National
Pharmacy Association.
There were also partnerships with private business. In some cases, sharing costs
in win–win advertising initiatives, such as the promotion of rapid tests that was
co-financed by the pharmaceutical industry. Other cases were developed under the
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) umbrella, such as the contribution of
contents for CSR posters and pamphlets for a national retailer, for example, contents
for the academy of a beauty care brand about safe procedures for hairdressers
without discrimination in services (see Fig. 2).

Segmentation and Targeting

Social marketing involves the process of targeting actions to different audiences,

and, in the case under analysis, mass orientation was replaced by particular attention
to the most vulnerable populations to HIV infection: injection drug users,
90 B. Casais et al.

Fig. 1 Poster developed for prevention in the labour context. Source: with kind permission by
Portuguese National AIDS Coordination
Social Marketing Applied to HIV/AIDS Prevention: The Case of a Five-Year. . . 91

Fig. 2 Technical contents developed for CSR of a retail brand and a beauty care brand. Source:
with kind permission by Portuguese National AIDS Coordination, Sonae and L’Oreal

incarcerated population, migrants and ethnic and sexual minorities, sex workers,
men who have sex with men (MSM), adolescents, women and heterosexual adults,
both in established and casual relationships.
The difference between a mass and a segmented strategy consists on targeting
messages, media and channels used in order to get a more effective behaviour
change. Figure 3 shows an example of a targeted message to pregnant women.
The targeted marketing strategy was controversial, because of the connection of
risky behaviours with vulnerable targets that could emphasise stigma and discrimi-
nation towards those populations. Figure 4 is an example of a particular controversial
campaign, targeting MSM, instead of generalising the risk of infection to the general
population. However, despite the universal risk of transmission, the communication
strategy was focused on targeting different audiences in different risk contexts in
order to increase the risk perception through a better identification with messages.
Instead of targeting the general population with general messages on condom use
or testing or advertising the help line, the segmented strategy developed different
92 B. Casais et al.

Fig. 3 Social advertising campaign targeting pregnant women. Source: with kind permission by
Portuguese National AIDS Coordination

Fig. 4 MSM campaign for stable and casual partners. Source: with kind permission by Portuguese
National AIDS Coordination

interventions for adolescents in schools, adolescents in informal settings,

heterosexuals and MSM, both with stable and casual partners. Behaviour change
activities also targeted migrants in Chinese and Ukrainian communities in Portugal
with adapted contents (see Fig. 5).
Social Marketing Applied to HIV/AIDS Prevention: The Case of a Five-Year. . . 93

Fig. 5 Informational pamphlets in Chinese and Ukrainian. Source: with kind permission by
Portuguese National AIDS Coordination

Social Marketing Mix

A social marketing framework has the focus of promoting behaviour or attitude

change in different target audiences through interconnected social marketing actions
developed in joint partnerships. Exchange theory is an important dimension of that
framework, since it considers the benefits and costs associated with social change, as
well as behavioural competitors. Exchange theory is emphasised in this case with the
social marketing benefit: (a) HIV transmission prevention as a benefit connected
with a healthy life, through condom use and the nonsharing of needles by drug users
or in tattooing; (b) the knowledge of serologic status using the free, rapid and
confidential HIV test for the early-stage diagnosis of infection and prevention of
transmission and infection progress (see Fig. 6 with an HIV detection campaign);
(c) and the promotion of an inclusive and non-discriminating society for people
living with HIV/AIDS.
The cost of that exchange is related with the cost of consistent preventive
behaviours such as condom use (male or female) in sexual intercourses, with the
economic, psychological and social costs it represents; the requirement of HIV
testing after risk behaviours, with the cost of psychological anxiety and social
discomfort of contacting health professionals for that purpose; and the cost of
overcoming the fear of HIV transmission in social contact with people living with
the infection. In order to decrease the price of condoms as social products, there was
a negotiation with the Ministry of Health suppliers and the main national retailers in
order to guarantee the existence of a first-price brand in the market without
neglecting the quality and safe perception.
The free distribution of male and female condoms was intensified in health
institutions, schools and social events, such as music festivals, and a special kit
targeting MSM was produced. Female condoms were distributed in partnership with
94 B. Casais et al.

Fig. 6 Poster promoting the HIV test. Source: with kind permission by Portuguese National AIDS
Coordination

civil society organisations intervening particularly among sex workers, considering

that the product was not available in commercial retailers. As distribution actions,
the availability of sterilised needles free of charge for exchange in pharmacies was
reinforced, and the intervention was introduced in jails. Access to the rapid test was
intensified in intervention community teams, such as in drug users’ support centres.
The communication strategy involves the development of advertising campaigns,
designed with the inclusion of focus groups of targeted audiences—heterosexual
population, MSM, sex workers, young people, pregnant women, drug users and
migrants.
Social Marketing Applied to HIV/AIDS Prevention: The Case of a Five-Year. . . 95

The health belief model and the protection motivation theory (PMT) are disease
prevention models evidenced in this case study due to the intentional use of severity
and threats to provide perceptions of risk and vulnerability to individuals, as well as
self-efficacy to change behaviours with low costs (French et al. 2010). These models
are present in advertisements using fear appeals to show the dangerous consequences
of the disease but also use incentivising appeals to use healthy behaviours by copy-
response of celebrity influencers. The use of copy-response social models follows
the theory of the prototype-willingness model. A good example is the Portuguese
campaign internationally awarded by the Germany government as the best European
public HIV prevention advertising in 2009. The mentioned campaign integrated the
cognitive dissonance theory by showing the five reasons mostly argued not to wear a
condom but at the same time showing the negative faces of the disease, with the
shocking report of an HIV-positive test, therapy adherence and terminal phase of
AIDS with body wounds (see Fig. 7). Cognitive dissonance phenomena occur when
people change their beliefs in order to adapt behaviours. As people commonly find
excuses not to wear a condom, this campaign, acted by public figures, shows that it is

Fig. 7 Campaign ‘5 reasons

not to wear a condom’.
Source: with kind permission
by Portuguese National AIDS
Coordination
96 B. Casais et al.

worth it to wear or use a condom. This campaign was the most remembered in a joint
evaluation in national surveys of five television campaigns developed in the same
year (Casais 2008).
In fact, the value of celebrity endorsement in social marketing is known, espe-
cially in HIV prevention, both for awareness of the social cause and the marketing
positioning of the celebrity brand, besides their conscious role as social influencers
(Casais and Proenca 2012). The use of celebrity endorsement is also present in the
campaign illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8.
Also, other communication strategies were used, such as product placement in a
television fiction series targeted to adolescents through the content guide of a rapid
test procedure in a health service for the main protagonists; public relations, with
consistent participation in television contents, media coverage of institutional
activities and epidemic outcomes discussion; the organisation of national contests
for copywriting and exhibitions in schools; the development and distribution of
merchandising highlighting the red ribbon to promote cause awareness; and the
organisation of a workshop for journalists about technical contents of HIV and a

Fig. 8 ‘Angels’ sex

campaign. Source: with kind
permission by Portuguese
National AIDS Coordination
Social Marketing Applied to HIV/AIDS Prevention: The Case of a Five-Year. . . 97

Fig. 9 Banner in the National Parliament. Source: with kind permission by Portuguese National
AIDS Coordination

special journalism award to promote quality media coverage on the topic. Figure 9
shows outdoor banners in public institutions.

Evaluating Social Marketing Effectiveness

Behaviour change in social marketing should be monitored and evaluated in the

long-term (Wymer 2011). A national barometer was implemented to determine
population knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards HIV/AIDS infection,
although without significant results in the short term. The survey also tried to
evaluate the awareness and acceptance of social advertising campaigns. The results
showed a particular increase in HIV prevention campaigns spontaneous recognition
and a higher suggested awareness for social advertising campaigns with celebrity
endorsers (Casais 2008).
Besides awareness and recognition, as well as the acceptance of communication
messages, the available metrics to evaluate social marketing effectiveness are epi-
demic data outcomes in a long-term perspective. In order to analyse this case in the
long term, epidemic outcomes until 2017 were collected. Table 1 shows the evolu-
tion of newly diagnosed HIV infections in Portugal—rates per 100,000 population
by year of diagnosis—although the results require the attention to notification delay
of the most recent years.
 98

Table 1 Incidence rate by year of diagnosis (rate per 100,000 population—2005–2016)

Country 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Portugal 19.6 21.2 20.6 21.1 19.3 18.2 16.1 15.6 15.1 11.8 11.5 10.0
Source: authors, with data from HIV/AIDS surveillance in Europe 2012, 2015 and 2016 (ECDC and WHO 2013, 2016, 2017)
B. Casais et al.
Social Marketing Applied to HIV/AIDS Prevention: The Case of a Five-Year. . . 99

After the described social marketing strategy, Portugal went from the second
country with highest incidence rate in 2005 to the fifth in 2016 in the same ranking
(ECDC and WHO 2017).

Conclusions

This case study describes the particularities of a social marketing intervention in a

stigmatised public health topic and the successful outcome of adapting social
marketing frameworks directed to a target audience based on the populations most
vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. This case shows integrated social marketing mix activities,
with a particular emphasis on communication, combining incentives and fear
appeals and celebrity endorsements. Finally, the effectiveness of social marketing
policies is analysed with a long-term overview of the epidemic evolution, in terms of
infection incidence. Although HIV infection is decreasing worldwide, responding to
the wide access to treatment and the policies of early diagnosis and treatment, the
observed national outcome might, at least partially, be a consequence of the social
marketing response in the past. The temporal relation favours such an explanation.

Discussion Questions

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a social marketing strategy involv-
ing the partnership of public policy with business companies and other
organisations?
2. What are benefits and risks of a segmented communication to the most vulnerable
populations?
3. What other actions of the social marketing mix would you suggest for this health
public policy strategy?
4. What are the assumptions of exchange theory, health belief model, protection
motivation theory, cognitive dissonance and prototype-willingness model in this
case?
5. Assuming the potential of digital media and the growing attention given to
microcelebrities, who have a social influence in digital social media, what
would you propose to activate behaviour change and generate electronic word
of mouth?
6. What other indicators could be used to evaluate the social marketing effectiveness
of HIV/AIDS prevention?

Acknowledgements Beatriz Casais was the social marketing manager of the Portuguese National
AIDS Coordination during the period the case respects to. João F. Proença gratefully acknowledges
financial support from FCT-Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Portugal), national funding
through research grant UID/SOC/04521/2013. Henrique Barros was the Portuguese National AIDS
Coordinator during the period the case respects to.
100 B. Casais et al.

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II Congresso da CPLP sobre DST e AIDS, Rio de Janeiro.
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theory and practice. New York: Oxford University Press.
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marketing communications approach. Business Horizons, 60(3), 325–333.
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prevention. Lancet, 372(9637), 475–488.
Milbourne, L. (2009). Remodelling the third sector: Advancing collaboration or competition in
community-based initiatives? Journal of Social Policy, 38, 277–297.
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Public and Nonprofit Marketing, 9(2), 153–179.
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Marketing, 1(1), 17–31.
Social Knowledge in Public Health: Case
Study on Substantiating and Instrumenting
the Social Marketing Campaigns
in Romania

Ani Matei and Corina-Georgiana Antonovici

Abstract
Social marketing influences in a relevant manner the process of producing and
disseminating social knowledge, thus asserting attitudes and approaches
according to various objectives of social evolution.
The field literature reveals the fact that for the area of public health, the studies
on social marketing are based both on improvement of specific social knowledge
and strategic approaches for knowledge transfer towards the beneficiaries of
public health policies, transfer designed to have impact on change of attitude
and enhancement of social knowledge level.
The current chapter presents a case study concerning the social marketing
campaign in the area of public health, “NO to randomly taken antibiotics”, in
Romania, aimed to promote adequate antibiotic use by informing the doctors and
nonspecialized public concerning their risk of excessive and wrong use.

A. Matei (*) · C.-G. Antonovici

National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, Bucharest, Romania
e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 101

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_9
102 A. Matei and C.-G. Antonovici

Learning Objectives
This chapter analyses the social marketing campaign in the public health area
“NO to randomly taken antibiotics”, developed by the Ministry of Health in
Romania.
The study has the following objectives:

• Conceiving and developing a framework of analysis for the social market-

ing campaign in the public health area, substantiated on the importance,
role and assertion of social knowledge, concerning the treatment with
antibiotics of the Romanian citizens
• Identifying the types of strategies used in the implementation and delivery
of the campaign in view of reaching its objectives, highlighting the market-
ing mix and the type of informational approach
• Presenting the campaign impact on the improvement of citizens’ health,
change of behaviour and attitude concerning the Romanians’ treatment
with antibiotics for simple diseases, by means of presenting the results of
a questionnaire applied to citizens from Bucharest.

Introduction

Although there is no clear definition, at general level, social knowledge represents

the body of collective knowledge produced by a community. The process of creating
social knowledge involves the different participation of several actors, institutions
and individuals. Thus, social knowledge becomes the outcome of the relationships
and connections between the community members. Social behaviour definitely
depends on the level of social knowledge in a certain community.
Girard and Girard (2011: XV) provide relevant theoretical frameworks “for
improving the understanding of the scientific role of social knowledge in business,
government, or non-profit sectors”.
The theoretical frameworks based on researchers’ outcomes and practitioners’
best practices reveal the diversity and scientific importance of social knowledge,
conceived for using social media in order “to create, transfer, and preserve organi-
zational knowledge—past, present, and future—with a view to achieving the orga-
nizational vision” (Girard and Girard 2011: XIV).
The typology of knowledge as “different ways of knowing about a social issue”
embodies (Bryant 2002):

• Instrumental or expert knowledge—usually created by “experts”. It is perceived

to be, like its creators, objective and systematically developed through “scien-
tific”—usually quantitative—research methods.
Social Knowledge in Public Health: Case Study on Substantiating and. . . 103

• Interactive or lay knowledge—develops from lived experience and is exchanged

among people in their daily lives.
• Critical knowledge, which is reflective knowledge. This knowledge considers the
role of social structures and power relations in reinforcing inequalities and
disempowering people. Critical knowledge considers questions of right and
wrong, analyses existing social conditions and outlines what can be done to
alter social conditions to improve quality of life.

Linking instrumental, interactive and critical knowledge can root policy ideas in
the community within which health promotion programmes and public health policy
are ultimately applied. The solicitation and use of interactive and critical knowledge
are consistent with the principles of health promotion and democracy (Bryant 2002).
Narrowing the debate to the health area, it is necessary to start with Solar and
Irwin’s statement (2010: 4) that “complexity defines health”.
In this context, the series Debates, Policy and Practice, Case Studies of the World
Health Organization (WHO) describes the so-called social determinants of health,
health being understood as a social phenomenon requiring multiple complex action
forms and inter-sectoral policies.
Social knowledge will represent their support and reason, being continuously
associated with learning, innovation or collaborative socialization of knowledge.

Social Marketing as Instrument of Social Knowledge

The field literature debates about “social production of health and disease”,
highlighting three important theoretical approaches:

• Psychosocial approaches
• Social productions of disease/political economy of health
• Eco-social frameworks (Solar and Irwin 2010: 4)

Social marketing in the health area belongs to the third approach.

Social marketing, the use of marketing to design and implement programmes to
promote socially beneficial behavioural change, has grown in popularity and usage
within the public health community (Grier and Bryant 2005).
Social marketing recognizes that what people know, and even people’s attitudes,
do not always impact their actual behaviour.
It seeks to understand people’s motivations and needs, as well as to gain a better
understanding of how the environments in which their actions take place influence
behaviours (ECDC 2014: 5). Knowledge represents a factor influencing their
behaviour.
The objectives of social marketing as instrument of social knowledge in the health
area are described, even indirectly, by the WHO (1998). In this context, public health
activities should:
104 A. Matei and C.-G. Antonovici

• Enable individuals and communities to gain more power over the personal,
socioeconomic and environmental factors that affect their health
• Involve those who are concerned about an issue in all stages of project planning,
implementation and evaluation
• Be guided by a concern for equity and social justice

Achieving such goals will require collaboration between experts and community
members, specifically by drawing upon community members’ knowledge about
their health and well-being. This knowledge should be complemented with critical
analysis of how social and political structures affect health. It is also important to
make explicit the various forces that influence whether different forms of knowledge
are allowed to contribute to the policy development process or not (Bryant 2002).

Case Development

During 2012–2015, according to the statistics of the European Centre for Disease
Prevention and Control, Romania was the second country in Europe (after Greece)
concerning antibiotic consumption per 1000 inhabitants. In the hospitals
participating in the data collection, the prescription of antibiotics seems exaggerated
and/or wrong, while the measures for preventing the infections associated with
medical assistance are insufficient/inefficient (CNEPSS 2017). According to the
Romanian Health Observatory (2017), Romania is the EU Member State with the
highest weight of antibiotic use without medical prescription. The evidence reveals a
high level of resistance to antibiotics in Romania.
High European officials, such as the Director of the European Centre for Disease
Prevention and Control, Dr. Marc Sprenger, have drawn attention since 2014 that
Romania belongs to “the red area”, and the solutions depend to a large extent on the
“political will”.1
The CARMIN study (2015) and the Romanian Health Observatory (2017)
consider the following causes for the above situation:

• Insufficient information and/or wrong mentality of the population concerning the

role, benefits and risks of antibiotics; guides for antibiotic therapy are not suitable
or are ignored.
• Excessive and unjustified use of antibiotics, through excessive prescriptions, both
in hospital and ambulatory, either at the patient’s request or by doctors.
• Facile accessibility to antibiotics, without complying with the regulations.
• Collaboration of pharmaceutical companies with opinion leaders in view to
disseminate messages favouring the excessive use of antibiotics.
• Low number of specialist doctors dedicated to solving the problem.

1
Interview in Medical Life, 21 November 2014. http://www.viata-medicala.ro/Romania-are-unul-
dincele-mai-mari-consumuri-de-antibiotice.html*articleID_9392-dArt.html
Social Knowledge in Public Health: Case Study on Substantiating and. . . 105

The statistics of the Ministry of Health in Romania indicate that more than half of
the antibiotics sold are given on uncompensated prescription or even without
prescription; half of this consumption is not justified, from the medical point of
view. The Ministry of Health considers that the excessive consumption is generated
by patients, distributors and doctors.
In view to support the above-mentioned issues, concerning the citizens’ and
doctors’ behaviour, the Minister of Health in 2016 (Vlad Voiculescu), in a press
conference, asserted: “On the one hand, the patients and their families ask the
doctors or chemists to prescribe or release antibiotics without medical prescription.
On the other hand, the prescribers recommend useless antibiotics for several reasons:
lack of updated medical information, either at the patient’s or his family’s pressure,
persuasion of pharmaceutical companies. (. . .)The above are confirmed by doctors
and chemists”.

Methodology

Research Design In order to achieve our research objectives, within the study, we
used exploratory research. It was performed by means of an exploratory inquiry
among the consumers of antibiotics, in the form of a questionnaire, and by analysing
the social marketing campaign run in Romania, proving that this high consumption
of antibiotics in our country is also the product of social knowledge.

Analysis of the Social Inquiry

Defining the Sample We used the non-probabilistic sampling technique, more

precisely, convenience sampling. The questionnaire was applied to citizens in
Bucharest, capital of Romania, 18 to 80 years of age (the City of Bucharest, in
year 2018, according to the National Statistics Institute, had a population of
2,104,967 inhabitants).

Data Collection The questionnaire initially identified the sex and age of
respondents. It comprised seven questions designed to determine the respondents’
perception concerning the antibiotic consumption, aiming to identify the citizens’
behaviour related to the consumption of drugs and the impact of the campaign
developed by the Ministry of Health.
Data collection took place during the period 25 January–28 February 2018. All
235 online questionnaires were valid.

Results 73.8% of the respondents are female, and 26.2% are male. Concerning the
age, 59.4% of the respondents are 18–30 years of age, 21.8% are 31–40 years of age,
13.7% are 41–50 years of age and 5.1% are over 51 years old.
Concerning the question “Have you consumed antibiotics in the last 5 years?”,
the responses were as follows: 65% of the respondents had consumed based on clear
106 A. Matei and C.-G. Antonovici

Fig. 1 Have you heard about

the campaign of the
authorities: “NO to randomly
taken antibiotics”? Source:
Authors, based on data
obtained from the
questionnaire

indications of a doctor, 24.8% without clear indications from a doctor and 10.3% did
not consume.
At the same time, regarding the question “Have you consumed antibiotics without
a doctor’s prescription in the last year?”, there were 23.5% affirmative answers. For
the question “When you are sick, which is the first action that you do?”, 20.9% of the
respondents mentioned that they were taking the same treatment as the previous
time, without seeing a doctor, 12.8% respondents were doing nothing, 5.1% were
seeking the advice of a friend/parent, while 26.5% were asking the support of a
chemist and only 34.6% were paying a visit to the doctor.
Concerning the question “Do you have antibiotics at home for the time being?
(just in case)”, 52.8% responded affirmative.
Taking into consideration the above answers, we notice that only a small part of
the respondents have a doctor’s advice-centred behaviour, the others were taking
treatment with antibiotics by themselves, sometimes prudently.
We shall analyse the questions related to the impact of the social marketing
campaign “NO to randomly taken antibiotics!” from our questionnaire. For the
question “Would you listen/follow the advice of a social campaign to consume
antibiotics only based on a specialist doctor’s recommendation?”, 78.5% responded
affirmative. For the question “Have you heard about the campaign of the authorities:
“NO to randomly taken antibiotics”?”, 66.2% of the respondents provided negative
responses (see Fig. 1), while for the question related to the influence of that
campaign on their behaviour, 72.5% provided negative responses, 12.9% affirmative
responses, only with the doctor’s recommendation, and14.6% mentioned that they
were going to consume less antibiotics (see Fig. 2).

Analysis of the “NO to Randomly Taken Antibiotics” Campaign

On 18 November 2016, the Ministry of Health launched the awareness campaign on

the risk of useless antibiotic consumption, NO to randomly taken antibiotics,
drawing attention to the fact that Romania is on the top of the European ranking
Social Knowledge in Public Health: Case Study on Substantiating and. . . 107

No

Yes, now I do not consume antibiotics without a doctor`s prescription

Yes, I consume less antibiotics

14,60%
12,90%

72,50%

Fig. 2 Has the “NO to randomly taken antibiotics” campaign influenced your behaviour? Source:
Authors, based on data obtained from the questionnaire

concerning antibiotic consumption (above 90% of antibiotic consumption takes

place outside the hospital, for infections treated at home).
The campaign “NO to randomly taken antibiotics” has aimed to increase the
awareness on the adequate use of antibiotics by informing the doctor and public on
the risk represented by inadequate and abusive use.
The campaign took place in the period 18 November–31 December 2016.
In the framework of the campaign “NO to random taken antibiotics!”, several
informational, educational and support materials were made (video spots, posters,
flyers) for diverse target groups—patients, family doctors, specialist doctors in
hospitals and drug producers, i.e. a combination of “types” and “forms” of
customized interventions for each target segment. There are sets of instruments
and messages for doctors in view to promote the adequate and responsible antibiotic
use, as well as for informing the patients on the risks of resistance to antibiotics.
Analysing the materials of the campaign “NO to randomly taken antibiotics!”, we
notice that it has been based on knowledge development, information to enable
behaviour change and to develop a new behaviour. The campaign addressed a target
group with problematic behaviour, as well as the target group with positive
behaviour, which should be encouraged and supported.
The strategy of the campaign “NO to randomly taken antibiotics!” was an
induction one: the attitudes are positive, but socially desirable behaviour does not
carry them out. The objective of the strategy is to try to induce the accomplishment
of that behaviour (Santesmases 1999). Its actions aimed at education and informa-
tion, in view to discourage the target group from recommending or taking treatment
with antibiotics in useless cases.
In order to reduce the number of the people practicing self-medication, not as
direct result of the campaign, the public authorities in Romania carry out controls in
108 A. Matei and C.-G. Antonovici

pharmacies to check the selling system of antibiotics (based only on prescription)

and “punish” the pharmacies for releasing antibiotics without prescription.
The campaign uses the four Ps (Kotler et al. 2002): product, price, place and
promotion. These key elements of social marketing are central to the planning and
implementation of an integrated marketing strategy (Grier and Bryant 2005: 6.4).
The product, in social marketing, refers to the set of benefits associated with the
desired behaviour or service use. In the field literature, there is a distinction between
the main product (what the people obtain when adopting the behaviour, etc.) and the
genuine product (desired behaviour) (Kotler et al. 2002). In the framework of the
campaign “NO to randomly taken antibiotics!”, the products are intangible—knowl-
edge and information.
The price is represented by the cost of getting information in view to acquire
knowledge to adopt the adequate behaviour related to behaviour change. The cost
comprises intangible prices. It could be psychological (psychical discomfort
associated with behavioural change, fear concerning the safety of treatment and
healing) and social (risk to be perceived differently in the age group).
The place includes the location for developing the campaign but also includes
intermediaries—organizations and people—who could provide information
enabling the change process. The campaign “NO to randomly taken antibiotics!”
has been developed in the places of interest visited usually for medical purpose,
namely, the cabinets of family doctors, hospitals and channels of distribution such as
television, press and website of the ministry.
The promotional activities of the campaign “NO to randomly taken antibiotics!”
include advertisement on television channels, website, Facebook, printed materials
and special events.
The following promotional materials and activities of the campaign “NO to
randomly taken antibiotics!” were designed in view to facilitate the adoption of
the desired behaviour:

• Broadcasting a TVspot, produced under the coordination of the Ministry of

Health.
• Distributing boxes with pseudo-drugs, printed with the label “NO to randomly
taken antibiotics!” and flyers. 12,000 boxes were distributed to family doctors,
13,000 boxes to doctors in hospitals and 25,000 boxes to patients, associations of
students of the faculties of medicine and pharmacy.
• 10,000 posters were displayed in hospitals.
• Organization of the European Antibiotic Awareness Day on 18 November 2016,
on the topic “Developing multidrug resistance to bacteria—severe threat for
patients’ safety and life”, with the motto: “Red code for antibiotics: public
information, careful prescription, rigorous hygiene in hospitals”.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) promotes and
supports the prudent antibiotic use. Since 2008, ECDC coordinates the organization
of the European Antibiotic Awareness Day, an initiative for public health, aimed to
provide a platform and support for the national campaigns in this field. ECDC
Social Knowledge in Public Health: Case Study on Substantiating and. . . 109

Table 1 Trends in the consumption of antibiotics for systemic use in Romania, 2012–2016
(expressed as daily dose defined per 1000 inhabitants per day)
Trends in
antimicrobial Average
consumption, annual change
Country 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2012–2016 2012–2016
Romania 30.4 31.6 31.2 33.3 29.5 0.00
Source: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Summary of the latest data on
antibiotic consumption in the European Union, ESAC-Net surveillance data, November 2017, p. 5

provides a series of materials and instruments of communication (video, posters,

patients’ stories, info graphics, key messages, etc.) in view to develop national
campaigns concerning the danger represented by resistance to antibiotics for the
public health.
The campaign has developed an integrated social marketing strategy, based on
the four P in view to influence the target group behaviour.
The campaign used the informational approach (focused, above all, on persuasive
information) (Santesmases 1999).
Based on the available information, it is quite burdensome to evaluate the
efficiency of the analysed social marketing initiative. It has been also hard to identify
the pertinent information, and we consider that the effects are rather “external” (self-
reporting by respondents). Concluding, we dare to assert that the social marketing
campaign had a positive impact.
In 2016, the statistics of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
ranked Romania the fourth country in Europe (after Greece, Cyprus and France), on
a lower position compared to year 2015, concerning the antibiotic consumption per
1000 inhabitants, but the trend is to decrease the consumption. The evolution of the
consumption of systemic use antibiotics in Romania in the period 2012–2016
(expressed as a daily dose defined per 1000 inhabitants, per day) can be seen in
Table 1.

Conclusions

The social marketing campaign “NO to random taken antibiotics!” has focused both
on the target group behaviour (individual behaviour) and on understanding the
warning from the messages and the social and environmental causes.
For the time being, in Romania, the antibiotic use continues to be excessive. A
major role is played by target group awareness and education on antibiotic consump-
tion, counteracting causes such as insufficient information and/or wrong mentality of
general population concerning the role, benefits and risks of antibiotics; excessive
prescriptions both in hospitals and ambulatory; still easy accessibility to antibiotics;
and infringement of the regulations for releasing them only based on prescriptions.
The future measures refer to surveillance, control and illegal release of antibiotics in
pharmacies (CNEPSS 2017).
110 A. Matei and C.-G. Antonovici

For the future, in view to counteract the above-mentioned causes and to increase
the impact of social marketing campaigns, the cooperation between various actors
(public institutions/authorities, NGOs, companies) should be strengthened. At the
same time, joint actions could have a greater impact.

Discussion Questions

1. Argument the role and importance of social knowledge in the impact of the results
of the social marketing campaigns.
2. In the absence of solid proof of official assessment of the efficiency of the social
marketing campaign “NO to randomly taken antibiotics!”, can we speak of a
“real” positive impact on the population?
3. What other measures meant to counteract causes such as insufficient information/
lack of knowledge of the population, regarding the role, benefits and risks of
antibiotic administration and excessive prescription, would you recommend in
order to rectify this critical situation in Romania? What improvements would you
bring to the measures already taken by Romania?

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Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health:
Bringing People Together for a Cause

Deep Shree, Shiksha Kushwah, and Mahim Sagar

Abstract
Mental health and related issues have lately emerged as a crisis engulfing the
global population. Despite the recent surge in awareness and acknowledgment of
mental health crisis, these problems have received scant attention from low- and
middle-income countries, barriers being lack of funding due to diversion of funds
to existing public health programs, government’s priorities, scarcity of trained
professionals, and the difficulties in delivering mental health-care services in
primary health-care centers.
Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (VIMHANS)
started as a mental health and rehabilitation institution in 1983. But, with sources
of donations drying up, the stigma associated with mental health issues and lack
of interest of the government in mental health-care sector, it is increasingly
becoming difficult to run the organization.
The case examines whether the conscious use of social marketing for aware-
ness and community engagement can result in better performance of the hospital
and help it in garnering the requisite support.

D. Shree (*) · S. Kushwah · M. Sagar

Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, Delhi, India
e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 113

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_10
114 D. Shree et al.

Learning Objectives
1. To gain an insight into the issues associated with running a charitable
mental health-care facility in a developing nation
2. To elucidate the challenges faced in the implementation of social marketing
strategies by charitable organizations in emerging economies
3. To analyze how a charitable organization can leverage the social cause it is
promoting by using a well-designed social marketing campaign
4. To explore how VIMHANS can develop a successful awareness campaign
for making mental health care accessible

Introduction

Mental health and related issues have lately emerged as a crisis engulfing the global
population, which is further accentuated by the extremely low pace of developments
in the field, the stigma associated with it and crippling lack of infrastructure to
facilitate early diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses. Mental health issues are
increasingly becoming common, affecting 20–25% of all people at some time during
their life (Prince et al. 2007).
Although mental illness affects a large population across the globe, people often
tend to ignore this fact. Hence, resulting in a scenario where individuals who can get
this support at an affordable price are denied the much-needed help and support from
the community as well as the medical fraternity. This further generates a vicious
cycle of misinformation, ignorance, and suffering. In addition, in the case of most of
the developing nations, the priority of governments is lopsided toward physical
health, and hence resources are diverted in that direction. In addition, out of the
many individuals (nearly 7.5% in India) who suffer from a mental disorder, a very
small percentage are able to actually afford the treatment.
Hence, to fill this gap in the provision of mental health care, several not-for-profit
organizations have come to the fore. Even these organizations are struggling for
funds, and it seems that spreading awareness about mental illnesses can not only help
in better reporting of problems but will also breathe a new life in these organizations
grappling with the scarcity of funds. Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health and
Neuro Sciences is one such not-for-profit organization working tirelessly toward
providing treatment and care for mental health issues.
Of late, the need for mental health care has led to initiatives from government,
nonprofits, and commercial organizations, but the stigma attached to mental health
problems often nullifies the efforts taken by these institutions. The nongovernment
organizations often find themselves struggling to attract attention and contributions
for their cause.
Starting from 1971, when Kotler and Zaltman coined the term social marketing, it
has continuously been adopted and applied by organizations for bringing in social
Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health: Bringing People Together for a Cause 115

changes. The use of social marketing as a tool for awareness and community
engagement can result in better performance of the nonprofits and help them in
garnering the requisite funds for survival. As these institutions cannot solely depend
on the revenue earned from patients, they need to reach out to masses, make them
aware of the impending dangers of mental illness, and ask them for support so that
the collective voice reaches out to the government and local authorities. There have
been numerous calls for invoking political will, for enhancing advocacy, and for
galvanizing community participation, all with scant improvement in outcomes.
Thus, it becomes now opportune to explore the paradigm of mental health awareness
as a means of combating stigma, enhancing prevention, ensuring early recognition,
and also stimulating simple and practical interventions within the community.
The main aim of VIMHANS is to create awareness for the cause of mental health,
especially cater to the middle-income groups, and to generate enough funds to be
able to subsidize the services at the hospital. This case study provides an overview of
the social marketing initiatives undertaken by VIMHANS by providing a back-
ground of the change agent, i.e., VIMHANS, its competitors, and the barriers faced
by service providers operating in this domain and the social marketing campaign
launched by the hospital to increase awareness about mental health. Increased
awareness will, in turn, lead to behavioral changes toward mental health care, and
above all, it will help in attracting the attention of government for bringing in the
necessary policy changes. It analyzes how the hospital intends to overcome the
social barrier faced by mental illnesses in general, the taboo associated with it, the
financial, and infrastructural issues the hospital has to face by launching a social
marketing campaign with an intention to increase awareness and acceptance of
mental health and related issues.

Mental Health in India: The Tough Reality

Despite the recent surge in awareness and acknowledgment of mental health crisis,
these problems have received scant attention from low- and middle-income
countries, barriers being lack of funding due to diversion of funds to existing public
health programs, government’s priorities, scarcity of trained professionals, and the
difficulties in delivering mental health-care services in primary health-care centers
(Saraceno et al. 2007).
As per the data provided by WHO, it was reported that India has one of the lowest
numbers of mental health-care professionals in the world with only three
psychiatrists per 10 lakh individuals and five psychologists per 10 million
individuals (WHO 2011). The situation has been further worsened by the fact that
owing to the lower number of trained professionals, they are in very high demand
and hence their availability is limited by high-paying hospitals and urban areas,
which leaves most of the rural areas unserved and at the mercy of quacks.
This challenge cannot be dealt with unless there is extensive support from the
community. The community will extend its support and will ultimately channelize
resources in the direction of mental health only when they are aware of mental health
116 D. Shree et al.

issues. Generating health awareness and improving health literacy are two sides of
the same coin; the stigma attached to mental health and the discrimination meted out
to patients is the manifestation of ignorance among the masses (Pinfold 2003).

Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health (VIMHANS): The Social

Change Agent

Inspired by the missionary zeal of Dr. Vidya Sagar, Vidyasagar Institute of Mental
Health and Neuro Sciences (VIMHANS) was started by his family members to pay
homage to him after his demise in 1978. Starting from a paltry sum of US$564 left
by Dr. Vidya Sagar and another US$338 received as donations, this hospital has
slowly emerged as a center of excellence in the much-needed field of mental health
care. Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (VIMHANS) started
as a mental health and rehabilitation institution in 1983. From the original field of
mental health, the hospital has expanded into a multispecialty institute. It offers
outpatient, inpatient, and rehabilitation programs managed with the 40 consultants
and professionals from various mental health disciplines—psychiatry, psychology,
physical rehabilitation (physiotherapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy), spe-
cial educators, integrated arts therapists, and nursing professionals. They run a
21-bedded ICU along with 40 beds for the departments of neurosciences and
orthopedics—looked after by a separate set of consultants, paramedical staffs, and
nursing staffs. VIMHANS has three outreach centers in different parts of North
India. It is the leader for mental health in North India and is the only nongovernment
institute to provide inpatient facilities, approximately 60 beds dedicated, for
individuals diagnosed with moderate to severe mental illness.
The clients come from all over India as well as neighboring countries like
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Bangladesh, UAE, Kenya,
etc. The hospital has updated a range of medical technology and in addition, also has
an active social outlook.
VIMHANS is planning to start several satellite centers in remote areas in few
years, but they are facing several issues as starting new satellite centers entails
several costs such as land buying costs, infrastructure development cost, and cost
of running the hospital. All of this must be done while maintaining its high quality
and low cost. The funding/donations have to increase and also the patient flow; the
only solution seems to be increased awareness of mental health and related issues
among the patients as well as the donors.

The Social Marketing Campaign

Social marketing campaigns are launched to change people’s attitude and behavior
with an intention to bring positive change in the society (Kotler and Roberto 1989).
The social marketing movement which started with a focus on products offered for
bringing in social change has evolved a lot in the last few decades. Researchers now
Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health: Bringing People Together for a Cause 117

agree that the motive of social marketing is not the promotion of an idea as initially
suggested but to influence behavior for achieving a greater good (Andreasen 2004).
Hence, the focus of VIMHANS’s social marketing initiative is to increase awareness
about mental health and thus remove the stigma attached to it so that people start
accepting mental health issues like any other health issue and seek professional
advice for it.
Toward the achievement of this end, VIMHANS has launched a social marketing
campaign for creating impact in by improving the mental well-being of the society as
a whole. The following sections detail out the various components of social market-
ing initiatives of VIMHANS.

Marketing Mix

Not-for-profit organizations need to bring in more creativity in marketing mix

elements as there is very less scope to alter/modify the product/offering to bring it
more attractive to the target audience.

Product
Firstly, the hospital aims to create awareness about various mental health issues.
VIMHANS is not targeting any specific issue or any age group in particular but
intends to make people aware of the various facets of mental health problems.
Also, it might not always be feasible for individuals to identify that someone is
suffering from mental health issues and needs professional advice, hence
VIMHANS works in collaboration with schools to spread awareness starting from
early years, and it also organizes workshops (paid as well as free) for diverse
segments where individuals are encouraged to talk about such issues and offered
guidance on identifying the early diagnostic indicators. This encourages people to
open to these problems thus reducing the stigma attached to it.

Price
VIMHANS is a not-for-profit organization which aims to provide affordable mental
health-care facilities. They need to remain profitable to cover the costs and unlike
other issues of social concern, mental health has not been able to attract funds from
donors or the government. That’s why they have to charge the fee from the patients,
though they also provide free treatment in accordance with government regulations.
A nominal fee is charged for consultation, which might go on for even an hour. The
fee is not dependent on the time spent but is constant for each patient. Despite
increasing costs, the hospital has not been able to increase the consultation fee as the
patients may not be able to afford it. Even this nominal fee charged from patients acts
as a barrier as unlike in developed countries where therapies, consultation, and
medication are covered by insurance, in most of the developing countries, the
insurance companies do not cover the costs even when the patient has to be admitted
for mental illness. Thus, the family has to bear the cost of consultation and treatment,
which might go on for long or even for lifetime in case of mental illness. VIMHANS
118 D. Shree et al.

also collaborates with several other nonprofit organizations for providing a free
consultation. The major sources of earning are income from consultations, from
rents received from outsourced departments and from collaborative agreements with
other organizations.

Place
For a health-care facility, accessibility is one of the most important attributes and
VIMHANS has the benefit in this respect. It is located in one of the prime locations
of Delhi. For the purpose of spreading awareness and reaching out to people, the
hospital organizes several workshops and training programs. Many such outreach
activities are held within the hospital premises itself, while several such programs are
also organized in schools, colleges, refugee settlements, other NGOs, and other
organizations. For example, owing to increased cases of depression and anxiety
among schoolchildren, the hospital has entered into collaborative agreements with
several schools in Delhi wherein counselors from the hospital visit the school and
counsel the students and parents about such issues. In addition, schools are
encouraged to send their students to the hospital wherein they are engaged in
activities like art therapy sessions and movie sessions and get chance to interact
with mentally challenged individuals for increasing awareness and sensitivity
toward mental health issues. Also, its outreach activities are carried out at different
locations within the city and nearby areas, and it is also helping in carrying out
operations in several satellite centers in North India by providing with guidance and
necessary support and expertise. But, the hospital lags behind in online presence. It is
not active on different social media platforms and lacks active communication with
target segments outside the concrete walls. Increased awareness often leads to
increased curiosity, and in today’s digital era, people often tend to turn toward
online portals in search for answers. The absence from social media and other online
platform often results in a communication gap.

Promotion
The focus point of all these social marketing activities is to spread awareness about
mental health and work on reducing the stigma associated with it as all these
activities are undertaken without charging anything from the beneficiaries in most
of the cases.

A. For Children
To spread awareness about mental health in children, the hospital has
collaborated with several schools in Delhi NCR, and they often organize hospital
visits for students and an interactive session with parents. These activities have
opened a new spectrum of pursuing the world of mental health for these young
minds as career options and helped the kids and their families in grasping the fact
that mental health and well-being are as important as physical health and there is
no shame in visiting a mental health-care facility. The hospital is also providing
counseling services and life skill enhancement program for school children for
early detection of academic and behavioral issues.
Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health: Bringing People Together for a Cause 119

B. For Teenagers and Adults

The hospital is providing guidance and counseling to youths struggling with
substance abuse, psychosis, and mood disorders through self-help groups and
family groups. A structured outreach program is also being implemented in
collaboration with another nonprofit Don Bosco since 2006, for international
refugees. Most importantly, the hospital has been organizing awareness
programs for young adults and their family members at India Habitat Centre.
Also, the mental health department of the hospital has started a unique initiative
of interacting with family physicians through continuing medical education
programs, where mental health issues are discussed with physicians as they are
the first point of interaction for most of the patients and are in regular touch with
them. So, if they are well-informed, they may detect issues at an early stage and
can also convince the patient and/or his/her family to visit a mental health-care
facility.
C. For Elderlies
The hospital has been organizing awareness lecture series for “Issues
concerning the Elderly.” The outreach program is a comprehensive program
that goes beyond mental health-care concerns and also includes social and
financial assistance, legal advice, assisted living, and many more. VIMHANS
is also collaborating with Ashiana Group which provides residential facilities for
elderlies for a better quality of life experience. The hospital provides preventive
medical screening, rehabilitation support, training and placement support for
caregivers, specialty medical camps and consultation, etc.

VIMHANS also organizes several paid workshops for awareness and therapy
round the year for interested individuals.

In Pursuance of the Goal

All social marketing initiatives are undertaken with the goal to create impact in the
society by bringing together stakeholders for the cause they intend to pursue. Impact,
in this case, can be defined as “the net effect of an activity on a community and the
well-being of individuals and families. It is outcome-led adaptive thinking and
action taken by businesses, government, social purpose organizations and knowl-
edge creators that contribute in creating a positive, meaningful and sustainable
change for the benefit of society and particularly those at disadvantage as a result
of systemic, long-term problems” (Home | CSI 2016).
Social marketing initiatives can go a long way as an instrument of community
awareness, engagement, intervention, and empowerment. VIMHANS intends to act
as a carrier for creating impact by acting as a catalyst for bringing change and thus
helping the community in combating the menace of mental health issues. The
various steps in impact creation are summarized in Fig. 1.
Hence while taking several initiatives, VIMHANS spreads awareness by
organizing workshops and outreach activities with youths, elderlies, and students
120 D. Shree et al.

Stage 1:
Awareness: Dourish and Bellotti (1992) defined awareness as an understanding of the activities of
others which provides a context for your own activities.

Stage 2:
Engagement: Engagement is defined as a community-wide process by which organizations,
individuals, and institutions are mobilized to identify challenges to propose and execute solutions to
their common concerns (Murphy 2012)

Stage 3:
Intervention: Interventions are designed to influence the knowledge, attitudes, and
behaviors of a defined population (Wandersman and Florin 2003).

Stage 4:
Empowerment: Empowerment involves providing with the means and opportunity to make
decisions and take actions which directly affect the stakeholders (Ginnodo 1997).

Fig. 1 Steps in impact creation. Source: Shree and Sagar (2016)

in schools and colleges and also with the general public. The next phase of response
involves active engagement of different stakeholders including local community for
carrying out initiatives, while recognizing the need to address the challenges faced
by the cause, it also demands interventions from the organization at different levels.
The last phase involves empowering the community so that they are able to carry
forward the cause on their own. Several of the patients, who received treatment from
VIMHANS, have started centers for treatment of mental health issues in different
parts of the country under the guidance received from the hospital.
Awareness of the cause is the only effective way in which one can bring about
mass participation. Hence, any social initiative is successful only when the general
public has some awareness about the cause. Capacity building, preparedness, and
awareness campaigns are key components of a proactive approach. Immediate
family is often the first responder and also the primary caregiver in case of mental
health. If they are properly sensitized about the precautions and preventive actions to
be taken, the damages can be drastically reduced.

Conclusion

Mental health-care institutions suffer from a distinct set of issues in comparison to

health-care institutions engaged in treating patients with physical disorders or
problems. The first and foremost is the stigma attached to mental illness which has
resulted in an extremely low number of patient turnouts even in case of developed
nations with more awareness and better resources at their disposal. Also, owing to
the unique issues faced by them in developing country like India marred with issues
Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health: Bringing People Together for a Cause 121

like malnutrition, high infant, and maternal mortality and other such health issues
affecting its teeming millions, government is siphoning most of its fund toward
physical health, thus pushing mental health further down the priority list. One of the
most fundamental premises of not-for-profit marketing entails marketing the cause
the organization supports rather than just marketing the organization. Even not-for-
profit organizations need revenue for sustenance, and once people are aware of the
cause, they start looking up to the organization for interventions and solutions. The
case of VIMHANS strives to find a solution to such organizations struggling for
funds in developing economies.
Awareness generated from the use of social marketing tools can be very effective
in not only improving the revenue generated which is required for the sustenance of
the hospital, but it also significantly affects community’s attitude toward mental
health-related issues. With rising awareness, it can be expected that early recognition
and access to treatment will follow, as will the adoption of preventive measures. It
can also be expected that with enlarging awareness in a democratic society, advo-
cacy, leveraging of political will, funding, and cross-synergies shall follow. The case
of VIMHANS suggests some interesting methods for spreading awareness among
masses, and these methods have so far helped the hospital in not only increasing
awareness about the cause, i.e., mental health and well-being, but also about the
hospital and its service offerings. It further reiterates that social marketing initiatives
are quintessential for plugging the gaping hole in the mental health-care system.

Discussion Questions

1. Critically analyze the decision of VIMHANS to target all the segments instead of
focusing on one particular segment.
2. Is the strategy of the creation of awareness first and caring for sustenance next an
appropriate one? Why/Why not?
3. What steps should be taken by VIMHANS to improve its social marketing
activities?
4. What changes should be brought in the marketing mix, to make the cause more
appealing to youths?

References
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youth and adolescents. Health Marketing Quarterly, 21(4), 51–75.
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Proceedings of the 1992 ACM conference on computer-supported cooperative work (pp. 107–
114). Toronto: ACM.
Ginnodo, B. (Ed.). (1997). The power of empowerment: What the experts say and 16 actionable
case studies. Arlington Heights, IL: Pride.
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122 D. Shree et al.

Kotler, P., & Roberto, E. L. (1989). Social marketing. Strategies for changing public behavior.
New York: Free Press.
Murphy, F. (Ed.). (2012). Community engagement, organization, and development for public
health practice. New York: Springer.
Pinfold, V. (2003). How can we make mental health education work? Example of successful local
mental health awareness programme challenging stigma and discrimination. London: Rethink
Publications.
Prince, M., Patel, V., Saxena, S., Maj, M., Maselko, J., Phillips, M. R., et al. (2007). No health
without mental health. The Lancet, 370(9590), 859–877.
Saraceno, B., van Ommeren, M., Batniji, R., Cohen, A., Gureje, O., Mahoney, J., et al. (2007).
Barriers to improvement of mental health services in low-income and middle-income countries.
The Lancet, 370(9593), 1164–1174.
Shree, D., & Sagar, M. (2016). Using awareness, engagement and intervention for community
empowerment for creating a public sector brand: A case study of NDRF. [online] thecasecentre.
org. Accessed August 31, 2018, from https://www.thecasecentre.org/educators/products/view?
id¼138811
Wandersman, A., & Florin, P. (2003). Community interventions and effective prevention. Ameri-
can Psychologist, 58(6–7), 441.
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tal_health/about_mentalhealth/en/
How to Encourage the Consumption of Tap
Water: A Case Study on Águas do Porto

Ana J. Almeida, Ana P. Ribeiro, Rute D. Martins, Marisa R. Ferreira,

and João F. Proença

Abstract
This study aims to describe and analyze the social marketing campaign
undertaken by the Portuguese public company AdP—Águas do Porto, E.M.—
since March 2015. This campaign focuses on the incentive of promoting new
habits of drinking water consumption and has been a pioneer in the water
distribution sector, establishing a trend followed by other public companies in
the country.
The AdP case discusses the contribution of social marketing in the changing of
rooted and generalized consumption habits, the benefits of consuming tap water
instead of bottled water for the individual and the society, and the strategy of the
campaign and its linkage to the global city brand “Porto Ponto.”

A. J. Almeida · A. P. Ribeiro · R. D. Martins

Porto Business School, Porto, Portugal
M. R. Ferreira (*)
School of Management and Technology, CIICESI, Porto Polytechnic Institute, Porto, Portugal
e-mail: [email protected]
J. F. Proença
Faculty of Economics, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
ADVANCE/CSG, ISEG, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
e-mail: [email protected]

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 123

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_11
124 A. J. Almeida et al.

Learning Objectives
• To discuss social marketing: concept, stages, consequences
• To verify the real benefits of tap water consumption
• To look behind scenes of the desired behavioral change
• To explain the symbiotic relationship between two brands: Porto and Águas
do Porto

Introduction

AdP—Águas do Porto—is a Portuguese public company founded in October 2006

that was established to replace the Municipal Water and Sanitation Services of the
Porto City Council. Nowadays, AdP focuses mainly on the treatment and supply of
high-quality water to the Porto community and is one of the biggest water suppliers
in the country, having more than 153,821 customers, which is the equivalent of
370,000 inhabitants (Águas do Porto 2016). Please note that the urban area of Porto
has a population of less than two million people and the city itself around 240,000
people.
In the last 20 years, there has been a significant improvement in the water quality
distributed to Portuguese citizens and its distribution process—more people have
access to excellent tap water, which places Portugal at the same level as the most
developed countries in the world (Pordata 2016).
AdP, conscious of, on one hand, the need to rethink their medium-/long-term
strategy and, on the other hand, the inseparability between the organization, the
society, and the environment, introduced in 2014 a new strategy with a redefined
mission, vision, and values. Despite having always contributed to Porto and its
community’s growth, this new strategy focuses on sustainability and social respon-
sibility, with the clear intention of contributing to the global creation of economic
and social value.
As a commodity company, AdP’s new strategy and marketing plan are innova-
tive. The ultimate goal is to transform water, seen as a utility or a commodity, into a
brand. In order to do this, AdP has undertaken a social marketing campaign named
“Beba Água do Porto. É boa todos os dias!” (In English: Drink Porto’s Water. It’s
good every day!) that intends to encourage the consumption of tap water through
behavioral change (Lowe et al. 2015). AdP has reinforced and proved the safety
conditions of tap water consumption to the Portuguese that still prefer to consume
bottled water (and this is a growing consumption). Água do Porto is water of
excellent quality and very healthy since it is balanced in terms of minerals and
diversified, eco-friendly, and available anytime or anywhere in the Porto area (Lowe
et al. 2015). As such, there are only benefits in consuming it: benefits for the
individual, for the society, and for the environment.
How to Encourage the Consumption of Tap Water: A Case Study on Águas do Porto 125

Social Marketing

Social marketing can be considered as (Kotler and Lee 2004) “the use of marketing
techniques and principles to influence a specific public that voluntary accepts,
rejects, modifies or abandons behavior for the benefit of individuals, groups or
society as a whole.” Choosing the right goal for a social marketing campaign is a
critical point, since there is a wide range of possible objectives. We may be trying to
change people’s perspectives, values, actions, or behaviors. Also, when we are
planning a social marketing campaign, it is important to follow many of the same
steps used for traditional products and services (Kotler and Keller 2012). According
to the same authors, the essential steps are:

1. Where are we?

– Define the program focus.
– Identify the campaign purpose.
– Conduct a SWOT analysis.
– Review past and similar efforts.
2. Where do we want to go?
– Select target audiences.
– Set objectives and goals.
– Analyze target audiences and competition.
3. How will we get there?
– Product: design the market offering.
– Price: manage costs of behavior change.
– Distribution: make the product available.
– Communication: create messages and choose media.
4. How will we stay on course?
– Develop a plan for evaluation and monitoring.
– Establish budgets and find funding sources.
– Complete an implementation plan.

The Real Benefits of Tap Water Consumption

Access to drinkable water is a fundamental human right, which is at the heart of a

crisis of scarcity of resources that affects millions of people around the world. Water
is a necessity of life. In this world there are still too many people having to trek miles
every day to fetch their water from the nearest stream, but that is not the case for
European countries such as Portugal, for example. Portuguese are very lucky to live
in a country where clean, safe water is available at the turn of a tap.
So why are Portuguese consuming more and more bottled water if the tap water is
more than safe? Portuguese consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of
health and well-being issues (which is positive), but it means that they consider
bottled water the most natural soft drink and the ideal way to rehydrate as part of a
126 A. J. Almeida et al.

healthy and balanced nutrition. This trend together with signs of economic recovery
has encouraged Portuguese consumers to buy bottled water instead of drinking tap
water. In Porto Council, this national trend is replicated: merely 37.6% of Porto’s
population consumes only tap water (Universidade Católica do Porto 2015), with a
low consumption of tap water opposed to a generalized increase in the consumption
of bottled water. In fact, in Portugal bottled water consumption increased by 6% in
off-trade volume and 4% in off-trade value to stand at sales of 898 million liters and
226 million euros in 2016 and looks set to continue to see an interesting performance
over the 2016–2021 forecast period (Euromonitor International 2017).
The domestic consumption of bottled water leads us to one of the great mysteries
of capitalism: the packaging and sale or purchase of products for which we already
have free access—“manufactured demand” (Queiroz et al. 2012). The consumerism
generalization and advertising are pointed out as the reason for the purchase,
sometimes at high prices, of branded water, although this is not always synonymous
with superior quality (Queiroz et al. 2012). Capitalism, marketing, fashion, and the
cultural, economic, and political trends greatly encourage the consumption of bottled
water (Royte 2011). Bottled water has become a status symbol, which communicates
a lifestyle and conveys feelings of belonging to a real or desired group (Queiroz et al.
2012). A Portuguese family of four, for example, who consumes tap water daily,
spends around 2.50 € a year, while if it consumes bottled water will spend around
590.00 € a year. Tap water is 450 times cheaper than bottled water (Queiroz et al.
2012).
However, we are not suggesting that drinking bottled water is always a bad idea.
For instance, when a flood or a broken pipe interrupts the local water supply, bottled
water can be a literal lifesaver. Similarly, if you are out at a concert or a ball game
and you need to buy a drink, choosing a bottle of water instead of a bottle of soda is
definitely the right choice for your health. However, when you have a choice
between bottled water and tap water, either filtered or unfiltered, drinking from the
tap is a better choice for your wallet and for the planet since there is no evidence
bottled water is better for us, and it actually might be less safe than tap water. There
are a lot of myths related to tap water and bottled water. Here are the top three
debunked myths (Torres 2018):

1. Is bottled water better than tap water?

Thanks to decades of myth-building, the common belief is that bottled water is
better than tap water. This is not true. In Western Europe about 99% of public tap
water is potable (drinkable according to EU and WHO guidelines). The only
drawback in some places is poor taste and smell, mainly due to hardness,
minerals, and higher concentration of chlorine (used for disinfection purposes).
There is no scientific proof that bottled water is healthier than tap water.
2. Is bottled water safer than tap water?
Tap water is strictly regulated. AdP, for example, is very strict regarding their
tap water quality with more than 47,000 tests done every year. Porto tap water is
analyzed daily in physicochemical and bacteriological terms, with results above
99.9% in compliance with the criteria. There is once again no scientific evidence
How to Encourage the Consumption of Tap Water: A Case Study on Águas do Porto 127

that bottled water is safer. Actually, studies show that, in 100 different brands of
bottled water, 30% will have some type of problem or anomaly, just as tap water
does (Queiroz et al. 2012).
3. Is it fine to drink bottled water as long as the bottles are recycled?
The issue is not just the plastic waste but the entire value chain of water bottles.
From production to distribution, the process of generating bottled water in plastic
is unsustainable: 3 L of water is needed on average to produce 1 L of bottled water
when including production of plastic, transportation, filtering, and filling up the
bottles; the plastic used in the water bottles is made of oil and natural gas, both
nonrenewable resources; and the distribution of bottled water contributes to
global warming, since land transport, for example, is very polluting. This situa-
tion is exacerbated when 25% of all bottled water is marketed and consumed
outside the country of production (Queiroz et al. 2012).

Behind the Scenes of the Desired Behavioral Change

The main reason for this generalized consumption behavior has not yet been
identified, but studies and research point to the gap between the perceived quality
and the real quality of tap water. AdP, being aware of the quality and excellence of
their tap water, decided to investigate further and launched a campaign on World
Water Day 2015, to change this perception and induce the desired behavior—that is,
increase the consumption of tap water. By conducting a SWOT analysis, AdP
realized the following (Table 1):
Clearly, there are more strengths and opportunities than weaknesses and threats,
and AdP was willing to work hard on the weaknesses and overcome the threats
(Almeida et al. 2016). AdP designed a social marketing campaign to inform,
educate, and induce the public to stimulate the wanted behavioral change, a change
wanted not only by AdP but by the city of Porto and society in general (Almeida
et al. 2016). AdP wanted first to inform the public that Porto Council tap water was
safe to consume, the quality was very high, and it was trustworthy; second, to raise

Table 1 SWOT analysis

Strengths Opportunities
– Quality – Financial and economic context
– Convenience – Increasing concern with health and sustainability
– Health benefits – Environmental awareness
– Economic benefits – Media
Weaknesses Threats
– Wrong perception of tap water – Strong presence and competition of bottled water
quality brands
– Taste and smell – Status
– Lack of status from consuming it – The increasing mobility of people
– Lack of portability – Media
Source: Dias (2015)
128 A. J. Almeida et al.

public awareness in order to generate a behavior change; and finally, increase tap
water consumption. Challenging negative stereotypes is essential to improving the
perception of reliability and credibility (Means et al. 2002).
One of the priority targets of the campaign has been the X and Y generation, the
trendsetters. This target has a recognized social, economic, and cultural role in
society and has generalized access to information. Their power of choice, allied to
the search, creation, and dissemination of content, elevated them to the status of one
of the most influential groups when we refer to consumption trends (Figueiredo
2012).
However, the other groups that are a part of Porto’s population could not be
forgotten, since they are the followers. They follow the trendsetters; they follow the
media. Studies reveal that, for the most part, the perception of consumers can be
positively influenced by communication campaigns and that the absence of informa-
tion considerably impairs their perception. Thus, communication campaigns that
respond directly to the expectations of consumers in relation to water have had very
positive effects on the value understood by the public and consequently on the
consumption of tap water (Means et al. 2002). Just like the trendsetters, the followers
highly defend the environment as a way to protect not only their quality of life but of
future generations as well. For the priority target, AdP developed activities that
focused on tap water quality, sustainability, convenience, and finally the very cheap
price.
As secondary targets, AdP singled out students, from the first grade to university.
Children, as consumers, have the power to influence their parents’ decisions on what
to buy (Figueiredo 2012). Young people who have been born and raised during the
last two decades are a constituent part of a generation that is not deceived easily and
is eagerly searching for more authenticity and seriousness (van Heeswijk 2009).
HORECA channel (hotels, restaurant, and café), public institutions, private
companies, AdP and Porto Council’s internal public, and tourists were also aimed
at as secondary targets.
For the secondary targets, AdP developed activities that focused on the environ-
ment, the feelings of belonging, the sustainability, the price, the promotion of Porto
City brand, and the social responsibility.
AdP included health professionals as their targets because they actually have a
say regarding consumer health habits. There was a great effort from AdP on
disseminating this social marketing campaign, being that their approach strategy
divided into three categories: the portability, the price, and the accessibility:

– As mentioned before, one of the downsides of consuming tap water instead of

bottled water is the lack of portability. So AdP designed bottles for anyone to be
able to drink from and carry their “Água do Porto” anywhere. For the HORECA
channel, glass bottles were designed, and for the general public, aluminum ones
were designed.
– The price, the very cheap price.
– And what if you are walking in a park on a sunny day and you need water? AdP
will create access points for tap water, throughout the city, making it available
How to Encourage the Consumption of Tap Water: A Case Study on Águas do Porto 129

outside the home. Public water fountains placed in strategic places such as parks,
gyms, council schools, universities, underground and train stations, etc.

The Symbiotic Relationship Between “Porto Ponto” and Águas do

Porto

With this social marketing strategy, AdP wanted to build the brand Águas do Porto.
This new brand should convey an attitude, and should appeal to the consumer’s
emotional side, so that it brings to the consumer feelings of belonging, emotional
benefits, and status. It is not by chance that the statement “Beba Água do Porto. É
boa todos os dias!” (In English: Drink Porto’s Water. It’s good every day!) was
developed based on a popular expression, closely linked to the way of being shared
by Porto people.
As a social marketing campaign, it is undeniable that there has been a strong
informative component throughout the whole campaign, but the emotional tone is
what has prevailed at all times, especially during the activities undertaken. Both
merchandising (T-shirts, bottles, mugs) and offline mix (outdoors, mupis, radio,
press, etc.) with Porto’s popular sayings, such as “É da Bica, por isso é que o Porto
ganha ao Benfica” (in English: It is tap water, that is why Porto wins over Benfica);
slogans that demonstrate feelings of belonging, like “Sou 70% Água do Porto”
(in English: I am 70% of water from Porto); and stickers called “The manifesto for
Águas do Porto.” We can see some of these examples in Fig. 1, e.g., one of the
sayings mentioned “É da torneira, amiga do ambiente e da carteira” (in English: it is
tap water, environmentally and wallet friendly).
Another distinctive factor is the timing and social context of this whole campaign.
Porto has been known by its port wine for centuries; however, more recently, it has
also been recognized by its city brand. “Porto Ponto” came to life after the realization
of the need to represent Porto as a global city. The success of “Porto Ponto” is
indisputable, incomparable, and unforgettable (Aires 2017).
AdP, aware of the strength, popularity, and reputation that Porto enjoys as a city
and a brand (winner of the Best European Destination Award in 2012, 2014, and
2017), replicates this vitality and quality in their campaign, incorporating the values
underlying the “Porto Ponto” brand, trying to create a coherent brand, perceived as

Fig. 1 Examples of merchandising and offline mix. Source: authors

130 A. J. Almeida et al.

reliable, trendy, and cool, in order to facilitate and promote the desired behavioral
change—that is, increase tap water consumption.
Thus, conditions are created for a symbiotic relationship in which both parties
benefit—AdP and Porto City. The entire campaign has involved many sectors and
especially the participation of all the partners and public of Porto. The goal has been
to engage them in different ways, inviting them to be the brand ambassadors and
information vehicles themselves, ultimately promoting the image that Porto wants to
convey. The involvement between citizens and public companies (developing a
relationship and creating familiarity with their roles) has been important for building
trust (Means et al. 2002). Therefore, in return, AdP gets to be represented in Porto
public entities, social, and tourist structures, thus providing a clear leverage to
disseminate their message of acceptance and behavioral change.

Conclusion

This AdP campaign has revealed an innovative and creative spirit in adding value to
a product that had only been seen as a commodity for decades. Now consumers of
“Água do Porto” have a chance to better understand the benefit that comes with the
consumption of tap water not only for themselves but for the environment and for the
world. This is in addition to perceiving it as a distinctive product of excellent quality
that can compete with bottled water brands.
As a social marketing campaign, it has applied concepts and marketing strategies
in order to change people’s behavior that would ultimately result in benefits not only
for the individuals but the whole community, thus conducing to a generalized social
well-being. Since the whole plan has followed the steps that have been proved
effective and efficient in past social marketing programs, it is expected that the
desired results will be achieved.

Discussion Questions

Considering the specific characteristics inherent to this case, it seems adequate and
suitable for a deeper and detailed discussion about social marketing, namely, some
essential concepts associated with social marketing such as campaign purpose or
marketing mix. The case also allows us to discuss and present how a social
marketing plan can be formulated.

1. What are the main impacts/consequences of this campaign?

There are still no results to assess the real impact of this social marketing
campaign, which has turned out to be for us the main point of discussion.
According to AdP, there is an inquiry planned for the campaign follow-up, but
the current absence of monitoring and control has prevented any comparison with
the figures presented by Universidade Católica do Porto in March 2015 before the
start of the program. In this diagnosis, 73% of the respondents already recognized
How to Encourage the Consumption of Tap Water: A Case Study on Águas do Porto 131

the high quality of tap water, 37.6% affirmed to always drink tap water at home,
while 12.1% affirmed to never drink it. In the same study, 70% of the 1853
respondents referred that they would drink or drink more tap water, if they had the
assurance from the supplier that the excellent quality was guaranteed. As to the
preferred water to drink, 33% affirmed that they preferred tap water, 30%
preferred bottled water, and 36% showed indifference when choosing a type of
water to drink. Also, 64% of the respondents argued that they would start
consuming more tap water to protect the environment.
2. Are the results of the campaign in line with the planned strategy?
The new evaluation is planned to be done with a similar inquiry, with identical
questions, in order to be able to compare results. Looking at the strategy of the
marketing campaign, it would be expectable that the spread of the information
and the efforts done to create awareness about the quality of tap water would lead
to an increased percentage of people that recognize the excellent quality of the
product and consequently would choose to consume it. As the figures show, the
target audience is already aware of Água do Porto’s quality of excellence, but
does this awareness necessarily mean that the desired behavior change will
occur? Were the promotional efforts adequate to achieve the established goals?

In our point of view, statistically speaking, the inquired sample used in the study
of 2015 is not a representative of a community of more than 300,000 people. How
can AdP, a local public company, even backed up by the well-known Porto City
brand, induce and change a behavior that is spread all over the country and
generalized in Europe and most of the developed countries? Will any social market-
ing campaign be powerful enough to beat bottled water marketing campaigns?

Acknowledgments João F. Proença gratefully acknowledges financial support from

FCT-Fundação para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (Portugal), national funding through research grant
UID/SOC/04521/2013.

References
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pt/assets/misc/PDF’S/RelatórioeContas/RC2016_ROC.pdf
Aires, E. (2017). Porto. Manual de Identidade Visual. Porto. Retrieved from http://www.cm-porto.
pt/assets/misc/documentos/Logos/01_Manual_14_digital_2017.pdf
Almeida, A., Ribeiro, A. P., Pereira, L., Martins, R., Ferreira, M. R., & Proença, J. F. (2016). Novos
Hábitos de Consumo: Um estudo de caso sobre a Águas do Porto, E.M. In VIII Congresso
Internacional de Casos Docentes em Marketing Público e Não Lucrativo. Porto.
Dias, A. S. M. (2015). O simbólico como estratégia para a alteração comportamental: o caso
Águas do Porto. Braga: Universidade do Minho.
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Figueiredo, I. M. M. (2012). Perceções e atitudes dos jovens sobre a água: Um contributo para
planear a comunicação da empresa Águas do Noroeste. Braga: Universidade do Minho.
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Kotler, P., & Lee, N. (2004). Corporate social responsibility: Doing the most good for your
company and your cause. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Lowe, B., Lynch, D., & Lowe, J. (2015). Reducing household water consumption: A social
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10.1080/0267257X.2014.971044.
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quality in the new millennium: The risk of underestimating public perception. Journal of
American Water Works Association, 94(8), 28. pp. 30–32, 34.
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pordata.pt/Municipios/Qualidade+da+água+para+consumo+humano-8
Queiroz, J. T. M., Rosenberg, M. W., Heller, L., Zhouri, A. L. M., & Silva, S. R. (2012). News
about tap and bottled water: Can this influence people’s choices? Journal of Environmental
Protection, 3(4), 324–333. https://doi.org/10.4236/jep.2012.34041.
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young_and_sustainable_tcm24-290908.pdf
 Part III
Social Marketing Cases: Society, Culture and
Education
The Role of Social Marketing
in a Controversial Cause: The Eradication
of Child Marriage

Francisco I. Vega-Gomez and M. Mercedes Galan-Ladero

Abstract
This case focuses on the application of social marketing to a controversial cause:
the eradication of child marriage, which is a common cultural practice in many
countries.
Our aim is to study this problem from a social marketing perspective. Thus, we
examine different projects carried out by different nonprofit organizations
(NPOs) that deal with this issue, and we focus on a campaign: Thea’s Blog, by
Plan International.
We conclude that causes that foster child marriage are clearly identified: they
have a sociocultural and economic nature. Thus, actions for the eradication of this
phenomenon should be focused on these two areas: sociocultural (tradition,
religion, and superstitions) and economic (poverty and inequality).
Campaigns such as Thea’s Blog have helped to become aware of this problem
in Western countries. Now, child marriage practice has a global dimension and
there is a higher international pressure to eradicate it.

F. I. Vega-Gomez · M. M. Galan-Ladero (*)

University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 135

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_12
136 F. I. Vega-Gomez and M. M. Galan-Ladero

Learning Objectives
We propose as main learning objectives to achieve the following ones:

• To know more about the practice of child marriage in the world and study
the current situation, especially in underdeveloped and developing
countries
• To analyze the causes and effects/consequences of child marriage
• To understand the link between child marriage and the lack of opportunities
for women (higher female poverty and lower literacy rates)
• To discover the usefulness of social marketing as a tool for changing
undesirable or inappropriate attitudes and behaviors, specifically in the
case of child marriage
• To explore what NPOs are focused on fighting against child marriage and
what social marketing campaigns have been developed (and are being
developed currently)
• To foster critical thinking and stimulate discussion related child marriage
and justify the need to eradicate it

Introduction

Child marriage can be defined as “the union of two people, at least one of them being
under 18 years of age (usually, the woman), and in which there are social, economic,
and family pressures for its execution” (Nour 2009).
This phenomenon, among others, has prevented the achievement of the millen-
nium development goals (Table 1), which had been proposed by the United Nations
to be achieved by 2015 (United Nations 2018).
Child marriage also involves the violation of international agreements and
conventions, such as (Nour 2006, 2009; Gaffney-Rhys 2011; Nguyen and Wodon
2012):

Table 1 The eight Goals Content

millennium development
1 Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
goals
2 Achieve universal primary education
3 Promote gender equality and empower women
4 Reduce child mortality
5 Improve maternal health
6 Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
7 Ensure environmental sustainability
8 Global partnership for development
Source: United Nations (2018)
The Role of Social Marketing in a Controversial Cause: The Eradication of. . . 137

Table 2 Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage, and Registration of
Marriages
Article Content
1 No marriage shall be legally entered into without the full and free consent of both
parties
2 States shall take legislative action to specify a minimum age for marriage
3 All marriages shall be registered in an appropriate official register by the competent
authority
Source: United Nations Human Rights. Office of the High Commissioner (2018)

Table 3 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

Article 16
1. States parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in
all matters relating to marriage and family relations and shall ensure, on a basis of equality of men
and women
2. The betrothal and the marriage of a child shall have no legal effect, and all necessary action,
including legislation, shall be taken to specify a minimum age for marriage and to make the
registration of marriages in an official registry compulsory
Source: United Nations (1979)

Table 4 Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)

Art. 24.3
“. . . States Parties shall take all effective and appropriate measures with a view to abolishing
traditional practices prejudicial to the health of children”
Source: United Nations (1989)

1. Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage, and Registra-

tion of Marriages (1962): in particular, Articles 1, 2, and 3 (Table 2).
2. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women (1979): specifically, Article 16 (Table 3).
3. Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), promoted by the United Nations:
Although it does not explicitly refer to child marriage, it does propose to abolish
traditional practices that are harmful to the children’s health in Article 24.3
(Table 4).
4. International Conference on Population and Development (1994): It refers to
child marriage in some chapters (Table 5).
5. Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948): It also referred to marriage in
Article 16 (Table 6).

Many of these forced child marriages specially affect girls (Gangoli et al. 2009),
since they get married to older men. The gender ratio is clearly negative, so there is
an important discrimination according to sex. This ratio is, for example, 72:1 in Mali
(i.e., for every man under 18 years of age who gets married in the country, 72 girls do
138 F. I. Vega-Gomez and M. M. Galan-Ladero

Table 5 Some chapters related to child marriage—International Conference on Population and

Development (1994)
* Chapter 2
Principle 9: “. . . Marriage must be entered into with the free consent of the intending spouses, and
husband and wife should be equal partners”
* Chapter 4
4.21 Governments should strictly enforce laws to ensure that marriage is entered into only with the
free and full consent of the intending spouses
In addition, governments should strictly enforce laws concerning the minimum legal age of
consent and the minimum age at marriage and should raise the minimum age at marriage where
necessary. Governments and nongovernmental organizations should generate social support for
the enforcement of laws on the minimum legal age at marriage, in particular by providing
educational and employment opportunities
* Chapter 5
5.5 . . . Measures should be adopted and enforced to eliminate child marriages. . .
* Chapter 6
6.7. (c) To encourage children, adolescents, and youth, particularly young women, to continue
their education in order to equip them for a better life, to increase their human potential, to help
prevent early marriages and high-risk childbearing, and to reduce associated mortality and
morbidity
6.11 Countries should create a socioeconomic environment conducive to the elimination of all
child marriages and other unions as a matter of urgency and should discourage early marriage. . .
* Chapter 7
7.41 Overall for young women, early marriage and early motherhood can severely curtail
educational and employment opportunities and are likely to have a long-term, adverse impact on
their and their children’s quality of life
Fuente: United Nations Population Information Network (1994)

Table 6 Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that
(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the
right to marry and to fund a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during
marriage, and at its dissolution
(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses
Source: United Nations (1948)

it) or Kenya, with a ratio of 21:1, compared with the 8:1 of the USA. This means that
girls are two to eight times more likely to get HIV/AIDS (Nour 2006).
According to UNICEF (2017), around 25,000 girls are forced to get married
every day, most of them in Africa and Asia, although this practice also exists in other
areas. Thus, between 2010 and 2016, 82.3% of Bangladeshi marriages were cele-
brated with girls under the age of 18: 77.9% in Niger, 71.8% in Chad, or 69.4% in
Guinea (Fig. 1); in countries such as Nepal, 7% of girls got married before their tenth
birthday.
In 2017, the countries with highest ratios in child marriage were Niger (76%);
Chad and the Central African Republic (68%); Bangladesh (59%); Guinea, Burkina
The Role of Social Marketing in a Controversial Cause: The Eradication of. . . 139

45
41 41
40
38
35
35

30

25 25

20
17
15
15
11
10

0
West and Sub-Saharan Eastern and Middle East East Asia and Eastern Least World
Central Africa Africa Southern and North the Pacific Europe and developed
Africa Africa Central Asia countries

* Excluding China.

Fig. 1 Percentage of child marriages over the total by region (excluding China) (2010–2016).
Source: own elaboration, according to UNICEF (2017)

Faso, Mali, and South Sudan (52%); Mozambique (48%); and India (47%)—
Efevbera et al. (2018) and Raj et al. (2018).
Some news had special coverage in the international media. For example:

– About Rawan, an 8-year-old Yemeni girl who got married to a 40-year-old man
died on the wedding night. It caused a deep international commotion. Although
news about her death was denied later by Yemeni authorities (but it was con-
firmed by local sources and human rights activists) (El Pais 2013), strong
international pressure continued. The result was a law proposal to establish the
legal age of marriage in 16 years in Yemen. However, it was finally rejected
because it was considered anti-Islamic.
– About the historical decision of the Supreme Court of India, it dictated that “sex
with a minor in marriage is a violation,” in 2017. However, this decision may
have a reduced impact in practice because, although it is illegal since 2006, child
marriage is deeply rooted in India (El Pais 2017).

Currently, child marriage is a real problem that usually arises from underdevel-
opment, poverty, and poor educational training (Murphy-Graham and Leal 2014), as
well as wars.1 Many parents give their daughters in marriage for socioeconomic

1
Save the Children has documented an increase in child marriage for Syrian refugee girls in Jordan
(Garcia 2014).
140 F. I. Vega-Gomez and M. M. Galan-Ladero

conveniences (e.g., family agreements, search for a better social position, etc.) and to
save their lives, thus protecting them from sexual violence (Chowdhury 2004; Kyari
and Ayodele 2014).
Child marriage has important consequences and effects, such as:

– The abandonment of education: the married girl is forced to leave school and take
care of her husband and children.
– Health problems: pregnancies at very young ages (Raj and Boehmer 2013; Handa
et al. 2015) increase the probability of dying (during pregnancy or childbirth),
both for the mother and the baby, and also suffering infections, septicemia,
postpartum hemorrhages, eclampsia, HIV contagion, and other sexually transmit-
ted diseases, as well as uterus cancer.
– Gender violence (Kidman 2016): the husband considers the girl as a product
which he has paid for and must submit to him. If she does not allow him and/or he
is not pleased, she can be beaten, mistreated and raped, and even killed due to her
adult husband’s brutality (Mikhail 2002; Raj et al. 2009; Hampton 2010; Kyari
and Ayodele 2014; Kamal et al. 2015; Murphy-Graham and Leal 2014). She can
also be murdered because of the so-called honor killing, which can be ordered by
her own family if she abandons her husband or even refuses to get married to
whom her family has chosen for her.

Several nonprofit organizations, NPOs, many of them with an international scope,

have echoed this problem and are working in these countries. They develop projects
focused on the attitude change toward this common and culturally accepted practice.
But also, recently, some of these NPOs have wanted to raise awareness about this
situation in developed countries (e.g., European ones). Child marriage is exceptional
in these countries, so it is an unknown topic for a large part of the population. That is
why NPOs have been developing campaigns to raise awareness and sensitize
citizens about this common practice in other countries, reporting effects and
consequences of child marriage (Table 7). Thus, NPOs are getting donations and
resources to finance and develop their programs in the affected countries.

Case Development: Thea’s Blog

Thea’s Blog was a campaign developed by the non-governmental organization

(NGO) “Plan International” in Norway, in 2014 (Galan-Ladero and Vega-Gomez,
2015). Three steps were followed:

First Step: Creation of Thea’s Blog—Dissemination Through the Internet

and Social Networks
Thea, a 12-year-old girl, opened a blog on the Internet to tell the details of her
upcoming wedding, which would take place on October 11, 2014. Her parents had
just communicated to her, 1 month before the celebration. Her mother had decided
who her future husband would be: Geir, a 37-year-old man.
The Role of Social Marketing in a Controversial Cause: The Eradication of. . . 141

Table 7 Some NPOs that work to eradicate child marriage

NPO Campaigns
ACNUR “Ayuda a evitar el matrimonio infantil entre niñas
refugiadas” [Help prevent child marriage among
refugee girls] (2018)—website, YouTube, and social
media
Ayuda en Accion “No quiero” [I don’t want] (2017)—website
“Stop child marriages. Give us books, not husbands”
(2018)—website
Breakthrough India “Elimination of early marriage” (2015)—website
“Ending Early (“Child”) Marriage: Gang of Stars
(Taaron ki Toli)” (2018)—YouTube
CARE “Vows of Poverty” (2018)—website
Egyptian Foundation for Child Marriage (2012 and 2014)—website
Advancement of the Childhood
Condition
Forum for African Women “Stop Child Marriages” (2018)—website
Educationalists (FAWE)
Forward “No girl should be a child bride” (2014)—website
Fundación Vicente Ferrer Información sobre el matrimonio infantil [Information
about child marriage] (2015)—website
Girls Not Brides “Toward an end to child marriage” (2018)—website,
mass media, social media, apps
Girls Up “Ending Child Marriage” (2016)—website
Humanium Child Marriage (2011)—website
International Center for Research on Child Marriage (2018)—website
Women (ICRW)
Misiones Salesianas Matrimonio infantil [Child marriage] (2017)—website
ONU Información sobre el matrimonio infantil [Information
about child marriage] (2016)—website
Plan International Thea’s Blog (2014)—blog in the Internet and social
media
#Habla ahora o calla para siempre [Speak now, or shut
up forever] (2017)—social media
¡Mueve un dedo contra el matrimonio infantil! [Move a
finger against child marriage] (2018)—website and
social media
Saarthi Trust Child Marriage Annulment (2018)—website and social
media
Save the Children Información sobre el matrimonio infantil [Information
about child marriage]—website and reports
Seyaj Childhood Protection Child Marriage (2018)—website, YouTube, theatre
play
The Coexist Initiative “I am a girl child. Do not make me a child mother”—
website
The Knowledge Hub on Child Child Marriage (2018)—website and posters
Marriage
United Nations Population Fund #DONT (2018)—in YouTube
(UNFPA)
(continued)
142 F. I. Vega-Gomez and M. M. Galan-Ladero

Table 7 (continued)
NPO Campaigns
UNICEF “A Storybook Wedding—Except For One Thing”
(2016)—in YouTube and Social Media
“La Peor Novela” [The Worst Story] (2017)—website
“Poner fin al matrimonio infantil es posible” [Ending
child marriage is possible] (2018)—website
World Vision “Marriage Later/Studies First Programme” (2013)—
website
Source: Own elaboration, from Olson (2013)

Thea told her life and her feelings in this blog. She detailed, step by step, the
preparation of the event. The blog was written as a 12-year-old girl would really do it
(with misspellings and syntax errors, emoticons, specific expressions, etc.). She
included several photos of her and her wedding dresses, the wedding invitations,
the lingerie for the honeymoon, the bridal cake, etc. Some of the most commented
posts by the target audience are in Table 8.
This ad hoc blog was launched on the Internet, being accessible from anywhere
(although it was written in Norwegian, so it was only readable by those who could
understand this language). Despite the fact that no promotional campaign was
carried out, it was promoted by the blog readers themselves, through their comments
and sharing them on Facebook and Twitter.
The citizens became outraged, scandalized, or unbelievers, when they read on the
blog what marriage was like from a girl’s perspective, still in her childhood stage:
her doubts and her fears, her confidence, her respect and blind obedience in her
parents’ decisions, etc.
This viral promotion achieved spectacular results (Plan International Norge
2018):

– In just a few hours, 78,000 comments were written on Twitter, tens of thousands
of comments on Facebook, and hundreds of comments on the blog itself, which
had more than 500,000 visits on its first day (Thea’s wedding blog became
Norway’s most read blog during the course of the first day).
– Dozens of people called the police to report the case and stop the upcoming
wedding. Groups were actually created on social networks asking that this
wedding never took place. Some Norwegians even went to police stations and
contacted social services (child welfare service) to take custody of their parents.
Thousands of people also discussed the subject on social media.

Second Step: Dissemination in the Media

The media (national and foreign ones) echoed the enormous popularity that this
initiative had and spread news and the results achieved.
The Role of Social Marketing in a Controversial Cause: The Eradication of. . . 143

Table 8 Some of the most commented posts by the target audience

Post Content
Post 1 Thea introduces herself: how old she is, where she lives, the school she goes to, and
who her parents are. She also comments on the news that she has just received: she is
getting married next month
Post 2 Thea tells her feelings about the wedding, her confusion, and the results of her search on
the Internet about what and how a wedding is
Post 3 Thea tests the wedding dress—four different models (her mother did not let her choose
the pink dress, because it was too childish). She seemed more like a girl who was going
to celebrate her first communion than a bride
Post 4 Thea writes about the wedding ring she would like to have and uploads several photos
of her favorite ones (but they will have to be adapted, because they are for adult women
and none fits her small fine fingers)
Post 5 The visit of her future husband was one of the most commented posts, especially when
she discovers that he is a man much older than her (Gear was 37 years old, 25 years
older than her)
Post 6 The problems begin: her mother forbids her to invite her friends and schoolmates to the
wedding, even though she had already created his children’s invitations for the event
She is happy because she will not have to go to school anymore, but she is also sad
because she has to be a woman and will not be able to see her friends again
Post 7 The honeymoon
Her mother has chosen the honeymoon. Thea will go to Paris (she is very happy because
Disneyland is there, and she loves it)
Many readers got angry because Thea was not going to Paris as a child, but as a wife
(there is a big difference between a honeymoon and an amusement park for children)
Post 8 The wedding cakes
Thea chooses cakes with dolls, like wedding cake
Post 9 The wedding night
It was the most controversial post. Thea expresses her doubts about sexuality and
wonders if she should buy the lingerie that the models wear online (although she prefers
her pajamas)
Post This post is about her future. Thea wanted to be a veterinarian, but now, she cannot be
10 because she must leave school. Her mother has told her that she will not have to work,
because she will take care of her children and her home
Post It refers to the music of the ceremony. Thea would like Marion Ravn to be at her
11 wedding, because she is a friend of her future husband’s friend, and she will attend
Source: Adapted from Thea’s wedding blog (2014)

Third Step: Video on YouTube

The third way to distribute the campaign was through a video on YouTube, which
showed each step followed to prepare Thea for the wedding (makeup, hairdressing,
dress, etc.). The wedding was also simulated: Thea entered the church for the
celebration of the event, accompanied by hundreds of people. The video ended
with the scene in which Thea answered “no” to the priest’s question, receiving a
round of applause, and with a final warning about the thousands of girls forced to
marry each year.
144 F. I. Vega-Gomez and M. M. Galan-Ladero

Results
According to Plan International Norge (2018), the main results were:

1. Thea’s Blog was a revolution for the Norwegians, because of the topic, its
repercussion in the media (it was featured 402 times in Norwegian media), and
its consequences and also, for other Western countries, because the campaign
received massive attention worldwide (thousands of international media covered
the wedding).
2. The goal of this NGO was to increase awareness, knowledge, and engagement in
the fight against child marriage. This goal was achieved successfully: campaign
awareness among the Norwegian population reached 82%, and 9 out of
10 thought Norway should take an international lead in the fight against child
marriage.
3. Through the campaign, Plan International offered Norwegian citizens:
The opportunity to participate in social pressure to eradicate this brutal and
anachronistic practice
The opportunity to become a member, to collaborate with the NGO to carry out
their programs against child marriage, and in favor of children’s rights and the
improvement of their lives
4. The campaign recruited thousands of new child sponsors for Plan International
Norway (and in other countries). Many companies contacted with this NGO to
collaborate in the fight against child marriage, and the Government of Norway
took an international lead against child marriage.
5. Plan International Norway’s campaign #stopthewedding reached people all over
the world and received numerous awards. The blog was read by 2.5 million
people, and the campaign generated 30 million views on Twitter, Instagram, and
Facebook. Some world celebrities picked up and shared in social media, several
hundred thousand people shared the campaign on their personal social media
pages, and the wedding movie was seen by 4.4 million people on YouTube.

Conclusions

The causes that foster child marriage are clearly identified. They have a socioeco-
nomic nature so that the spectrum of action for the eradication of this phenomenon
should focus on these two specific aspects:

1. Sociocultural Aspect (Tradition, Religion, and Superstitions)

Child marriages are derived from the tradition of some geographical areas in
which these types of marriages are socially well-considered. Moreover, it is
perceived negatively if it does not do so.
In many communities, it is a great dishonor for families that girls become
pregnant without being married. Through early marriage, it is believed that rapes
will be prevented.
The Role of Social Marketing in a Controversial Cause: The Eradication of. . . 145

In other cases, getting married the daughters at an early age is incited by the
religious leaders of some communities (it is believed that the family will receive
blessings and will be enriched). In addition, they defend the idea that it is better
women to get married when they are girls because they are more docile, more
controllable, and more subject to their husbands.
In some areas of Africa, where men have high HIV ratio and polygamy exists,
the idea that getting married a virgin girl cures AIDS has even spread. So many
carriers of this disease pay high amounts to get married girls that will be also
infected with the virus. Furthermore, some specific causes, such as wars, make
child marriage to worsen and prevail. Thus, for example, there are an increasing
number of child marriages in Syrian refugee camps in Jordan (Bartels et al. 2018).
2. Economic Aspect
The other cause of these marriages is economic. Many families marry off their
daughters at a very early age to get rid of them, to avoid the costs of maintaining
them, and to educate them (Efevbera et al. 2017), because they have a high
number of children. These parents consider that, thanks to these arranged
marriages, they will get their daughters to have a more comfortable life and, in
addition, they obtain financial resources to alleviate their poverty.

Thus, a clear profile of the socioeconomic situation that fosters child marriage can
be created (Kamal et al. 2015):

1. Rural Scope
It is the area with the highest incidence (especially those places furthest away
from the large urban centers).
2. Low Educational Level
The lower the educational level is, the greater the probability of being married
at a young age. And the fact of being married at an early age prevents, especially
women, to continue their education.
3. Religion
The religious aspect has been revealed as a determining condition. The major-
ity of child marriages occur in Muslim communities.
4. Poverty
The majority of married girls come from poor families. This leads to the
chronification, inheritance, and feminization of poverty.

Child marriages can have serious consequences, especially for women, and place
major obstacles to achieving gender equality. Campaigns such as Thea’s Blog have
helped to “discover” and become aware of this problem in Western countries, where
it is not a usual practice and, therefore, was not paid attention to it. But currently, it
has acquired a global dimension (despite being geographically located), and an
increasing international pressure tries to eradicate this practice.
The success of the Thea’s Blog campaign and the media impact obtained allowed
the NGO “Plan International” to achieve two fundamental objectives:
146 F. I. Vega-Gomez and M. M. Galan-Ladero

1. To increase Norwegians’ awareness about one of the most serious problems

affecting children in less developed countries, such as forced child marriage
2. To obtain greater “brand” awareness as an organization that fights for the
children’s rights in the world, being named by thousands of people in their
personal profiles of social networks, and by the media, obtaining an important
free promotion, both in terms of temporary space and in terms of economic costs

Social marketing has become a key tool to raise awareness about this problem and
change the attitudes and behaviors toward child marriage in those communities that
still practice it.

Discussion Questions

1. Do you consider that child marriage is a located and exclusive problem of poor
countries? How can it affect the world economy?
2. Do you consider that it is an ethical practice to marry off the daughters to assure
them a maintenance and protection that, otherwise, the parents cannot offer them?
Discuss these two specific cases: marriages of Syrian girls in refugee camps in
Jordan and marriages of Rohingya girls in Bangladesh.
3. Do you consider that the tradition, culture, and/or religious practices that support
child marriage should be respected in any case?
4. What can be done to avoid these practices of marriages between girls and older
men, who they do not even choose?
5. What social marketing campaigns could be developed to eradicate child mar-
riage? What approach could be better? What kind of strategy would you choose?
What do you think would be more appropriate campaigns for developed
countries and for the less developed ones?

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A Successful Festival for Kids in Győr

Ida Ercsey

Abstract
The Győr Kids Festival was established to be a free outdoor festival for socially
disadvantaged children. The organizers later expanded the festival so it would be
longer than 1 day and children could participate in all kinds of programmes
including sports, culture, arts and crafts. The festival’s primary target audience
were the parents of children 3–14 years old.
The product was designed to create access to cultural events, and due to
subsequent behavioural changes, such as starting or increasing the participation
in cultural activities, the families could experience the benefits of an improved
well-being. In order to achieve the realization of the desired behaviour, the
Vaskakas Puppet Theatre (VPT), as the main organizer, should coordinate differ-
ent complementary approaches, namely, an economic, a technological and an
informational one. In this case two major strategies can be followed: a reinforce-
ment and an induction. In 2015, the VPT launched a development in the market-
ing mix to reduce the barriers of participation in the Györkőc Festival. This
festival has increased the number of visitors every year, and now it is the largest
free outdoor children’s festival in Hungary with 26,000 registered children and
approximately 50,000 visitors.

I. Ercsey (*)
Széchenyi István University Győr, Győr, Hungary
e-mail: [email protected]

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 149

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_13
150 I. Ercsey

Learning Objectives
• The learning objectives of this case study provide students with the oppor-
tunity to:
• Identify and describe the four complementary approaches, namely, a legal,
an economic, a technological and an informational one with the purpose of
behavioural change.
• Explain the process of segmentation and the benefits of segmenting a target
audience.
• Describe with examples different variables that can be used to segment a
target audience.
• Describe the criteria that should be considered when selecting a segment to
target with a behavioural change intervention.
• Understand and apply the four major strategies in social marketing: rein-
forcement, induction, rationalization and confrontation strategies.
• Use the 4Ps of marketing tools to create the social marketing programme.
• Identify the specialities of services and develop methods to make the
intangible tangible; manage the quality of service, the service capacity
and the production of service with consumer.

Introduction

Social marketing is important in improving people’s well-being and positively

influencing individual’s behaviour. Comprehending the theoretical aspects of social
marketing and the execution of knowledge obtained provides a better understanding
of the consumers’ behaviour and implementation of the successful marketing strat-
egy. In order to achieve the realization of the desired behaviour, the social marketers
should coordinate different complementary approaches, namely, a legal, an eco-
nomic, a technological and an informational (Santesmases 1999).
Since social marketing is customer centred, all strategic planning begins with
understanding the target audience behaviour. Four major strategies can be followed:
a reinforcement, an induction, a rationalization and a confrontation (Santesmases
1999). The social marketing programme pays attention not only to communication
but also to the value proposition that it costs to the target audience members and the
channels through which it is made available. It empowers students to carefully
integrate communication promotion with the other 3Ps of the marketing mix
elements.
Most non-profit organizations are primarily in the service market. The services
can be delivered by people, places and objects. Services are especially difficult to
manage because they are typically intangible, inseparable from the producer, vari-
able in characteristics and perishable and involve the target audience in their
production (Andreasen and Kotler 2008). The researchers focus increasingly on
A Successful Festival for Kids in Győr 151

the examination of experience marketing in the service sector. Recently companies

have begun to systematically design and manage the consumer experience as an
added value to their primary service in order to differentiate their offering from
competitors (Pine and Gilmore 1998; Wolf 1999). In this case study, the students can
study the implementation of innovative services with tangible and intangible
elements that affect consumers.
Overall life satisfaction did not change significantly between 2013 and 2016 in
Hungary: it was 6.11 in 2013 and 6.10 in 2016 (on a scale of 0–10) (KSH 2017a).
According to the Eurostat (EU-SILC3) survey in 2013, Hungary was at the end of
the EU ranking and only ahead of Bulgaria. In Hungary, where households had a
higher share of leisure expenditure (3.6%) than in some EU member states, residents
rated their satisfaction with time use at only 6.3. Household expenditure on leisure
reflects the cultural attitudes, the availability of leisure and cultural events and their
price. Culture and entertainment are important activities, which contribute to an
individual’s quality of life. In Hungary, households with children had to make
spending reductions because price is the second main barrier in accessing culture,
after lack of time (EUROSTAT 2015). There is still a marked difference between the
consumption of households in the worst and in the best financial situation. In 2015,
the monthly consumption expenditure of households for culture in the top income
quintile was 10.8 times as high as that of families in the lowest quintile (KSH 2016).
The consumption of households with children increased in each consumption group
except for transport and recreation and culture. In 2015, the proportion of
expenditures on recreation and culture was 6.6%, and the rate of expenditures on
communication equalled 7.2% (KSH 2017a).
There were various trends in demand for cultural services. On the whole the
number of visitors fell in public cultural institutes over the past 20 years, and the rate
of cultural activities is moderately low in families with children. In the case of
theatres, the urbanization inclination was most noticeable, as half of performances
were held in the capital. The geographical distance of families’ residencies can make
accessing cultural programme a bit difficult.
At the same time, the appearance of the Internet has fundamentally changed
media consumption and cultural activities; the most up-to-date technical solutions
and devices also support the use of online cultural products. The increase in the
number of Internet users did not break the hegemony of television in Hungary; it has
continued to be the most significant media in the country. This is due to the fact that
television is readily available and relatively inexpensive and it allows information
and entertainment programmes instantly available.
In regard to the conditions of poor families, they do not have a chance to visit
cultural events, but they may have the need or mood to do so. In their spare time,
they like to relax at home and they rarely go out. If they do go out, then they go to the
cinema but this happens only annually. In their leisure time, they prefer to stay at
home and rest by watching TV but prefer to surf on the channels as a bounty hunter,
too (Illés 2017).
Győr as the county seat is located in the northwest of Hungary. The town has a
developed economy, a good infrastructure and progressive tourism. In Győr there are
152 I. Ercsey

about 129,000 people; furthermore in the Győr-Moson-Sopron County, the resident

population is 447,985, and of them 43,281 are children aged 0 year to 9 years (KSH
2017b). For 26 years the Vaskakas Puppet Theatre has offered puppet performances
for the children of this town. The number of performances and children has increased
year by year, and the number of season tickets is at 7500. It is important that children
can experience theatre or puppet theatre and hence may become conscious cultural
consumers. In 2008 the Vaskakas Puppet Theatre (VPT) from Győr first organized
the Győrkőc Festival1 for children on the first weekend in July. The idea of the Győr
Kids Festival was to establish a free outdoor festival for socially disadvantaged
children. The organizers later expanded the festival so it would be longer than 1 day
and children could participate in all kinds of programmes including sports, culture,
arts and crafts.
Initially this festival satisfied the wants of local families, but the organizers could
reach the target group of the Vaskakas Puppet Theatre. The VPT did not succeed in
its original objective, as a moderately few socially disadvantaged children were
involved in programmes of the Györkőc Festival. Within 4 years about half of the
participants came from other cities and villages, but most of the visitors only came
for 1 day to the festival. In order to change the behaviour of families with children,
the organizers had to work out and implement additional marketing tools to use the
appropriate approaches and strategies of social marketing.

Case Development

Target Audience

The festival’s primary target audience were the parents of children ages 3–14 years
in the region. These children had little opportunity to spend time on leisure activities.
One of these activities is the children’s day that offers different sport activities on the
last Sunday of May in every settlement. However this popular event for children was
held for only 1 day, and there is basically one line of programmes. Hungarian
children have distinct wants, and there are some mutual values that Györkőc Festival
provides that coincide with these wants.
Values for participants are that:

• Participation in all programmes is for free.

• There are programmes over 3 days.
• Many types of programmes are in several locations.
• The main organizer of the Győr Kids Festival is the Vaskakas Puppet Theatre,
which has experience in the organization of performances and events.

1
Győrkőc is a slang term for ‘child’ or ‘kid’; the festival organizers use the term ‘kid’ as a
translation.
A Successful Festival for Kids in Győr 153

The festival’s secondary target audience consists of the local and regional
enterprises. This festival is a very good opportunity to showcase their products
and services. People from the region can meet them and buy from them. The festival
also gives an opportunity for local and regional NGOs to have a booth and promote
their activities.
In addition this festival has a significant value for the society in that it amplifies
the importance of family.

Campaign Objectives: Behaviour Objectives

The children are accompanied by their parents, and the child-centric festival in Győr
shows that this type of event can also be a good relaxing programme for the adults,
not just the children. The family members can have a good time together at the
festival. Participation in different indoor or outdoor programmes was a competing
behaviour for children and parents because of the time, cost or convenience.
For the festival organizers, there were more objectives:

• To enhance the numbers of socially disadvantaged children in attendance at

festival programmes
• To increase the participation time of children to 2 or 3 days
• To expand the attraction zone from a local event to a more regional one
• To reinforce the active behaviour of local children in order for them to return to
the next Györkőc Festival

In order to achieve the realization of the desired behaviour, the VPT, as the main
organizer, should coordinate different complementary approaches, namely, an eco-
nomic, a technological and an informational one. Two major strategies may be
suitable to achieve the objectives: a reinforcement and an induction.

Campaign Strategies

The VPT, the main organizer, has run an annual campaign promoting the Győr Kids
Festival since 2008. The idea was originated by one of the artists in Vaskakas Puppet
Theatre, and she was encouraged by the team of the VPT (23 artists and assistants).
They are competent and have a lot of experience in the organization and realization
of programmes and events for children. Initially the organizers could only reach
those that had season tickets for the performances of the VPT; therefore most of
visitors of the festival came from the town Győr and nearby countryside of Győr.
A survey was conducted on the opinions of attendance. In general the participants
were satisfied with the level of programmes in the Győrkőc Festival. At the same
time, there were negative opinions regarding crowds in some locations and the level
154 I. Ercsey

of infrastructure, for example, missing shielding in squares, and lack of hygienic

conditions, such as mobile toilets for children. In addition, there was not an adequate
flow of information to the different locations. In 2015, the VPT developed the
marketing mix to reduce the barriers of participation in the Györkőc Festival. The
festival has had an increase in the number of visitors over the years, and it is now the
largest free outdoor children’s festival in Hungary with 26,000 registered children
and approximately 50,000 visitors.

Product Strategy
The social marketing product’s goal is to access the cultural events to improve the
individual and societal welfare. It is particularly important to change behaviour in
socially disadvantaged families and enhance their cultural activities. The basic idea
is that a problematic behaviour is exchanged for perceived individual benefit when
an alternative behaviour is adopted.
In 2015, the VPT had to focus on developing and launching new offerings in the
value proposition of Győr Kids Festival, and it has increased the number of its
locations, thematic sites, games and performances. The organizers added new
offerings that were relatively dissimilar to their present offerings, and they put
emphasis on existing consumers and new consumers, too. In July the water games
(water slide, jumping castle, small pedal boats, water dodgem and water cylinders)
provided a wonderful experience for children. The Kids Eco Park delivered further
new and great adventures with the exhibition of the Danube Museum so the children
could gain knowledge on the relationship between human and natural environments
in a family-friendly form. The festival also offered cultural and intellectual activities,
which were very entertaining and memorable: Mátrai Wood, logic games; Tudor
Game Family, unique strategic board games; the Arrabona Chess School; and Poem-
Play-Ground. The value proposition of the festival is service, and the extensive
involvement of the target audience is an integral part in the production of that
service. Many children from 3 to 14 years old are involved in the exciting sport
and means of transport in the vehicle park, e.g. canoe races, racetrack, tricky bikes,
flying scouts, road traffic track and railway obstacle course. Special attention is given
to the atmospherics of the different locations. Győr is the town of three rivers; hence
the beach of Danube and the Raba Island give a fabulous natural environment for the
programmes. Furthermore, the squares and streets in the city ensured extra special
spaces, e.g. buildings with treasured baroque architecture and the gunnery near the
castle. Figure 1 shows the map of all locations at the Györkőc Festival in 2015.
The Győr Kids Festival was complemented by the International Győr Kids
Olympics in which organizers awaited teams from around the country and abroad.
The teams competed in eight different sports (e.g. swimming, athletics, street
basketball, soccer, tennis, beach volleyball, wrestling, water polo) in several sport
centres in the town.

Price Strategy
Győr was transformed into a playground where children could participate in every
programme with a wristband received free of charge in return for a photograph of
A Successful Festival for Kids in Győr 155

Fig. 1 Map of locations at the Györkőc Festival. Source: http://2015.gyorkoc.hu/en/programs

them smiling. The concept of the Győr Kids Festival was to establish a free outdoor
festival for socially disadvantaged children. This goal was supported by different
price discounts offered by local service organizations, e.g. Rába Quelle Spa, Ther-
mal and Adventure Bath, Xantus Janos Zoo and other cultural organizations in Győr.
The cultural programmes were very popular for families: free visitation to the
Bishop’s Castle and Saint Laszlo Visitors’ Centre. The Mobilis Interactive Exhibi-
tion Centre was open to visitors with performances that included exciting and
breathtaking experiments; the entry was free with a wristband. Many children
enjoyed the Kids Raft Program, which was an adventurous cruise down the Rába
and the Danube rivers. Children with Győr Kids wristbands could travel for free. In
order to extend the time of children’s participation to 2 or 3 days and to expand the
attraction zone from a local event to a more regional one, the national railway
company (MÁV-Start Ltd.) provided a free train trip home from Győr to children
(aged 6–14) who participated in the Győr Kids Festival. During the Győrkőc Festival
in many hotels, a child with a wristband could use the facilities for free if an adult
had booked a room, and in several restaurants two children with wristbands could
receive a free meal if an adult ordered a meal.
The consumers perceived nonmonetary costs in terms of effort, time, physical
energy, or psychic costs. For poor families, however, such costs could be very
significant: they could worry asking for time off from work, fear that they would
be tired, potential embarrassment in that participation in the festival would be costly
and worry about giving up current behaviour, which was simple and comfortable to
them. These nonmonetary costs were minimized by an informational approach and
an induction strategy.
In order to offer all programmes of the Györkőc Festival free of charge to
children, event organizers were responsible for generating funds. With respect to
the financial sources of the VPT, renting out property for enterprises produced some
revenue. The VPT was satisfied that a number of food-beverage providers and arts-
crafts vendors continuously increased. This festival was supported by the local
156 I. Ercsey

government of Győr, the citizens, municipalities and companies that provided

special services (e.g. EON, PATENT-SECURITY) and private individuals that
collaborated in the realization of the programmes. Thanks to all support, the budget
of the Györkőc Festival has doubled by 2015.

Place Strategy
The Györkőc Festival has attracted more attendees; therefore several locations were
added along with the motto ‘Thousand programmes on ten sites’. The management
ensured that certain factors complied into creating an ideal event, specifically in
regard to time it takes place in the convenience of summer and in regard to place the
convenience of using the spaces in the city centre of Győr, and providing transpor-
tation to remote settlements, as well as providing infrastructural equipment for the
hygienic services offered to the children. This was seen through the target audience
members’ repeated participation behaviour and positive word-of-mouth (WOM)
because their expectations were met with the perceived benefit-cost. Figure 2
presents the opening ceremony in the city.
Every year the organization of the Györkőc Festival was incumbent on the VPT
that employs 23 staff members, so it was necessary to have the cooperation of the
stakeholders of town. During the festival the volunteers had important roles because
they directly met with the consumers. They helped solve problems, shared in
families’ pleasure and made the programmes more memorable with their presence.
Over the years there was increase in the volunteers, especially students. The website
of the festival and the VPT was used to recruit persons for volunteering. Additional
channels of volunteer promotion and information dissemination were done through
schools and the university, using targeted, tailored information.

Fig. 2 Opening ceremony in Dunakapu Square. Source: http://2015.gyorkoc.hu/en/news

A Successful Festival for Kids in Győr 157

Marketing Communication Strategy

The organizers proposed to reinforce the awareness and popularity of the festival in
the town and to enhance the numbers of participants and patrons in the region.
Furthermore, the VPT would enhance the attractiveness of the Győr Kids Festival to
children from other towns and villages in Hungary.
The festival maintains a website2 and online presence on social networking sites
(Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) in order to promote the programmes and encour-
age the children and their parents to visit the events. In the festival smiling volunteers
await the smiling kids and parents and a photograph, which was the entrance fee to
the festival. These smiling photos were uploaded to the website and social media.
In carrying out communication to its target audiences, the VPT used three main
tools: paid advertising, joint advertising and publicity. The marketing adviser
assisted in the planning and implementing of the marketing communication cam-
paign. More theoretical background (AIDA, 5M models) was applied to perform an
efficient campaign to change and maintain the target group’s behaviour (Lewis 1903;
Kotler 2002).
In order to change the behaviour of the socially disadvantaged children in
attendance at the festival programmes, the managers of campaign used an induction
strategy. Message focused on the awareness of festival programmes, the perceived
economic and social benefits of behaviour and some important details regarding the
accessibility of participation. According to the media consumption of the target
group, they decided several mediums. The local families were reached by the
regional daily newspaper (Kisalföld), local radio and Internet, which was the most
preferred informational source. Two sponsors from the media industry (Kisalföld
newspaper and Győr+MEDIA) continuously published actual information about the
festival in the form of advertising materials and publicity by using printed and online
communication. Some sponsors posted their special programmes on their web sites,
e.g. GyőrSZOL, a waste management non-profit organization, promoted the Eco
Park programme.
Advertising and publicity in social media and on the different cultural, tourist and
thematic web sites contributed to the increase in the length of time of families’
participation and also to the extension of the attraction zone to a more regional one.
In order to reinforce the active behaviour of local children, the VPT developed
web components; they created well-designed and attractive web sites that
encouraged the enhancement of online communication and advocated the campaign
message.

2
www.gyorkoc.hu
158 I. Ercsey

Conclusions

Given the significant growth demand, the Györkőc Festival is in a great position to
continually increase its popularity, while providing a unique, varied and valuable
programme for families with children.
The VPT keeps track of the number of children based on the wristbands received
for a photograph of them smiling. In 2015, the Györkőc Festival registered 22,000
children from ages 3 to 5 in July, which represents a 15% rise in the number of
children from 2014. The size of families was similar to the nuclear family model
with a mean value 3.67 persons per family. According to age little ones and pupils
found suitable activities in the festival, too. Enhancing the exposure was partly due
to consistently offering free and exciting programmes in a fabulous environment. In
addition, the dispersion of participants significantly changed, families from more
than 50 km away successfully were reached (68%) and some consumers came from
settlements abroad near the border (5%). A remarkable result is that many children
who lived in villages and smaller towns participated in cultural programmes and
special games in the vehicle park. They arrived consciously to spend more time with
innovative services in different locations. At the same time, the local families spent
more money in restaurants and hospitalities.
Many citizens had a desire to contribute towards making Győr a better place to
live; more people were interested in volunteering. Online marketing communication
resulted in more than 7000 followers in Facebook and plenty likes to the smiling
photos in social media.
The success of the Győr Kids Festival is shown by the fact that it has already won
the title of Excellent Quality Festival twice after a thorough examination by the
Hungarian Festival Association. The festival has also received the Diamond Award
of City Marketing, as well as the title of EFFE from the European Festival
Association.

Discussion Questions

1. How are the stages of change of behaviour involved in the decision-making

process of families in regards to the Györkőc Festival?
2. Explain the levels of the concept of product to the Györkőc Festival.
3. What can the VPT do to further increase the number of families participating in
the festival programmes?
4. Which marketing research methods can be useful to get to know the attitude and
behaviour of target attendance at the festival?
5. Do you have suggestions for improving their connection to sponsors and
partners?
6. What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of media types used in the
campaign?
7. How would you measure the effectiveness of the campaign of the Györkőc
Festival?
A Successful Festival for Kids in Győr 159

References
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Pearson.
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needs of our country as consequences of the appearance of commercial TV industry, also in
view of it’s regional setting. Theses of doctoral dissertation. University of Debrecen.
Kotler, P. (2002). Marketing menedzsment. Budapest: KIJK KERSZÖV.
Lewis, E. S. E. (1903). Catch-line and argument. The Book-Keeper, 15.
Pine, B. J., & Gilmore, J. H. (1998). Welcome to the experience economy. Harvard Business
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Santesmases, M. (1999). Marketing. Conceptos y Estrategias. Madrid: Piramide.
Wolf, M. (1999). The entertainment economy. New York: Random House.

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Social Marketing for Social Innovation: The
Employment Plan of the Spanish Red Cross
as a Case Study

Marta Rey-García and Vanessa Mato-Santiso

Abstract
Social innovation consists of developing and implementing new ideas to meet
social needs and create new social relationships or collaborations. Social market-
ing can contribute to achieving socially desirable outcomes or impacts, including
those originating from new solutions to social problems. The goal of this chapter
is to understand how the application of commercial marketing to influence the
ideas and voluntary behavior of target audiences can contribute to the develop-
ment and implementation of innovative solutions to social problems. Our case
study focuses on work integration as a relevant social challenge globally and
analyzes the social marketing campaign undertaken by the Spanish Red Cross to
promote equal opportunities and treatment in the labor market for the most
vulnerable citizens. Findings suggest social marketing may not only be a key
strategy to promote socially innovative initiatives for work integration but also
become a social innovation of the marketing type in its own right.

M. Rey-García · V. Mato-Santiso (*)

School of Economics and Business, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 161

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_14
162 M. Rey-García and V. Mato-Santiso

Learning Objectives
1. To examine the conceptual relationship between social marketing and
social innovation
2. To understand how social marketing can contribute in practice to the
development and implementation of innovative solutions to social
problems through a case study on work integration
3. To analyze a social marketing campaign that innovatively addresses the
challenge of promoting the equality of opportunities and treatment of the
most vulnerable groups in the labor market, with the ultimate goal of
integrating them into work

Introduction

Social innovation is defined as the development and implementation of new ideas

(products, services, and models) to meet social needs and create new social
relationships or collaborations. Social innovation as an impact can be attributed to
a great extent to the nonprofit or third sector (Anheier et al. 2014) and includes those
products, processes, and initiatives that profoundly challenge the system which
created the problem they seek to address (Westley and Antadze 2010). The Oslo
Manual (OECD and Eurostat 2005) distinguishes between four types of innovation
that can be easily transposed to the realm of social challenges and goals: (1) product
innovations, i.e., new or significantly improved products, services, activities,
projects, or programs with respect to their characteristics or intended uses; (2) process
innovations, that is, new or significantly improved planning, implementation and
delivery, and evaluation methods; (3) marketing innovations, or new forms of
communicating and managing the relationships with customers, beneficiaries,
funders, partners, and other relevant stakeholders; and (4) organizational
innovations, particularly the implementation of new organizational structures, the
emergence of new types of actors, and the configuration of new institutional settings.
Social innovation thus entails new responses to pressing social demands, which in
turn affect the process of social interactions. Furthermore, social innovations are
innovations “that are not only good for society but also enhance individuals’
capacity to act” (European Commission 2013: 6). Therefore, for social innovation
to be fruitful, new ideas and behaviors must take root at both an individual and a
collective level. This is precisely where social marketing comes into the picture. Its
goal is to influence ideas or voluntary behaviors of a particular target or group
through the application of marketing tools and strategies in order to increase
individual, group, and overall well-being (Andreasen 2011; Lee and Kotler 2011).
On the one hand, social marketing can be used as a tool to support socially
innovative goals, processes, outputs, outcomes, or impacts, facilitating the develop-
ment and implementation of new ways of tackling social challenges and improving
Social Marketing for Social Innovation: The Employment Plan of the Spanish. . . 163

the well-being of communities. On the other hand, social marketing strategies and
campaigns can become themselves social innovations of the marketing type.
Coming up next, we will analyze the concrete social marketing strategies used
and actions undertaken by a large nonprofit organization in Spain in order to achieve
a social innovation impact in the field of work integration. We use a case study
design (Yin 1994) based on documentary analysis from multiple sources, including
one in-depth interview with a key decision-maker about his/her expert knowledge,
experiences, attitudes, thoughts, beliefs, and routine actions (Dana and Dana 2005).
The use of these different methods and sources, or triangulation, is a strategy that
“reflects an attempt to secure an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon in
question” (Denzin 2012: 82). Thus, it is possible to achieve coherent conclusions
obtained with similar information from several independent sources (Dana and Dana
2005). Finally, we summarize the main conclusions and suggest three questions for
discussion.

Case Development

The Global Challenge of Work Integration

The social challenge of work integration refers to the need to enhance the (re)
employment and (re)incorporation of individuals to the regular labor market, partic-
ularly those belonging to population groups with compounding situations of unem-
ployment, poverty, and/or social exclusion. These groups are considered vulnerable
toward employment, as they present additional difficulties to access the standard
labor market due to their low qualification and skills, disabilities, family constraints,
or lack of cultural or social capital. Some examples would be low-skilled jobseekers,
young people with difficulties in finding a first job, long-term unemployed, female
victims of domestic violence, immigrants, refugees, minorities, former convicts and
drug addicts, and disabled or chronically ill people, among others (Spanish Red
Cross 2016). The problem of work integration of the most vulnerable citizens has a
global dimension and demands innovative solutions from public agencies, nonprofit
organizations, or work integration social enterprises (WISEs) (Rey-García and
Mato-Santiso 2017).

Vulnerability Toward Employment in Spain

In the case of Spain, the recent economic crisis increased the challenge of work
integration, as it contributed to increased unemployment, reduced income levels in
real terms, raised inequality, and ultimately broadened the population segments in
situation of vulnerability toward employment (Rey-García et al. 2018). According to
a recent study quantifying and characterizing these segments, 1,800,000 Spaniards
have a high probability of remaining jobless in the short term, and 2,400,000 have a
high probability of living in poverty despite having a job. 31.9% of people who are
164 M. Rey-García and V. Mato-Santiso

vulnerable toward employment are young (between 25 and 34 years old), 60% only
have primary or secondary education, 58% are women, and 40.4% do not receive
any benefits and are not formally registered as jobseekers (FEDEA 2017).
The scale and scope of this challenge clearly exceed the capacity of WISEs—the
traditional tool to address work integration in Spain. In 2014, the 204 WISEs
existing in Spain employed a total of 2750 vulnerable people. Among the 714 vul-
nerable employees who ended their customized work integration itineraries during
that year, only 50.42% were inserted in the regular labor market (FAEDEI 2015).

The Spanish Red Cross and its Employment Plan as a Social

Innovation

In this context, the Spanish Red Cross carries out different social marketing actions
in order to offer new responses to the pressing but as yet unresolved problem of work
integration. The Spanish Red Cross is a humanitarian nonprofit organization that
relies on 202,490 specialized volunteers, 10,700 paid professionals, and over
1,300,000 members to fulfil its mission of providing comprehensive responses to
the needs of vulnerable people with a human development perspective. Its goal is to
be closer to the vulnerable groups at national and international levels through
integrated actions, carried out by volunteers and with broad social support. In
2016, over 35% of its total income (575 million euros) came from private sources:
members contributed over 134 million euros, 56 million came from the sale of
lotteries—of which 33 million through the Gold Grand Prize Lottery—and 32 mil-
lion euros came from private donations. Additionally, more than 155 million euros
were obtained from public subsidies (Spanish Red Cross 2016).
The evolution of the Spanish Red Cross has always been constantly adapting to
changing social needs and problems. In 2000, it launched its employment plan,
aimed at promoting the employment of the most vulnerable segments of population,
in order to achieve their inclusion in society through labor opportunities. This
employment plan is designed so that vulnerable people can improve, through
orientation and training services, their opportunities of getting a job. It involves
public entities, universities, other nonprofit organizations, and businesses. In 2016, it
assisted 89,013 vulnerable people: 43,620 people improved their employability
through basic, transversal, and technical competencies, and 17,983 found a job
(Spanish Red Cross 2016). In addition, the employment plan provides services for
the shelter and work orientation of these groups and the design of a customized path
of work integration for each individual. This path integrates a training plan, an
individualized accompaniment to socio-professional work integration, access
strategies for employment and entrepreneurship, and finally, strategies to keep
one’s job.
The number of participants in the Spanish Red Cross employment plan has
doubled since the beginning of the crisis, from 45,000 people assisted in 2008
(45,665) to nearly 90,000 in 2016 (89,013) (see Fig. 1). Red Cross has assisted
more than 650,000 vulnerable people between 2008 and 2016. During this period,
Social Marketing for Social Innovation: The Employment Plan of the Spanish. . . 165

Number of

100000 96410
84275 88820 89013
80000
64250 69468
63700
60000 53261
45665
40000

20000

0
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Fig. 1 People assisted by the employment plan of Spanish Red Cross (2008–2016). Source:
Author’s own elaboration with information retrieved from Spanish Red Cross (2018)

not only the employment needs of vulnerable segments of population expanded and
deepened, but also the risk of social exclusion increased, particularly among the
long-term unemployed.

The “En realidad no tiene gracia” [It Really Is Not Funny] Social
Marketing Campaign

The Spanish Red Cross launched the “En realidad no tiene gracia” [It really is not
funny] campaign in 2010 with the goal of supporting the development of the service
delivery dimension of its employment plan. The main objective of this social
marketing campaign is to mobilize society as a whole (it was labelled as a 360
campaign, aimed toward all types of target audiences), and especially companies, in
favor of the equality of opportunities and treatment of people who are vulnerable
toward employment, and to support the management of the resulting diversity in the
workplace. This campaign uses humor, irony, and celebrity endorsements to struc-
ture multichannel contents (both online and offline) that contribute to the visibility of
inequality and vulnerability toward employment, advocate the need of work integra-
tion, and ultimately improve the impact of the employment plan. It has been
endorsed by famous people such as the actor Mariano Peña (Mauricio Colmenero
in the TV series “Aida”) and Pepe Rodríguez (Spanish renowned chef and judge in
the program “MasterChef Spain”), among other celebrities. It includes a wide range
of social marketing actions, including social media, audios and online series,
interviews, publications, events, and workshops. In Table 1, we describe some
illustrative examples of actions carried out within the framework of this social
marketing campaign.
166 M. Rey-García and V. Mato-Santiso

Table 1 Social marketing actions of the “En realidad no tiene gracia” [It really is not funny]
campaign
Type of social
marketing actions Examples Description
Initiatives “Caras raras por la igualdad” The aim is to identify and eliminate some
through social Project inappropriate situations involving jobseekers—such as
media when an employer asks a woman candidate if she plans
to become pregnant—using humor and irony. For this
initiative it is only necessary to post a tweet with one
photo of a surprised face, with the hashtag
#EstaCaraSeMeQueda and the phrase that represents
that inadequate situation
Concurso de fotografía This project consists of people posting photos on
Social “Mundo Diverso” twitter and sharing their vision of a more diverse and
[Social photography rich society, in order to give greater visibility to
Competition “Diverse cultural diversity
World”]
Short audios and Short audios with famous Short audios with a joke about immigration, diversity,
online series comedians and actors and work integration, lasting between 30 and 40 s, then
saying the following sentence, “It really is not funny”,
and then seriously explaining the importance of the
work integration challenge
“Recetas para la integración Web series of seven chapters starred by Pepe
laboral” [“Recipes for work Rodriguez, judge of the TV show MasterChef. In each
integration”] of these videos, important issues such as gender
equality, cultural diversity, the influence of age, and
motivation and talent management are discussed,
among others (each of these issues is an “ingredient”)
Interviews with Interviews with recognized Telling personal stories and reflection over different
opinion leaders professionals and celebrities themes, such as the benefits of diversity management,
and publications how diversity can enrich the company and society;
how to eliminate employment barriers with
enthusiasm, energy, and commitment; and how to
overcome prejudice and stereotypes that persist in the
workplace
Publication of articles For instance, the publication entitled “Without words
there are no facts” approaches the challenges of the
labor market in terms of diversity, integration, and
equality of opportunities and treatment
Events and Dialogue roundtables An area of joint work and co-creation, based on
workshops collaborative work and exchange. From these round
tables, reflections and other contributions emerge that
seek to promote the employment and work integration
of vulnerable people and to assess how diversity
should be managed in practice
Cartoons and caricatures Based on real cases, they raise interesting reflections
about the role played by the prejudice that many
people face in the labor market. The purpose of this
activity is to eliminate the stereotypes and prejudice in
the labor market and to remove barriers such as gender,
age, and belonging to a different culture, among others
Source: Author’s own elaboration with information retrieved from En realidad no tiene gracia
(2018)
Social Marketing for Social Innovation: The Employment Plan of the Spanish. . . 167

Social Marketing Strategies used in the “En realidad no tiene gracia”

Campaign

Unlike traditional commercial marketing, social marketing highlights two main

paradoxes: (1) in general, goods or a service are not sold in a social marketing
campaign; and (2) the objectives of this type of campaign are long-term, and the
benefits are of a social nature (Santesmases Mestre 1999). This campaign aims at
changing the negative attitudes and behavior of business employers and of society in
general toward vulnerable citizens, so that they become more supportive of the equality
of opportunities and treatment in the employment field. Therefore this campaign uses a
confrontational strategy, which consists of conducting awareness actions and advo-
cacy to attempt to change the attitude and behavior of people, because they are contrary
to socially desirable behavior (Santesmases Mestre 1999: 948).
It should be noted that abundant coercive regulatory measures are already in place
in Spain to prevent or sanction undesirable behavior regarding discrimination in the
labor market due to gender, age, nationality, disabilities, etc. or to promote diversity
in the workplace, e.g., Royal Decree 364/2005, of April 8, which regulates the
exceptional measures alternative to complying with the reserve quota in favor of
employees with disabilities that has been compulsory for all Spanish organizations
with over 50 employees since 1982; the recent Royal Decree-law 18/2017, of
November 24, modifying the Commercial Code, the consolidated text of the Capital
Companies Law approved by Royal Legislative Decree 1/2010, of July 2; and the
Law 22/2015, of July 20, on Audit of Accounts, regarding nonfinancial information
and diversity in large corporations, to name just a few.
However, the “It really is not funny” campaign goes beyond advocating corporate
compliance and is rather focused on creating awareness about individual attitudes and
day-to-day behaviors and routines in the workplace. It is based on an innovative mix of
celebrity-based persuasion, a corrosive sense of humor and information and communi-
cation technology. It uses a direct and even aggressive style to put target audiences in
front of a mirror, so that they are confronted their own prejudice and misbehavior
toward vulnerable jobseekers. It also identifies positive practices that remove barriers
against their work integration or promote diversity in the workplace and leverages the
awareness effects through online interactive channels, particularly social media. The
goal is to cause a voluntary change of attitude and behavior among potential business
employers (the main source of mainstream jobs in the country) and society in general.
This type of social marketing strategy is essential to complement service delivery
by WISEs and TSOs and supportive legislation on the side of regulators, because
these alone are necessary but not sufficient conditions to achieve a socially desirable
change. Apart from delivering services to vulnerable jobseekers and coercively
preventing or sanctioning uncompliant behavior by (potential) employers, it is also
indispensable to broadly stimulate social adoption of positive attitudes and behavior
consistent with the socially desirable goal, i.e., finding solutions to the problem of
unequal opportunities and treatment in the labor market.
Additionally, it is important to underline the pivotal role played by Spanish Red
Cross as promoter of this social campaign, based on its volunteer nature, strength at
168 M. Rey-García and V. Mato-Santiso

service delivery, and broad social support. The messages originating from a legitimate
advocate generate more empathy toward those affected and increased annoyance toward
the perceived injustice, motivating intent to take action (Summers and Summers 2017).

Conclusions

In order to reach its goal of promoting equality and diversity for vulnerable jobseekers
in the regular labor market, the employment plan of the Spanish Red Cross combines
service provision—customized orientation and training for beneficiaries—with advo-
cacy through its “It really is not funny” campaign. This campaign develops a wide
range of innovative social marketing actions to raise awareness (change attitudes) and
to stimulate actions (change behavior) among mainstream employers and society in
general. The campaign aims at identifying and eliminating the practical barriers
suffered by vulnerable people in the labor market in an innovative way. This campaign
adopts a realistic approach to the human aspects and daily practice of corporate
compliance with work integration and diversity regulations. It uses a direct language
based on humor, irony, and critique as a vehicle for companies and citizens to confront
their own stereotypes and prejudices regarding vulnerable people and to reflect on the
role that they play as barriers to equality of access and treatment in the labor market.
Diffusion of the effects of this confrontational strategy on people and organization is
leveraged by digital communication technologies.
Thus, this social marketing campaign not only supports the implementation of the
employment plan of the Spanish Red Cross as an innovative solution to the problem
of work integration in Spain, but it is also a social marketing innovation per se. Little
societal awareness exists about traditional work integration mechanisms prevailing
in the country (e.g., WISEs) that rather rely upon ad hoc regulations and organiza-
tional formulas outside the standard labor market. By contrast, this campaign mainly
targets mainstream companies and their employees, as they are the main source of
jobs in the regular labor market, but may also become the main barrier when it comes
to integrating vulnerable citizens.
This case study suggests a fruitful scenario to discuss the twofold relevance of
social marketing in the realm of social innovation. On the one hand, it may be an
effective tool to support the implementation of social innovation, contributing to
initiatives mitigating or solving global social challenges at a local level in new,
creative ways. On the other hand, the new ways in which the Spanish Red Cross’
campaign confronts target audiences in order to change their attitudes and behavior
toward vulnerable jobseekers suggest that innovative social marketing strategies
may help joint redefinition of social problems with relevant stakeholders, bring
into existence new forms of communicating and managing the relationships with
them, or co-create new social relationships, becoming a social innovation in their
own right. This twofold potential of social marketing is especially relevant in a
context of economic strains and pressing problems, where effective service delivery
and regulatory frameworks fall short on achieving sustainable social change by
themselves.
Social Marketing for Social Innovation: The Employment Plan of the Spanish. . . 169

Discussion Questions

Once the case study was analyzed, and after presenting the main conclusions, we
suggest some questions for discussion.

1. The main objective of “It really is not funny” campaign, within the employment
plan of Spanish Red Cross, is to promote the equality of opportunities and
treatment for the most vulnerable citizens in the labor market and to better
manage the resulting diversity. Which indicators should be used to measure its
success as a social marketing campaign from the perspective of its socially
innovative impact?
2. What are the main reasons why social marketing can become a key strategy to
encourage social innovation? Illustrate with examples from your own country
context.
3. The Spanish Red Cross is the largest volunteer organization in Spain. How can
this feature of being a volunteer-based organization influence the effects of social
marketing campaigns on the development of the employment plan as a social
innovation?

Acknowledgments The authors acknowledge funding provided by the ITSSOIN (Impact of the
Third Sector as SOcial INnovation) project for making the presentation of this paper possible in the
VII International Congress on Teaching Cases related to Public and Nonprofit Marketing. ITSSOIN
(www.itssoin.eu) is a research project funded under the European Commission’s 7th Framework
Programme responding to a call to investigate “The impact of the third sector on socio-economic
development in Europe”.

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The Role of Civil Society Organizations
in Social Innovation as an Example
of the New Social Marketing

Begoña Álvarez-García, Luis Ignacio Álvarez-González,

Marta Rey-García, Noelia Salido-Andrés,
and María José Sanzo-Pérez

Abstract
The objective of the present case study is to describe to what extent the design and
implementation of socially innovative activities and projects by Civil Society
Organizations take into consideration the principles and tools of social marketing.
With this objective, REAS (a Spanish Network of Alternative and Solidarity
Economy Networks), and its online financial education platform
economiasolidaria.org, has been selected as unit of analysis of the case. The
empirical study developed reveals how REAS is effectively a nonprofit organiza-
tion very oriented to the market, in the sense of adopting the concept of market-
ing, and how marketing-mix variables (fundamentally, the variables product,
place, and promotion) have been very important in the design, implementation,
and dissemination of its online platform.

B. Álvarez-García · M. Rey-García · N. Salido-Andrés

University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
L. I. Álvarez-González (*) · M. J. Sanzo-Pérez
University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 171

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_15
172 B. Álvarez-García et al.

Learning Objectives
• Identify the key dimensions of social innovation activities or projects.
• Determine how a civil society organization can promote social innovations
in the nonprofit sector.
• Describe how the principles and values that underlie the marketing strategy
are very important to implement and sustain a social innovation.
• Design social innovation activities or projects from the marketing
standpoint.
• Develop a management plan to implement and to disseminate a social
innovation activity or project through online marketing channels.

Introduction

The evolution of the concept of marketing has been characterized by its continuous
expansion toward the social scope, in such a way that the social dimension plays a
key role in the current conceptualization of marketing which primarily focuses on
customer satisfaction and the needs of society (AMA 2013). In this context, the
research on social innovation (SI) has grown rapidly (Phillips et al. 2015; Van der
Have and Rubalcaba 2016), as this kind of innovation has become extremely popular
as a way to tackle the growing social problems with dwindling resources (Borzaga
and Bodini 2012). One of the basic dimensions of SI activities is their collaborative
nature, as SI practices are deployed through new forms of collaboration and “involve
a higher degree of bottom-up and grass-roots involvement than technological
innovation” (Krlev et al. 2019: 19). In this sense, social alliances, understood as
voluntary efforts of actors from two or more sectors that involve at least one civil
society organization (CSO) and cooperatively pursue an objective aiming at improv-
ing social welfare (Sakarya et al. 2012), achieve particular importance.
From the perspective of social marketing, CSOs can play an outstanding role in
promoting social innovations to the extent that they accomplish several
requirements. First, CSOs participate in the definition of the social problem. Second,
the entrepreneurial process is collective rather than individualistic. Third, the SI must
be contextualized in terms of specific institutional/policy conditions, and
investments in human/social capital are needed. Fourth, the phase of diffusion is
particularly challenging, with evidence of scaling and replication failures in SI
developed by CSOs (Spear 2012).
Under this scenario, the objective of our case study is to describe, from the
perspective of the strategic and operational dimensions of the social marketing, how
REAS (Red de Redes de Economía Alternativa y Solidaria/Network of Alternative and
Solidarity Economy Networks, in English), a network of networks of civil society and
social economy organizations, has developed and consolidated an online platform,
economiasolidaria.org, with the aim at enhancing the consumer protection and literacy
in the field of financial services through an online financial education initiatives.
The Role of Civil Society Organizations in Social Innovation as an Example. . . 173

The platform is implemented in a moment of time in which Spain has undergone

several radical changes related to financial markets and products. After 2009 Spain
underwent the largest restructuring of the banking sector in its history. At the root of
these changes is a generalized social distrust of banks due to a series of irresponsible
behaviors in relation to credit concession, the disclosure of generous compensation
schemes for directors of banks under public rescue plans, and a broad perception of
opacity and moral hazard (Anheier et al. 2015). It was a time when there seems to be
rather low involvement of the Spanish government in the field but a strong demand
on the part of the citizens for more empowerment. So, we refer to a time when
innovative solutions in this field were required.

Case Development1

REAS is a nonprofit organization that, as a network of networks, encourages and

coordinates 14 regional and 4 sectorial networks that are committed to solidarity-
based economy in the Spanish State (www.reasred.org). In practice, REAS includes
more than 500 organizations, mainly nonprofit associations, but also cooperatives or
companies. REAS is present in the Intercontinental Network for the Promotion of
Social Solidarity Economy (RIPESS) and in the Spanish Business Confederation of
Social Economy (CEPES). REAS also collaborates directly with about 20 networks
and sectorial associations (e.g., “Network of Alternative Finance” or “Association of
Networks of Social Market”). Therefore, REAS is a CSO created with the objective
of being a meeting point for ethical and solidarity finance tools linked to the
solidarity economy networks.
In this context, REAS launched in 2007 the site economiasolidaria.org. This
platform is inspiring a different way of understanding the economy and the
relationships based in a collaborative and social paradigm, away from profit. The
main objective of this platform is not only focused on “traditional” financial educa-
tion, understood as the set of skills and knowledge that enable a person or organiza-
tion to make decisions regarding their finances, but on anything that might lead to a
change toward a social and solidarity economy, i.e., fair trade, responsible consump-
tion, ethical finance, social market, or solidarity economy in general. It also reports
and denounces the causes that are generating a situation of inequality and injustice.
The online platform is a space that provides mutual support and information for all
its organizations and society in general, as well as space for exchange of ideas and

1
This case study is part of the ITSSOIN (Impact of the Third Sector as SOcial INnovation) project,
funded by the European Commission. The ITSSOIN project (http://itssoin.eu/) investigates
the impact of the third sector and civic engagement on society, which goes beyond their economic
benefits or the natural virtue of caring for others. To increase its validity, we used the Process-
Tracing Methods (Beach and Pedersen 2013). According to this methodology, several types of data
sources were used (among them semi-structured interviews). A comparative version of the case
study, with other online financial education platforms of several countries (Czech Republic,
Denmark, and Spain), can be consulted in Hyánek et al. (2016).
174 B. Álvarez-García et al.

experiences. All networks that are part of REAS are involved in updating the
platform with news and content, which has also enabled to extent the network of
collaborating people to other parts of the world. In this case, the dynamic of
implementation has followed a “bottom-up” logic, inasmuch as it has been boosted
by nonprofit organizations highly involved in social problems, with the predisposi-
tion and involvement of citizens as well.
Economiasolidaria.org hosts more than 10,000 online contents, with around
300,000 different users and more than 30,000 total subscriptions. During the last
years, the site has been the subject of a major renewal with the aim to provide a more
personalized service and space for the portal encouraging an optimal connectivity
through social networks and the adaptation to mobile devices in terms of
responsiveness. Another goal for the renovation of the portal has been to define a
specific section for financial education and for particularly advance financial educa-
tion on responsible consumption activities.
According to this background, the economiasolidaria.org platform can be consid-
ered as a SI activity or project, to the extent that this website “(1) is oriented towards
a social goal, aiming to satisfy or solve social problems; (2) is a collaborative
process, involving different stakeholders; (3) implies an improvement in comparison
with the previous situation; and (4) assumes an effective change in certain behaviors/
social practices” (Alvarez-González et al. 2017: 27).
The case study of the economiasolidaria.org platform shows, first, how the
principles and values that underlie the social marketing strategy of any current
organization are very present in the implementation and sustainability of the plat-
form. In addition, the importance of social marketing is also observed in the fact that
several operative variables of this strategy had been key elements in the growth and
the scope of the platform (visits, users, subscribers, etc.). We refer specifically to the
design of the platform itself (product variable) and its implementation and dissemi-
nation through online channels (promotion and place variables). We develop further
below this evidence in separate subsections.

Strategic Marketing

Strategically, REAS and its platform of financial education stand out for their high
degree of market orientation and, consequently, by the adoption of the marketing
concept. Specifically, the management of the platform is characterized by several of
the key dimensions of the concept of marketing in the private nonprofit sector
(Alvarez-González et al. 2002).
Firstly, this site is highly oriented to satisfy social needs of vulnerable groups or
those at risk of exclusion, although ultimately the target of their actions is the society
as a whole. This approach entails targeting socially vulnerable people, directly or
through the organizations (mainly, small nonprofit organizations and, even, social
firms) which integrate the network promoting the site. In addition, the site organiza-
tion is fairly oriented to satisfy urgent or especially important social issues, even if
this orientation carries some risks, and it advocates, with high intensity, for different
The Role of Civil Society Organizations in Social Innovation as an Example. . . 175

politically neglected social issues and carries out the promotion of social activities
(e.g., the organization of awareness campaigns or the promotion of specific policies).
There is no doubt that the importance given to pro-social values (solidarity and
caring for others and equality) is very high. Relationship with the main beneficiaries
and stakeholders is direct; in other words, the site is clearly focused on improving the
well-being and living conditions of their beneficiaries.
To achieve this high degree of orientation toward the social needs, the organiza-
tional management remains “quite” decentralized, since employees and volunteers
can participate in organizational decisions related to (1) the design and development
of ideas (to create new services, process, and/or structures) and (2) the implementa-
tion of projects and services. Also, the nonmanagerial employees can speak on
behalf of the organization and participate in direct contact with external
stakeholders, of course with prior authorization of managers.
Secondly, the platform is characterized by its external organizational openness, to
the extent that their external stakeholders and beneficiaries are actively involved in
many organizational decisions and in the development of projects and services. The
external stakeholders actively participate in the following activities: (1) design and
development of ideas, (2) implementation of projects and services, and (3) mobiliza-
tion. The platform is heavily involved in projects in cooperation with other entities;
the platform participates with them in formal or informal networks, and the managers
are considering the external communication and the social networks (Facebook,
Twitter, etc.) as a key concern for the organization. In recent times, the platform is
actively engaged in policy dialogue with authorities, in order to participate in the
design, monitoring, or evaluation of public policies, and as a result of the changes
that are taking place in the regional governments of territories in which REAS has a
strong presence (Madrid, Barcelona, Aragon, and some territories of Andalusia).
The site beneficiaries are involved in the same activities mentioned above for
stakeholders, and they are also informed about the planned projects/services. In
recent years, the exchange of information and knowledge with beneficiaries has
increased (the site has a formal feedback channel) with the objective of empowering
them. The site tries to enable her beneficiaries to (1) be able to act together toward
achieving their objectives, (2) access to valuable resources, (3) control key aspects of
their life, (4) participate in the community, and (5) be able to identify their problems,
assess possible solutions, and act accordingly.
Thirdly, this site is embedded, directly or indirectly through its partners and/or
activities, in their local/regional surrounding community. The site interacts with their
key external stakeholders (partners, competitors, public regulators, etc.), being these
networks of contacts very wide, heterogeneous, and interconnected. In this particular
issue, REAS plays a central and essential role within her global network of contacts,
not by her position of power, but by her central ideological position which provides
cohesion to the members of the network. As a result, the relationship among REAS
and the entities of the network (in terms of conflict resolution, equal sharing of costs
and benefits among participants, personal relationships beyond just professional,
constant rebalance of relations, etc.) is seen as “very good.” They share the same
language, objectives, values, and the ways of interpreting the reality.
176 B. Álvarez-García et al.

Fourthly and lastly, the financial resources of the platform had been, mainly and
almost exclusively (95%), own. Basically, the resources came from the dues paid by
the organization networks that are part of REAS. However, as of 2015 the site
financial structure begins to diversify with European public funding for a project
(25% of annual income) and even private funding (5% of annual income). If this
trend is confirmed, the site financial structure will be similar to the any Spanish
nonprofit organizations, in which public funding has always had a significant weight.
This same path toward diversification must also be assumed in terms of human
resource management. Until now, the human resources of the site have low diversity
from the point of view of academic training, professional experience, social
characteristics, and contractual relationships, perhaps as a result of the small number
of employees managing the site. Only some gender heterogeneity is identified in the
organizations that are part of the platform, predominantly female.

“Product” Variable

The analysis of the web economiasolidaria.org from the point of view of marketing
reveals how the platform, as a whole, is structured according to the basic benefit it
intends to generate in its users: disseminate relevant information not so much about
“traditional” financial education but about any informative input that might lead to a
change toward a social and solidarity economy in this context. From this social basic
benefit, the platform is organized into three main sections (Fig. 1):

1. News. In the first section, the most outstanding news of the Solidarity Economy is
collected: approximately, a dozen of news per month, one every 2–3 days. In each
case, its content is described and classified according to its source (mainly, some
of the networks that are part of REAS) and its tag (banking or ethical finance,
responsible consumption, fair trade, etc.).

Fig. 1 Economia Solidaria website. Source: economiasolidaria.org

The Role of Civil Society Organizations in Social Innovation as an Example. . . 177

Fig. 2 Corporate image of economiasolidaria.org. Source: economiasolidaria.org

2. Events. In this section, relevant information is loaded about conferences, workshops,

training sessions, presentations, meetings, congress, etc. related to the key topics of
the platform. Again, events are classified by organizing entity and type of activity.
3. Library. Finally, the users of the platform can download documents, reports,
research, descriptive online videos, etc. on the same topics. The website has in
both the main page and each one of its sections specific search engines that favor,
as facilitating or convenience services, the search processes of contents and
organizations made by the users.

In order to make the platform as valuable as possible for users, it has been
equipped with other links that complement the information available in main
sections. For example, the platform has specific links that help users understand
what the principles that define solidarity-based economy, ethical finance, fair trade,
responsible consumption, etc. are. It also has a direct link to the organization that
promotes and manages the platform (REAS), and in the latest update, it was adapted
to the recent changes in the socioeconomic environment including new contents on
the web. For example, as a consequence of the recent period of economic crisis, this
platform promotes, together with other representative organizations, new initiatives
based on the idea of a new social market. This social market2 is understood as (1) a
network of production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services and
(2) the result of a common learning process that works under ethical, participatory,
ecological, and solidarity criteria in particular territories. The main objective is to
create a network in which citizens can visualize in an integrated manner an endless
number of products and services that have not been previously presented as the result
of social and solidarity economy. This is intended to (1) enhance the visibility,
viability, and sustainability of solidarity economy organizations and, especially, to
create alternative circuits to conventional trade from the perspective of responsible
consumption and (2) encourage the responsibility of each consumer, producer, or
distributor to change the market. Financial market represents an important support
for this social market initiative through the financial services of cooperatives, the
investment funds of credit sections, or the solidarity bonds to cover financing needs.
Similarly, it is interesting to focus on the recent change in the corporate image of
the platform (Fig. 2). On the one hand, strides have been made in trying to provide

2
http://www.economiasolidaria.org/mercado_social
178 B. Álvarez-García et al.

the platform its own personality and independence from the promoter entity (REAS),
by eliminating a graphic representation in the form of network that identified this
entity. On the other hand, the font of the platform name has been changed,
highlighting in capital letters the name (ECONOMÍA SOLIDARIA/SOLIDARITY
ECONOMY, in English) and changing its color from green to purple in order to
emphasize the gender equality as a key principle of the platform.

“Promotion and Place” Variables

Economiasolidaria.org has been created by REAS with the communication as one of

the main purposes upon which this organization provides services relating to:

1. The sharing agenda on network activities

2. Communication tools, such as a database of member entities; networking infor-
mation; last news and relating events sections; and educational, instructional, and
training materials such as reports, specific documents, literature references, and
audiovisual tools
3. A specific section focused on responsible consumption with a social market
database
4. An intranet including internal documentation and an extranet with public infor-
mation on the activities performed by territorial networks and the state network
5. A monthly online solidarity economy newsletter

The type of financial education promoted and developed by REAS is different

from the “top-down” model promoted by public and corporate institutions through
their Financial Education National Plan.3 In the case of economiasolidaria.org, the
dynamic of implementation has been following a “bottom-up” logic. The aim is to
encourage a different way of understanding the human relationships based in a
collaborative and social economy. Thus, REAS, and consequently the
economiasolidaria.org platform, is not focused solely on financial education but on
anything that might encourage a change toward a fairer and more social economy,
trying to generate a sole message and enhancing public awareness on basic issues
(i.e., the use of money, among others) in order to develop a more solidarity society.
All the territorial and sectorial networks adhered are involved in updating the
contents of the platform. In particular the financial section includes not only infor-
mation and instructional materials to be used by citizens to improve their financial
education but also makes visible the alternative ethical finances throughout the
whole country and is being added to build broader proposals in a collective way.
Therefore, financial education is being part of a more global project. Actually, the
platform is generally perceived as an online space that provides information and
mutual support to all member and nonmember entities and also to society by

3
https://www.cnmv.es/DocPortal/Publicaciones/PlanEducacion/Planeducacion_een2en.pdf
The Role of Civil Society Organizations in Social Innovation as an Example. . . 179

extension. Furthermore, it is a space for exchanging ideas and experiences in the

alternative financial services field, serving as both a meeting point for personal
encounter and a bridge between business and social movements.
As aforementioned, cooperation among the member entities and territorial/secto-
rial networks is crucial for the regular development of the online platform. In this
sense, economiasolidaria.org has been making possible the creation of alliances with
other organizations that would have been otherwise impossible. The regular
updating of the contents had also enabled to extend the range of the network to
other parts of the world, in particular to Latin American countries.
Furthermore, the platform is being currently updated in terms of responsive
design to new technological uses and demands given the virulence with which
new technologies become obsolete. One of the objectives of this renewal is to
improve the usability of the portal through mobile devices and also the interaction
with potential users through the social media and networks. However, an important
drawback of the potential usability of the economiasolidaria.org platform is relating
to the fact that online contents are not accessible for the entire population (i.e., digital
literacy inequality). In addition, another obstacle is related to the possible limits of
virtual tools to the extent to which some collective projects still require the face-to-
face interaction to generate network collaborations. Although virtual tools are
essential in this case in particular, the organization promoter also considers that
face-to-face relationships from specific social movements are also indispensable.

Conclusions

There is consensus among the main academic and professional associations of social
marketing that this discipline “seeks to develop and integrate marketing concepts
with other approaches to influence behaviors that benefit individuals and
communities for the greater social good” (Boards of iSMA, ESMA and AASM
2013). In this context, the main conclusion of the case study of REAS, and its online
financial education platform economiasolidaria.org, is that the core social marketing
principles and concepts are key for developing and implementing socially innovative
activities and projects by a CSO.
In particular, it is currently considered that the facilitation of personal and social
good is the core necessary principle of all social marketing program (Boards of
iSMA, ESMA, AASM and SMANA 2017). The reading of the case shows how the
core principle of REAS and economiasolidaria.org is to encourage a different way of
understanding the economy and the relationships based in a collaborative and social
paradigm. To fulfill this principle, the platform tries to:

1. Influence the citizens’ beliefs, attitudes, and opinions about the functioning of the
economy and its agents.
2. Adopt a citizen-centered orientation by identifying his problems, developing
solutions, and implementing them.
180 B. Álvarez-García et al.

3. Develop value propositions via the social marketing intervention Mix

(marketing-mix variables described in the case).
4. Gather relevant understanding about the potential users and beneficiaries of the
platform.
5. Have influence on other stakeholders (such as other financial education
platforms) that can condition the economic or financial behavior of citizens.
6. And all of this with a critical thinking, reflexivity, and ethical practice.

In short, REAS and economiasolidaria.org adopt in a high degree the six core
concepts necessary in any current social marketing campaign or program, according
to the latest debates or discussions about the present of the discipline (Boards of
iSMA, ESMA, AASM and SMANA 2017). Likewise, REAS use commercial
techniques to implement its core social marketing principle and concepts. Specifi-
cally, the development of the case study serves to underline how different key
aspects in the design, use, and dissemination of the platform through online commu-
nication channels are adjusted to the design of any social service according to the
current marketing-mix concept. These key aspects are, for example, (1) the platform
structure in three main sections according to the basic social problem that justifies its
origin and development or (2) the availability of a wide range of facilitating,
convenience, or incremental additional sections that complement them. This is
why REAS is a good illustrative example of how a CSO can encourage and promote
a successful social innovation project by integrating the core principles, concepts,
and techniques of the new social marketing.

Discussion Questions

1. Justify why the economiasolidaria.org platform can be considered a social

innovation project according to the proposed definition in the case study.
2. Is the economiasolidaria.org platform really market oriented, as stated in the case
study? Look for specialized literature and justify your answer.
3. Describe the product “economiasolidaria.org” from the point of view of the
current concept of marketing, distinguishing between basic product and the
increased service offer.
4. Design a communication strategy through social networks that can help to
increase the number of users of economiasolidaria.org
5. Identify a CSO in your surrounding that in recent years has promoted projects or
activities that can be considered as social innovations. Then, design an online
social marketing campaign targeting potential beneficiaries and other key
stakeholders.
The Role of Civil Society Organizations in Social Innovation as an Example. . . 181

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Alvarez-González, L. I., García-Rodríguez, N., Rey-García, M., & Sanzo-Pérez, M. J. (2017).
Análisis multidimensional del concepto de innovación social en las organizaciones no lucrativas
españolas. Evidencias prácticas. Revista Española del Tercer Sector, 36, 23–48.
AMA. (2013). Definition of marketing. Retrieved from https://www.ama.org/AboutAMA/Pages/
Definition-of-Marketing.aspx
Anheier, H. K., Krlev, G., Mildenberger, G., & Preuss, S. (2015). Country selection for the
ITSSOIN project. Deliverable 2.4 of the project: ‘Impact of the Third Sector as Social Inno-
vation’ (ITSSOIN), European Commission – 7th Framework Programme, Brussels: European
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ITSSOIN_D2_4_Country-selection.pdf
Beach, D., & Pedersen, R. B. (2013). Process-tracing methods: Foundations and guidelines.
Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan.
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Boards of iSMA, ESMA, AASM and SMANA. (2017). Global consensus on social marketing
principles, concepts and techniques. Retrieved from http://www.europeansocialmarketing.org/
wp-content/uploads/2017/08/ESMA-endorsed-Consensus-Principles-and-concepts-paper.pdf
Borzaga, C., & Bodini, R. (2012). What to make of social innovation? Towards a framework for
policy development (Euricse Working Paper, N.036/12).
Hyánek, V., Navrátil, J., Placier, K., Akinyi, E. A., Figueroa, M., Alvarez Garcia, B., et al. (2016).
Social innovation in consumer protection in alternative financial services. Deliverable 6.5 of the
project: “Impact of the Third Sector as Social Innovation” (ITSSOIN), European Commission –
7th Framework Programme, Brussels: European Commission, DG Research. Retrieved from
http://openarchive.cbs.dk/bitstream/handle/10398/9453/ITSSOIN_D6%203_20160901.pdf?
sequence¼1
Krlev, G., Anheier, H. K., & Mildenberger, G. (2019). Introduction: Social innovation – What is it
and who makes it. In H. K. Anheier, G. Krlev, & G. Mildenberger (Eds.), Social innovation.
Comparative perspectives (pp. 3–35). New York: Routledge.
Phillips, W., Lee, H., James, P., Ghobadian, A., & O’Regan, N. (2015). Social innovation and social
entrepreneurship: A systematic review. Group & Organization Management, 40(3), 428–461.
Sakarya, S., Bodur, M. B., Yildirim-Öktem, Ö., & Selekler-Göksen, N. (2012). Social alliances:
Business and social enterprise collaboration for social transformation. Journal of Business
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innovation studies? Research Policy, 45, 1923–1935.
The Social Role of Awareness Campaigns
on Consumer Protection: An Extension
of the Social Marketing Area

Ani Matei and Carmen Săvulescu

Abstract
The chapter presents the social marketing campaign “Ask the fiscal receipt!” as a
case study for revealing the relevant contribution of consumers as actors of the
fiscal policies.
The campaign developed in Romania since 2010 has powerful resonance,
being compatible with practices in other European states or countries on other
continents, namely, the Tax Lottery, as well as with the regional or continental
policies on improving VAT collection, as a source of enhancing development and
diminishing fiscal evasion.
The case study represents an example of an analysis on indirect social market-
ing, designed to highlight the necessity to involve the citizen within adjacent
processes with impact on the general and individual welfare.

A. Matei (*) · C. Săvulescu

National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, Bucharest, Romania
e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 183

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_16
184 A. Matei and C. Săvulescu

Learning Objectives
The chapter analyses the social marketing campaign “Ask the fiscal receipt!”,
developed in Romania in the context of broader international and European
initiatives, dedicated to consumer protection through the stimulation of their
actions as actors of the fiscal processes, thus triggering better tax collection
and increasing individual welfare.
The study has the following objectives:

• Substantiating and formulating a general framework in view to present and

evaluate, in general, the role of social campaigns concerning consumer pro-
tection and, in particular, their indirect impact on enhancing consumer welfare
• Identifying the types of strategies used in the implementation and delivery
of the campaign Ask the fiscal receipt! in view to reach its objectives,
highlighting the marketing mix and the type of informational approach
• Integrating the social marketing campaign from Romania within a compar-
ative framework of other similar campaigns and emphasising the need for
improvement and compatibility
• Presenting the impact of the campaign Ask the fiscal receipt! on the change
of behaviour and attitude of consumers, as actors/part of the fiscal pro-
cesses, with consequences on the general and individual welfare

Introduction

Worldwide, the preoccupations concerning consumer protection have been on the

agenda of international bodies and organisations, such as the European Union (EU),
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), United
Nations (UN), etc.
For the time being, the EU Action Programme for the consumer protection policy is
based on two measures: the European Consumer Agenda, representing the new EU
strategy for consumer protection according to the EU Strategy, Europe 2020, and the
Consumer Programme 2014–2020, the financial framework. The European Consumer
Agenda has four main objectives: improving consumer safety, enhancing knowledge,
improving implementation, stepping up enforcement and securing redress, and aligning
rights and policies to economic and societal change (Valant 2015: 1).
Proposing the development or maintaining of “a strong consumer protection
policy” by national governments, as general principle, the UN (2003: 3) reveals at
the same time “consumer education, including education on the environmental,
social and economic impacts of consumer choice” as an adjacent principle.
In our opinion, this principle incorporates also the necessity of awareness
campaigns, designed and operationalized by international or national bodies in the
framework of their own social marketing programmes.
The Social Role of Awareness Campaigns on Consumer Protection: An Extension. . . 185

Complementary to those principles, OECD conceptualises and publishes complex

regulations and directions on financial consumer protection, as a result of broad
consultations and debates in the framework of G20. The document (OECD 2011: 6)
states that “financial education and awareness” represent an important principle, encour-
aging “to implement the international principles and guidelines of financial education
developed by the OECD International Network of Financial Education (INFE)”.
In this context, the preoccupation of the national public authorities in several
states is to ensure the adequate legislative framework, initiating normative deeds and
actively participating in the update of the national legislation, thus aiming to ensure a
high consumer protection degree on a fair competition market, for the consumers’
benefit. At the same time, the NGOs are preoccupied to deliver social marketing
campaigns, aimed at informing the consumers, taking measures to avoid safety risk,
monitoring of product safety and traceability and coordinating campaigns in most
cases together with the public institutions.
The current case study fits into those preoccupations on consumer financial
education through social marketing campaigns, aimed to determine both the preven-
tion and diminishing of fraud and fiscal evasion, and indirect consumer protection,
by ensuring greater resources for social protection, enhancing welfare, etc.

Case Development

General Framework

In the latest two decades, an important initiative/instrument on reducing fiscal

evasion and enhancing consumer protection, social security or welfare has been
noticed.
We refer to the Tax Lottery, involving consumers in the processes of legal
registration of the financial transactions and fair payment of the corresponding
taxes and charges to the state.
“The idea of the lottery schemes is to provide consumers with an incentive to ask
for a receipt. The incentive is that the receipt is not just a piece of paper documenting
the transaction made, but serves as a (potential) lottery ticket, giving consumers
eligibility to participate in a tax lottery” (EU 2015: 3).
Analysing and undertaking the experience on the design and operationalisation of
the Tax Lottery campaign, the National Association for Consumer Protection and
Promotion of Programs and Strategies from Romania (ANPCPPSR) launched in
October 2010 the campaign “Ask the fiscal receipt!”, with a duration of 1000 days,
aimed at better educating the population on fiscal issues.
In April 2015, the National Association for Consumer Protection and Promotion
of Programs and Strategies from Romania-InfoCons launched the National Cam-
paign “Ask the fiscal receipt!” section “Pay by card!”.
In the same context, in 2015, the Ministry of Public Finance implemented several
measures to fight against fiscal evasion. The lottery of fiscal receipts is the most
successful one, being organised also nowadays.
186 A. Matei and C. Săvulescu

We notice that this information and education campaign is supported both by the
non-governmental organisations and the public institutions. The lottery of fiscal receipts
represents a measure of active population involvement in combating fiscal evasion.
Fiscal evasion constitutes the consequence of illegal facts, based on the following
factors: imperfections of the law; non-uniformity in the activity of the financial
bodies concerning the establishment and charging of taxes; conduct of several
categories of tax payers; and lack of exigency or corruption of civil servants
(Amarita 2017: 6).
Taking into consideration its objectives, organisation and finality, the campaign
“Ask the fiscal receipt!” is integrated within similar above-mentioned initiatives.
Complementarily, the campaign in Romania has involved, to a large extent,
non-governmental organisations, media and private financial entities, such as the banks.

The Tax Lottery: An International Perspective

Various initiatives in the practices of states as China, Brazil, Portugal, Malta,

Slovakia, Greece and Georgia aim to valorise the potential consumer contribution
and involvement in the fiscal processes corresponding to the value added tax (VAT)
collection and to the fight against fiscal evasion.
Naritomi (2013) uses a suggestive expression on consumer and government
involvement in monitoring the companies and tax collection. This expression refers
to “consumers as tax auditors”, including also other initiatives for administrative-
fiscal databases creation and consumer involvement by the Tax Lottery.
The European Commission (2015) provides a relevant synthesis, aimed at
“improving VAT compliance”, which comprises information and analyses on
initiatives similar to the Tax Lottery (Table 1).
The modalities for Tax Lottery organisation are similar, but there are differences
concerning the public or private institutions involved.

Table 1 Use of the Tax Lottery initiative in some European states

Year of introducing
State the Tax Lottery Open problems
Malta 1997 • The eligibility of foreigners to the lottery
• The further use of receipts by the tax authorities
• The data that is collected in the process and what it is used
for
Slovakia 2013 • Cross check of fiscal receipts
• Highlighting the “problematic candidates” for fiscal
evasion
• The data that is collected and what it is used for
Portugal 2014 • Situation of returned products
• Storage of consumer data
Georgia 2012 • The lottery impact was not rigorously evaluated due to
simultaneous introduction of several fiscal measures
Source: European Commission (2015: 12–16, 18–21)
The Social Role of Awareness Campaigns on Consumer Protection: An Extension. . . 187

Methodology

The empirical and qualitative methodological research has been structured in several
parts:

• Describing the way of organisation and delivery of the campaign in Romania and
its integration, based on a comparative study, in the general context of similar
initiatives from Europe and other continents, delivered under the aegis of Tax
Lottery
• Study and analysis of the marketing methods used in implementing the campaign
in Romania
• Revealing the consumer perception through a relevant survey, structured on
categories of consumers in Romania
• General description of the campaign impact and revealing the contents of the
“indirect impact” in the framework of the social marketing campaigns dedicated
to consumer protection

Consumer Perception

Research Design In view to reach the research objectives, we have applied a

questionnaire concerning the citizens’ fiscal behaviour.

Defining the Sample We used the non-probabilistic sampling technique, more

specifically, convenience sampling. The questionnaire was applied to the citizens
from Bucharest, Romania’s capital, 18–80 years of age. The questionnaire results
were used to perform a descriptive study.

Data Collection The questionnaire initially identified the respondents’ sex and age
and also comprised seven questions, designed to determine the respondents’
perceptions concerning the importance of releasing the fiscal receipt by traders.
Thus, we aimed to identify the citizens’ fiscal behaviour, as well as the impact of
the campaigns developed by the National Association for Consumer Protection and
Promotion of Programs and Strategies from Romania.
Data collection took place in the period 25 January–28 February 2018.
235 online questionnaires were applied and all were validated.

Results 73.8% of the respondents were female, and 26.2% were male. Concerning
the age, 59.4% of the respondents are 18–30 years of age, 21.8% are 31–40 years of
age, 13.7% are 41–50 years of age and 5.1% are over 51 years old. The study is
focused on these variables, given the absence from the previous analyses of other
variables, such as income, profession, level of education, etc.
188 A. Matei and C. Săvulescu

Concerning the question “As a consumer, do you know your rights? Do you consider
that the public organisations focused on consumer protection should implement
more awareness campaigns?”, the responses were as follows: 5.6% of the
respondents know their rights and do not feel the need of awareness campaigns on
consumer rights; 62.4% know their rights, but the awareness campaigns on con-
sumer rights are welcome; 30.8% do not know their rights, and the awareness
campaigns on consumer rights are welcome; while 1.3% do not know well their
rights and are not interested in the awareness campaigns on consumer rights.
At the same time, for the question “When you go shopping, do you take the fiscal
receipt from the seller?”, 54.3% responded yes, always; 43.6% responded yes,
sometimes; and 2.1% responded negative.
For the question “If the seller does not give you the fiscal receipt after you pay the
products/services, do you ask for it?”, the responses were as follows.

Answers %
Always 27.4
Only for valuable shopping 25.2
Sometimes 38.5
No 9

And for the question concerning the reason for taking/requiring the fiscal receipt,
the responses were as follows.

Answers %
It is normal that everyone pays taxes 26.3
To have evidence of payment 72.8
Lottery of fiscal receipts 0.5
I do not ask it 0.4

Taking into consideration the above responses, we see that over half of the
respondents exhibit taxation-centred behaviour.

The Campaign “Ask the Fiscal Receipt!”: From Concept

to Accomplishment

In 2010, the National Association for Consumer Protection and Promotion of

Programs and Strategies (NACPPPS) President explained that the campaign
comprised two parts, the first for promoting the things achieved with the money
paid by taxes and charges and the second to explain the effects of asking a fiscal
receipt, as well as the reversed situation. He stated that the campaign should last
1000 days, aiming especially at the pupils from pre-university education, respec-
tively, the 11th and 12th grade, the elderly and the employees in financial banking
institutions.
The Social Role of Awareness Campaigns on Consumer Protection: An Extension. . . 189

In 2015, ANPCPPSR launched the National Campaign “Ask the fiscal receipt!”
section “Pay by card!”. Payment by card means taxation of transactions, especially
to reduce the possibility to purchase counterfeit or smuggling products, the citizen’s
safety when purchasing products/services derived from a chain of traceability,
monitored and controlled, as well as the existence of a proof for claiming material
or moral losses in case of a complaint.
The objective of the campaign in 2015 was to make aware and to educate the
citizens, as European consumers, on purchasing safe products, enhancing their trust
in the Romanian market, taking also into consideration that most citizens receive
their salary on the card, and they withdraw high amounts of money from ATMs for
buying products and services that could be non-taxable, unsafe and untrusted.
In the framework of the campaign “Ask the fiscal receipt!”, informational,
educational and supportive materials have been made (TV advertisements, posters,
flyers) for the citizens. Analysing those materials, we notice that the campaign was
based on development of knowledge, information in view to enable the change of
behaviour, to develop a new one, to modify and/or to support it in any circumstance.
The campaign is focused on pertinent information. At the same time, the campaign
has addressed the target group with problematic behaviour that should be changed,
as well as the target group with positive behaviour that should be encouraged and
supported.
The strategy of the campaign “Ask the fiscal receipt!” was an induction one: the
attitudes are positive, but socially desirable behaviour does not carry it out. The
objective of the strategy is to try to induce the accomplishment of that behaviour
(Santesmases Mestre 1999). Its actions aimed at education and information, in order
to encourage the target group to ask the fiscal receipt, if it is not issued, and to
encourage the payment by card, in order to avoid such situations.
In order to reduce the number of traders who do not issue fiscal receipts, not as
direct outcome of the campaign, the public authorities in Romania are performing
controls at their headquarters and “punish” them for not issuing the fiscal receipt.

An Analysis of the Social Marketing Contents

The campaign uses the 4 Ps—product, price, place and promotion (Kotler et al.
2002).
In the framework of the campaign “Ask the fiscal receipt!”, information is the
product, the cost of informing aimed at the change of consumer’s fiscal behaviour is
the price. The cost comprises intangible prices, as well as the social cost, i.e. the risk
to be perceived as different in the age group.
The place refers to the location of the campaign “Ask the fiscal receipt!”,
delivered in places of interest for consumers, such as working places of companies
or by channels of distribution, such as television, written media and websites of the
public institutions.
190 A. Matei and C. Săvulescu

The promotional activities of the campaign “Ask the fiscal receipt!” include
advertisements on television channels, websites, printed materials and events (the
lottery of fiscal receipts).
The promotional materials and activities enabling the adoption of the desired
behaviour have been as follows:

• Broadcasting advertisements by television, produced with the supervision of the

Ministry of Public Finance
• Flyers
• Posters, displayed at the working places of companies
• TelVerde service of the Ministry of Public Finance
• Organisation of the lottery of fiscal receipts since July 2015

The lottery of fiscal receipts consists in the random draw of numbers, in order to
award prizes in money to resident or non-resident persons in Romania, holders of
fiscal receipts, thus certifying the purchase of goods and services on the territory of
Romania.1

The Impact of the “Ask the Fiscal Receipt!” Campaign

In 2015, the Minister of Public Finance stated that “the organisation of the Lottery of
fiscal receipts would determine a positive impact, by enhancing company compli-
ance concerning the enforcement of the legal provisions in the area of cash registers
with electronic logbook. The Lottery of fiscal receipts would contribute to combat-
ing unfair competition, especially for the companies that do not achieve fair taxation.
The Lottery of fiscal receipts is embodied in a broader package together with cash
registers with electronic logbook. We hope that since 2015 the evasion would
decrease by 5% annually”.
Referring to the questionnaire, and especially to the questions aiming the impact
of the social marketing campaign “Ask the fiscal receipt!”, for the following two
questions, the answers were as follows.

Affirmative Negative
Questions answer (%) answer (%)
“Do you know the campaign, ask the fiscal receipt, delivered 44 56
by the public institutions/NGOs?”
“Do you believe that the actual awareness campaigns for 70.5 29.5
asking the fiscal receipt are efficient?”

1
Ministry of Public Finance, http://www.mfinante.ro/loteriabonurilor.html?pagina¼loteriabonurilor
The Social Role of Awareness Campaigns on Consumer Protection: An Extension. . . 191

For the question: “Has the ‘Ask the fiscal receipt!’ campaign influenced your
behaviour?”, the responses were as follows.

Answers %
Yes, now I always ask for the fiscal ticket 13.7
Yes, I often ask the fiscal ticket 28.8
No 57.5

Conclusions

Through the social marketing campaign “Ask the fiscal receipt!”, Romania has made
its anti-evasion practices and measures compatible with those in other European
states and, of course, with the policies developed in this field by the European Union.
As in other areas of social life, the citizen, as consumer, becomes an important
actor in sustaining an objective of social and economic development, based on the
results of fiscal policies.
Before introducing this initiative, in Romania, the fiscal evasion had reached
16.2% of GDP, of which 12.2% derived just from VAT.
The rigorous evaluation of the impact of the social marketing campaign is hard to
be performed, as, simultaneously, other measures aimed at diminishing fiscal eva-
sion were introduced: reorganisation of the National Agency for Fiscal Administra-
tion (ANAF), introducing the cash registers with electronic logbook, etc.
However, as noticed by a recent report of the Fiscal Council in Romania, during
2014–2016, the index of efficiency for VAT collection increased from 0.65% to
0.77%, while the revenues from VAT were in the beginning of 2017 smaller by 1.1%
than those in 2016 (Fiscal Council 2017: 51).
The campaign “Ask the fiscal receipt!” represents an indirect social marketing
campaign, its impact on the citizen being the outcome of the redistribution of
additional revenues, often influencing the general social welfare. In fact, this aspect
has also led to the difficulty of the rigorous evaluation of its impact.
The possible discussion issues on the conceptualisation, operationalisation and
finality of the campaign could be partially found among the open questions revealed
by similar campaigns (Table 1).
Referring just to the social marketing campaign “Ask the fiscal receipt!”, some
issues derive from the empirical research of the current case study; 56% of the
respondents did not know the campaign, while 67% did not consider it to be a factor
for influencing their behaviour.
In this context, referring to the analysed campaign, as an instrument of financial
education, in consensus with the statements of the first part of this chapter, persua-
sion in its promotion remains a problem without an adequate response.
Comparing the campaign from Romania with campaigns from other European
states, we could not find an answer as to how the respondent’s personal data is used.
192 A. Matei and C. Săvulescu

We may also add the difficulty of evaluating the impact, the cost-effectiveness
analysis, as well as technical aspects during its development.

Discussion Questions

1. The study presented has finality in the financial and economic education of the
citizens. Does this represent a solid argument to consider the campaign as an
example of indirect social marketing?
2. Considering that you agree without statements, can you also identify other
finalities of the campaign, such as the reduction of corruption or fiscal evasion?
3. What could be the complementary statistical variables meant to lead to a deeper
analysis of the impact and manner of organising the campaign?

References
Amarita, A. (2017). Evaziunea fiscala in Romania. Romanian Statistical Review – Supplement nr. 1,
3–21.
European Commission. (2015). Improving VAT compliance – Random awards for tax compliance –
Report of DG Taxation and Customs Union (TAXUD) and Joint Research Centre (JRC). Office
for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg.
Fiscal Council. (2017). Annual report. Retrieved from http://www.consiliulfiscal.ro/
RA2016roiunie2017.pdf
Kotler, P., Roberto, N., & Lee, N. (2002). Social marketing, improving the quality of life (2nd ed.).
London: Sage.
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sbs.ox.ac.uk
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OECD. (2011). High-level principles on financial consumer protection. Retrieved from https://
www.oecd.org/g20/topics/financial-sector-reform/48892010.pdf
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IDAN/2015/565904/EPRS_IDA(2015)565904_EN.pdf
 Part IV
Social Marketing Cases: Safety and Security
Preventing Youth Violence in El Salvador:
A Relational Social Marketing Model

Reynaldo Rivera

Abstract
In 2015 a partnership of two Italian and three Salvadorian NGOs launched “Niños
Protagonistas” Project (NPP, www.ninosprotagonistas.org), [“Protagonist Chil-
dren”, in English], an integrated social marketing programme based on a rela-
tional model and financed by the Italian Government. Spanning across five
Salvadorian cities, this programme intended to prevent and reduce teenagers’
involvement in maras (gangs). NPP used segmentation, integrated communi-
cations and marketing mix strategies to engage 908 youths and 287 teenagers, the
latter throughout this 3-year project. With an ecological strategy including the
environmental systems with which children interact, the campaign reached out to
hundreds of parents, women and relevant stakeholders in order to promote a
culture of inclusion and interpersonal peace, diminishing institutional and intra-
family violence. In addition to its international outlook, the NPP case would help
researchers, practitioners and policy-makers to apply social marketing principles
and models to promote inclusion and social capital, especially among young
people.

R. Rivera (*)
School of Communication, Austral University, Buenos Aires, Argentina
InterMedia Social Innovation, Rome, Italy
University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
e-mail: [email protected]

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 195

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_17
196 R. Rivera

Learning Objectives
In this case study, learners have an opportunity to:

1. Learn about social marketing strategies to diminish interpersonal violence

in urban settings
2. Identify best practices
3. Understand how to design, implement and evaluate an integrated marketing
programme for social development
4. Build knowledge on social marketing applied to human rights issues
5. Acquire know-how about the application of marketing mix strategies in
Latin America
This chapter starts with a literature review, followed by an explanation of
the social marketing model and strategy for youth violence prevention in
El Salvador, with a focus on youth engagement and growth.

Introduction

Individuals use violence for different reasons: to influence others, to express discon-
tent about unfair situations and regimes, to compensate the lack of positive social and
family support (ERIC 2001), etc. Regardless of individuals’ motivations, inter-
personal violence is a challenge that requires effective societal interventions intended
to prevent it or at least minimize its damages, especially among children and youths.
Different strategies have been pursued to fight and reduce violence, from the use of
states’ police powers to educational programmes. In this massive and long-term social
endeavour, interactive social media and social marketing strategies allow prevention
programmes to reach effectively wider audiences. However, a small number of
programmes are scientifically designed and evaluated (Jewkes et al. 2015), and only
a few focus on reducing domestic violence and violence against women and girls
relying on social marketing principles and strategies (Lefebvre 2013). This gap proves
serious, as a boomerang effect or backlash in a project of this kind would lead to an
increase in homicides or social conflicts. Furthermore, planning, implementation and
evaluation teams are often isolated and do not create synergies between each other.
El Salvador has the world’s fourth highest murder rates (41.2 per 100,000
inhabitants). Maras (gangs) and repressive public security strategies implemented
by the government (like the “iron fist” or “mano dura” approach) stand out as
relevant factors in this setting. Yet, interpersonal and family violence, especially
against women and children, in a context characterized by poverty and limited
educational and professional opportunities are also higher than in other countries.
After years doing research in El Salvador, an Italian NGO based in Rome and focused
on youth positive development and participation, InterMedia, identified two interrelated
major challenges for Salvadorian children and young people: an increasing adoption
among teenagers of risky lifestyles and early engagement in urban gangs (maras).
Preventing Youth Violence in El Salvador: A Relational Social Marketing Model 197

Based on scientific evidence and models, the project team formulated and deployed
a character development programme as its key educational resource. This
programme included the creation of two youth-led committees, a scientific support
group, training sessions for community leaders and families, and nine experts’
meetings. Peer mentoring, social media and impact evaluation methods were used
during the whole campaign. NPP also features an online programme for future
journalists, another for the police department and professional training and devel-
opment for young women. These training activities were developed to produce a
positive impact at social meso-level and create a child-friendly culture and
institutions.
Motivated by its organizational mission and following the intervention mapping
model (Bartholomew et al. 1998), InterMedia conducted a literature review to
identify evidence and best practices that finally guided the child-centred design of
Niños Protagonistas (Protagonist Children) Project.

Niños Protagonistas Project (NPP): Gang Prevention Best

Practices and Models

Several studies have pointed out predictor factors for urban gang involvement that
span the main social development dimensions: family, peer group, school, individual
characteristics and community conditions (Brenneman 2011, 2015; Covey 2010).
They have highlighted the multidimensional nature of the phenomena and the
influence of experiences like interfamilial violence, rape and forced migrations,
poverty and social exclusion, social shame and the need for protective environments
to replace the lack of a stable family.
Exploring datasets that analyse US-based projects, InterMedia selected, among
those that qualified as effective and promising, three evidence-based and scientific-
ally assessed programmes: the Phoenix Curriculum (TPC), Gang Resistance Edu-
cation and Training (GREAT) and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBS).
Although GREAT’s evaluations revealed statistically significant positive effects
on gang membership and acceptance (Esbensen et al. 2011), only TPC and BBBS
have a theoretical model of reference and an evidence-based design: they apply the
transtheoretical model of change (Prochaska et al. 1992) and social control theory,
respectively (McGill 1997).
In Canada, local governments applied the Ottawa Gang Strategy and the End
Gang Life Initiative. Both combined different activities (YouDecide and outreach
worker programmes, training events, booklet and poster distribution, radio ads, etc.)
and two theoretical perspectives: the former used the life course approach
(Moule et al. 2013) and community organization and community building approach,
while the latter relied on the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping (Glanz et al.
2008).
Although a few programmes feature evidence-based design and evaluations, the
NPP team could not identify any using social and integrated marketing strategies,
which would improve their results and impact and facilitate their replication in
developing countries, especially among special targets like children and teenagers.
198 R. Rivera

NPP Model of Change

The best practices reviewed as well as those used to reduce violence against women
and girls or to work with adolescents who engage in violent behaviours provided
InterMedia with relevant insights to start a second stage of social marketing inter-
vention design, choosing its change objective and theoretical model. The next
project should approach the reduction of teenagers’ engagement in maras through
an adapted relational version of the transtheoretical model of change, based on the
positive youth development 5Cs model (Lerner et al. 2005) and community partici-
pation. Lerner’s 5Cs model considers that positive development (which focuses on
strengths rather than weaknesses) involves interpersonal competence, self-efficacy
or confidence, positive relationships, character and compassion or empathy.
The life course approach, adopted by WHO Regional Office for Europe as an
essential step towards the goals and targets in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development, zeroes in on the cumulative effect of experiences and
social transitions, as well as the influence of social and cultural contexts. Adverse
socioeconomic conditions in childhood and exposure to traumatic events like vio-
lence influence personal health and development. Therefore, the new social market-
ing programme should reach parents and adults that participate in teenagers’
socialization process (e.g. teachers and social workers), raise their awareness about
the relevance of transition phases into adulthood and increase their knowledge on
positive parenting and education.
The life course approach is consistent with COCB: community involvement and
participation improve perceived control, empowerment and individual coping capa-
city. The intervention may increase critical consciousness and capacities to identify
and solve problems in beneficiaries’ communities of reference. The United Nations
Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and InterMedia’s experience in
Eurochild network provided valuable insights on this topic.
UNCRC and documented best practices underscore the relevance of youth
participation in behavioural change processes. In fact, BBBS promotes mentoring
programmes which are “. . . based on the premise that a predictable, consistent rela-
tionship with a stable, competent adult can help youth to cope with and avoid a high-
risk lifestyle” (McGill 1997, p. 55). A stable relationship with a positive, properly
screened and trained role model (an adult or older youth) could improve
social relationships and socialization outcomes—a notion also supported by the
social control theory that stresses the influence of relationships, participation in
conforming activities and social values to help people to avoid deviance
(Roberts et al. 2011). The assistance of a mentor in the socialization process would
contribute to changing misperceptions of social norms, encouraging better and
protective behaviours (Fabiano et al. 2003).
Recent studies have revealed both the usefulness (for reducing men’s violence
against intimate partners) and the limitations (to reduce the use of cannabis among
adolescents) of the transtheoretical (TTM) or stages of change (SOC) model.
Developed by Prochaska et al. (1992), this model considers change as a process
that starts with personal precontemplation and guides the individual through
Preventing Youth Violence in El Salvador: A Relational Social Marketing Model 199

Fig. 1 Revised transtheoretical model of change. Source: Author

contemplation and decision to action and maintenance, with motivation for change
as a key success factor throughout this process.
Based on its literature review, InterMedia’s team decided to design a revised
TTM geared to generating positive experiences and internal motivation via inter-
personal relationships (see Fig. 1), including character building in a mentoring
programme carried out by older youths, in combination with parents and community
participation, as well as empowerment interventions. During mentoring sessions,
young peers help teenagers to learn positive habits and skills, to understand the
importance of school for personal and future development, to practice positive
problem-solving strategies and to change their attitudes towards negative role
models in maras and other deviant social groups.

The NPP Social Marketing Intervention Design

While InterMedia had experience in behavioural change projects, it needed a partner

with a recognized track record on social projects like NPP. In 2014, ELIS NGO
joined InterMedia to design an intervention in El Salvador. After identifying reliable
partners (Fundación Actúa, Fundación ICEF and Fundación Siramá), InterMedia
and ELIS made an initial qualitative assessment of local programmes. Once they
confirmed their compatibility with the proposed theoretical model, they started to
look for funding. In this project, fundraising was not driven primarily by financial
reasons: considering the integrated marketing and communications framework
(Kliatchko and Schultz 2014), the partnership decided that the process of securing
the necessary resources would play a key role in project design. In fact, it accounted
for a learning experience that validated and refined (not only limited) the theoretical
model based on public interests, donors’ experiences and stakeholders’
recommendations, since they provided information on previous interventions and
200 R. Rivera

relevant feedback on the future program. As a result, fundraising activities facilitated

the co-creation of shared value between the project and its stakeholders throughout
its phases.
The NPP partnership submitted two funding requests. Only the second was
approved (by the Italian Foreign Office or MAECI). The project started in February
2015 and ended in 2018. After the proposal was approved, InterMedia established
the marketing strategy and mix.
This intervention’s primary target audiences were (1) schooled adolescents (ages
10 through 16) living in El Salvador’s largest cities (San Salvador, La Libertad, San
Miguel, Santa Ana, Sonsonate, San Martín and Usulután) and (2) young volunteers
(18–29 years old) living in those cities. Secondary audiences included
(1) adolescents’ parents (especially mothers) and teachers, (2) social workers,
(3) journalists and NGO practitioners and (4) law enforcement personnel. Key
audience insights informed the development of marketing mix strategies.
The brand, promotional materials and online platforms (webpage, Facebook and
YouTube profiles) were designed following IMC principles. All of them focused on
the same message: the centrality of primary targets’ participation and development
as the main path for violence prevention. Accordingly, children and youths,
stakeholders and parents participated actively in the design, production and distribu-
tion of leaflets, videos, etc. Awareness-raising campaigns using a gaining framework
(a shared responsibility for peace building and children’s development) were
launched in social media and promoted through offline events, like the 2017 Family
Run organized by Fundación ICEF, training sessions for policy-makers and
practitioners, experts’ meetings and an online diploma for young journalists on
how to cover and communicate social crises.
The marketing mix strategies to achieve NPP’s objectives included partnerships
and:

(a) Product: Youth target audiences were encouraged, mainly at universities and
other social organizations, to join a 1-year volunteering programme for
children’s character development, intended to help the latter to improve their
social and emotional skills. NPP offered training and personal mentorship for
volunteers as well as an accreditation recognized by local universities. Schools
were offered 3-year, free-of-charge international training for their students,
which complemented their curricula. Teenagers were invited to spend some of
their free time at school, attending a programme that may help them, through the
assistance of a young mentor, to enhance their academic performance.
Programme enrolment was completely free and required parental consent.
Mentorship sessions started by building a trust-based atmosphere and talking
about school assignments and leisure activities. Depending on the pace of
individual relationships, mentors tried to spark some interest (precontemplation)
on positive behaviours, like planning, time management, goal setting, etc. After
a few weeks, usually there was enough trust between mentor and mentee to deal
with issues like interpersonal violence and behavioural change (contemplation).
Mentors and students built a personal relationship during an academic year,
Preventing Youth Violence in El Salvador: A Relational Social Marketing Model 201

which proved very valuable for parents and teachers, as they reported
adolescents’ progress in academic and social–emotional dimensions. Those
products were complemented with training programmes for teachers, social
workers, practitioners, single mothers and parents.
(b) Place: Schooling is high among Salvadorian adolescents, at least until they turn
16. Schools provide relatively protected environments, but their
neighbourhoods’ limits are established arbitrarily by maras’ leaders. Adults
and children cannot ignore them: they cannot move from one “sector” to another
without risking their lives. Thus, at urban schools, partners could meet
programme’s targets, including parents and practitioners, but the limitations
imposed by gangs on people’s mobility amounted to a serious problem that
reduced adult engagement—especially among fathers—in training sessions.
(c) Promotion: NPP could not ignore the fact that gangs might regard its messages
as a menace for their recruiting goals and influence. Beneficiaries’ and mentors’
safety would be at risk if gangs viewed the programme as curtailing their
operations. Therefore, partners and mentors did not use keywords like maras
or mareros in public, sticking to terms that expressed a benefit for teenagers’
academic performance (which is valuable even for those who lead the maras).
To identify themselves, mentors used special T-shirts that read, “United for
Childhood” and featured the logos of MAECI and partners. Empowerment of
women, peace, forgiveness, children’s rights, assisted study sessions, virtues,
character, positive development and participation were the key concepts used
for promotional communications. Unknown parents, youth and children, who
did not live in local communities, were portrayed in the campaign. Young
volunteers and local NGOs’ networks (offline and online) were used as promo-
tional platforms that disseminated information about events and training
meetings, using digital leaflets and short videos.
(d) Price: NPP offered free tutoring and sports activities organized by Fundación
Actúa as incentives for children to join the programme. Young people were
interested on the training and university credits that they would receive for their
volunteering service. A few of them were selected as coordinators and enjoyed
small financial and nonfinancial benefits.

Parents, women, teachers, social workers, police officers and journalists that
participated in the training sessions received materials and a diploma issued by
two educational institutions: ICEF and SIRAMA foundations. Women were
provided with nonfinancial support to launch their own businesses.

Project Execution, Monitoring and Outcomes

NPP pursued its marketing strategy following an ecological process (see Fig. 2) that
reached secondary targets through primary ones: children and youth were key
influencers. The campaign used teaching and training materials produced by the
202 R. Rivera

Fig. 2 NPP ecological process. Source: Author

partnership and shared online with trainers and mentors via closed Facebook and
WhatsApp groups.
ELIS and InterMedia assisted local partners using online conference services and
monitoring trips, which had three main goals: aligning partners’ operations with the
project’s logic framework, conducting capacity-building sessions for management
and staff and expanding the program’s stakeholder network with experts’ meetings,
round tables and seminars.
InterMedia crafted several monitoring and research tools that allowed partners to
collect data on programme participants as well as to oversee their involvement. The
project used QuestionPro’s platform, combined with other research software (like
NVivo and QDAMiner) to monitor project progress. This evaluation process
included surveys for 741 youths and 536 children, as well as a weekly report
(7529 records). The baseline information about major targets and the monitoring
dashboard provided valuable insights on children’s and youths’ lifestyles, which
were used to adapt the contents to audiences’ behaviours. Results were both infor-
mative and encouraging: the campaign increased children’s self-esteem, conflict
management capabilities and positive relationships in peer groups while reducing
maras engagement by 75%, the number of students carrying knives to school by
13% and violent behaviours by 38%. Based on qualitative data, NPP also improved
young mentors’ social–emotional and leadership skills.
Preventing Youth Violence in El Salvador: A Relational Social Marketing Model 203

Conclusions

NPP is a case study that shows the relevance and positive impact of marketing mix
and integrated communications strategies to curb interpersonal violence in develop-
ing countries. It confirms not only the importance of applying evidence-based
theoretical models in social marketing but also their positive impact on com-
munities’ capability building. Primary targets’ (children and teenagers) active
engagement served as a cornerstone strategy for this successful campaign. By
design, NPP promoted ongoing interactions among programme staff, mentors and
beneficiaries. The flux of data supplied by online dashboards improved monitoring,
enhancing the partnership’s continuous learning and the project’s efficacy.

Discussion Questions

1. Is NPP improving violence prevention policies? Do you think that the

applied theoretical model is somehow related with its effectiveness? Why?
2. How were marketing mix strategies applied in the NPP case? Which IMC princi-
ples were used in this programme? Which are the commonalities between
IMC and the model of change applied in NPP?
3. Does NPP’s model seem like a good strategy to reduce crime? Why?
4. How relevant are relationships and participation of young people in NPP’s
social marketing strategy?

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Equality and Gender-Based Violence
in the University: A Practical Case of Social
Marketing to Implement in the Framework
of Non-Profit Marketing Studies

Juan José Mier-Terán Franco and Pedro Pablo Marín-Dueñas

Abstract
This paper proposes a practical case to be incorporated in marketing courses and,
more specifically, in courses of non-profit marketing and/or social marketing.
From the social marketing model proposed by Mier-Terán (Igualdad y violencia
de género, https://druidadelmarketing.com/violencia-de-genero/Apuntes-de-
clase, 2017a; Un análisis de los resultados de las estrategias contra la violencia
de género en España desde una óptica de marketing social, 2017b), the main goal
is to present to university students with the necessary tools to develop a social
marketing campaign: analysis and test of the problem, campaign focus, definition
of goals and strategies and, finally, evaluation. The starting point for this is an
applied case study, carried out within the University of Cádiz (Spain), which
considers the problem of gender-based violence in the university context, with a
specific focus on women university students.

Learning Objectives
The case studied that is proposed as a model to sets out and develops the steps
for the creation of a support strategy alternative to actions already taken on
equality and especially on gender-based violence in the environment of the
university; it adopts a focus different from that currently applied and utilizes
the principles and techniques of social marketing.

(continued)

J. J. Mier-Terán Franco (*) · P. P. Marín-Dueñas

University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 205

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_18
206 J. J. Mier-Terán Franco and P. P. Marín-Dueñas

The main learning objectives for the students who undertake it can be
summarized as follows:

• Know, in the context of social marketing, how to make a diagnosis of the

problem under study:
– Know the context in which the problems of equality and gender violence
are encountered.
– Identify the target public involved in the process and that of most
relevance for the strategy.
– Understand the current behaviours of the segments involved in the
process and the associated benefits and barriers.
• Learn to define a proposition and select a campaign focus.
• Learn to set Social Marketing objectives and goals:
– Define objectives for behaviour, knowledge and belief for the campaign.
• Learn to design social marketing strategies:
– Product strategy
– Strategy for costs of adoption (Price strategy)
– Strategy for facilitation of the proposed behaviour (Placed strategy)
– Communication strategy (Promotion strategy)
– Sustainability strategy

Introduction

This project is based on the model of social marketing developed by Mier-Terán

(2017a) and is focused on one of the principal problems that affect societies globally:
gender inequality and gender-based violence, specifically on the university
environment.
Violence inflicted on women is one of the most widespread and habitual forms of
violation of human dignity and human rights; it affects a large number of people in
the world. In the most conservative estimates, at least 35% of all women have been
physically or sexually harmed by their partner or by another man (Nardi 2017). In
some countries, especially in Africa and Latin America, this proportion is much
higher and can reach extremely high levels. This includes verbal attack, psychologi-
cal aggression, discrimination and many other sexist practices. In the European
Union, this problem is no less serious: in 2014, a study by the European Agency
for Human Rights found that 25 million women were victims of male violence,
13 million were physically assaulted, 9 million suffered sexual harassment and 3.7
million were subjected to sexual violence. The estimates of mental rather than
physical aggression are even higher: 43% of Europeans suffer psychological
Equality and Gender-Based Violence in the University: A Practical Case of. . . 207

aggression in one form or another because they are a woman. In Spain, specifically,
it is recognized as a state problem; this is reflected in the approval by the Spanish
Parliament, in September 2017, of the “State Pact against Gender-based Violence”
BOE 2017); the document approved contains more than 200 measures aimed at
reducing the incidence of a scourge that has claimed 918 victims since 2003 (the year
in which the Government Office for Gender-based Violence established an
official register of individuals assassinated). This State Pact is endorsed by the
governments of all the autonomous regions and all municipal councils.
The approaches currently adopted to address problems of violence against
women in Spain are as follows:

• Political/legal: The State Pact of 2017 and associated document (a study paper for
the development of strategies against gender violence, constituted within the
Equality Commission); law (legislation at level of state and autonomous regions);
ethical codes; special courts to try cases of gender violence (Consejo General del
Poder Judicial 2014); and education and training at schools and universities
• Economic measures: Special help under Article 27 of Integral Law LO 1/2004;
assistance for victims with change of residence; bonus and replacement contracts;
and active insertion income (RAI)
• Technological measures: Dedicated emergency telephone line 016 for victims;
ATENPRO (Telephone Service of Attention and Protection to the victims of
gender violence); Viogen (System of Integral Monitoring in the cases of
Gender Violence); WRAP (Web of Resources for Support and Prevention for
cases of gender violence); and electronic bracelets to monitor location of
convicted offenders (Consejo General del Poder Judicial 2016)
• Educational/informative measures: Awareness campaigns and educational
resources (Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad 2015)

Considering in particular the university and as stated in the report “Gender-based

violence in the Universities of Spain (2006–2008)”, there is hardly any published
research on gender-based violence. Therefore there is a clear need to advance in this
subject. Various universities around the world are implementing preventive
measures and interventions, starting from the assumption that any woman studying
or working in the university context is at risk of suffering acts of violence. The
working hypotheses considered in national studies on gender-based violence in the
university are the following:

• Gender-based violence is a reality that is present in Spanish universities and takes

various different forms, as in other social contexts.
• There exist measures that are being implemented in the university context that are
intended to contribute to preventing and reducing gender-based violence.

By way of example, in the University of Cádiz (UCA), Spain, a “Protocol for the
Attention to Students who are Victims of Gender-based Violence” was approved in
June 2016 (Consejo de Gobierno de la Universidad de Cádiz. Bouca nº 210 2016).
208 J. J. Mier-Terán Franco and P. P. Marín-Dueñas

The actions carried out in recent years by the university’s Unit for Equality between
Women and Men can be summarized in the following:

• Organization and attendance at congresses

• Meetings
• Working days, seminar and summer courses on the topic
• Making periodic diagnoses of the situation
• Marking International Women’s Day with events
• Public manifestos
• Carrying out activities
• Travelling exhibitions
• Projects
• Establishing rules and guidance
• Collaborations with other entities
• Producing reports
• Attention to users
• International collaborations

To date, the UCA has not implemented any big social campaign with the
specific objectives of reducing the incidence of this problem.
All the above actions have been carried out with the object of meeting the
following goals defined in the equality plan:

• Promoting a commitment to equity and equality between men and women

• Strengthening the inclusion of a gender perspective in teaching and research
• Propitiating the balanced representation of women and men in the university’s
bodies of representation and governance
• Promoting the conciliation of the personal, family and professional life of all
those who work or study in the UCA
• Ensuring the occupational health of all employees, from the perspective of
gender; eradicating harassment of a sexual nature or for reasons of gender
• Guaranteeing the normative rights established for the protection of the victims of
violence against women

Gender-Based Violence in Social Marketing

Having first contextualized the problem on which the project is centred, the next task
is to define the principal steps that will have to be implemented to put the case into
practice; as stated before, this is based on the social marketing model defined by
Mier-Terán (2017a, b) that is presented as Fig. 1.
Equality and Gender-Based Violence in the University: A Practical Case of. . . 209

Three situations that explain these behaviours:

1. Individuals who understand neither the appropriate behaviour nor the benefits it can
generate.
2. Individuals who understand the appropriate behaviour but face obstacles.
3. Individuals who prefer to continue with their current behaviour.
Four key ideas:
1. We tend to act naturally (generating the most benefit with the least obstacles).
Bases 2. The benefits and obstacles are varied in terms of the perception between individuals.
3. In each individual, behaviours compete with each other.
4. Behaviours are often unpredictable.
Four basic questions:
1. The organisation that promotes the behaviour
2. The social diagnosis
3. The objectives
4. Strategies and control

Summarize and collect information about the social question

Analyse the segments and define a target public (Model of the state of change or
Diagnosis trans-theoretical model)
Study the behaviours of the target public.
Discover the benefits and obstacles.
Understand the environment so that it facilitates the desired behaviour.

Increase the benefits of the behaviour and reduce the obstacles.

Objectives and goals of behaviour: What we want the target public to do.
Objectives Objectives and goals of knowledge: What we want the target public to know.
Objectives and goals of beliefs: What we want the target public to believe

Increase the perceived benefits -> Product strategy.

Principal product.
Enhanced product.
Personal product.
Reduce the perceived obstacles -> strategies of price and facilitation.
Monetary / Non-monetary price.
Strategies Own channels and other channels. How to facilitate the desired behaviour. Logistics
Support for the strategies -> communication and sustainability strategy.
Communication: Social briefing. Creative and media strategy.
Sustainability: How to maintain the desired behaviour over time:
Norms and rules
Reminders
Commitments

Monitoring
Monitoring and feedback of results.

Fig. 1 Social marketing model applied. Source: Mier-Terán (2017a, b)

Case Development

Although the project that is presented here is valid for international application, in order
to help readers to follow it and to facilitate the learning process, and so that they may get
the most benefit from this case study, the development of this project and the data
employed are based on an actual process developed in the University of Cádiz (UCA).
Thus, for each learning objective, the basic working tools for the students are
shown, and from the example of the project applied and from the research carried out
in the context of the UCA, the results obtained in each of the learning objectives are
established. This is the reason why this section of the paper is subdivided into four
subsections, each of which is identified with one of the learning objectives previ-
ously defined.
210 J. J. Mier-Terán Franco and P. P. Marín-Dueñas

Objective 1: Know How to Make a Diagnosis of the Problem Studied

General Context of Gender-Based Violence in the University

• Working tools for the student:
Analyse in greater depth, by means of secondary sources of information, the
data on gender-based violence in the university context.

For the first of the objectives, the student will have to undertake a review of the
bibliography and an intensive information search in secondary sources that will enable
them to place the problem studied into context. This will require the student to employ
general sources such as Internet search engines (Google, Bing, etc.), Google Scholar and
databases of relevant academic journals—in other words, online resources of all types.
At the same time, the student will be expected to access more specific sources, such as:

• Web pages of the organizational units responsible for equality between women
and men and similar topics of the particular university in which the study project
is being carried out
• Reports issued by the university Equality Unit
• Observatory for gender-based violence
• Research papers on violence against women (VAW)
• Spanish university and VAW reports
• Results obtained for the University of Cádiz

According to the experts, the context in which the problem is framed is the
existence of gender inequality, discrimination and relationships in which the man
holds power over the woman.
According to the data of the “Observatory for Gender-based Violence” of the
Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality (2018), the situation in the
province of Cádiz is positive with respect to the overall incidence of gender-based
violence in Spain; when a corrective factor for size of population is applied, the
incidence is lower than the national average. It is observed that, although in absolute
terms the number of telephone calls to the 016 line made in the province place Cádiz
in tenth position in the ranking of all Spanish provinces, when the corrective factor
for population size is applied, Cádiz falls to the 24th position (out of 52). In the
ranking by number of formal complaints/accusations, Cádiz change from the 10th to
the 17th position after the correction and, in the ranking by number of deaths
attributed to this phenomenon, from the 21st to the 45th position. This indicates
that, in relative terms, the province has a lower proportion of cases.
With the object of making an estimate of the degree of incidence in the university
and given that there are no specific published data on gender-based violence, we will
extrapolate, first, the provincial data to the university population and, second, the
data from the national university studies. In particular, we will study the data of
official complaints since the orientation of the campaign is aimed in the direction of
getting victims to register complaints, and we will consider the population of 18–24
years of age, which is appropriate for the students in the university (Table 1).
Equality and Gender-Based Violence in the University: A Practical Case of. . . 211

Table 1 Extrapolation of the provincial data of complaints/accusations of gender-based violence

(GBV) to the women students of the UCA
Estimate of complaints that
correspond to women students
Province of Cádiz by women of the UCA (23.35% of all
Province aged between 18 and 24 years women aged between 18 and
of Cádiz (14.5% of all women) 24 years)
Complaints of 3382 490 115
GBV reported
(annual average)
Source: Authors’ own elaboration

Historically, the number of complaints/accusations that are presented annually in

the Unit for Equality is low—between 2 and 3, on average.

Target Public
• Working tools for the student:
Analyse the different publics or groups that may be involved in the problem
and decide which of those publics the campaign must actively influence.

Once the problem has been put into context and the relevant statistics have been
established, the student should be capable of defining the key public affected by the
problem of gender-based violence and of describing the principal characteristics of
that public. Then the students will need to make the important decision with respect to
the public or publics on which the future campaign to be mounted should be centred.

• Results obtained for the University of Cádiz:

The social phenomenon of gender-based violence involves many different
publics or groups, each of which plays a different role in the problem
(Potter et al. 2011; Santesmases 1999). The most significant groups identified
in the University of Cádiz are the following:
– Abusers
– Victims
– Family members and friends
– Police and other law enforcement authorities
– Health system personnel
– Judicial authorities
– Associations and organizations

Clearly, in the light of the multiplicity of publics that may be possible targets, any
such campaign should follow a clear process of segmentation, with the focus of the
campaign aimed at actively influencing each of the selected target publics with
differentiated messages. However, for this case we will focus on the possible victims
as the target public of highest priority. More specifically, these will be women who are
students at the University of Cádiz and who know of cases and/or situations of inequality,
physical or psychological abuse, maltreatment or, in general, gender-based violence.
In numbers, as can be seen in Table 2, there are 6925 women in this target public.
212 J. J. Mier-Terán Franco and P. P. Marín-Dueñas

Table 2 Extrapolation of the national data for universities on gender-based violence to the women
students of the UCA
All Spanish
universities Estimate of cases that correspond to women
(%) students of the UCA (10,654 women in total)
Do not know of cases of 35 3729
GBV in the university
Have not suffered GBV 52 5540
but do know about GBV
Know of cases of GBV in 13 1385
the university
Source: Authors’ own elaboration

Analysis of Current Behaviours

• Working tools for the student:
Study the behaviour of the target public that is most important for the campaign
and identify the key factors that intervene in that behaviour. Conduct surveys of
students of the university and hold personal interviews with the personnel and
public who may be involved, in the university in which the project is being
undertaken, paying special attention to the priority target public.

In this phase, the students must be capable of identifying and defining the principal
behaviours associated with gender-based violence. For this, a key methodology will
be to conduct surveys and personal interviews of the principal publics involved, with
the objective of identifying the most important factors.

• Comparative results obtained for the University of Cádiz:

In the case of the University of Cádiz, what has been taken as the reference is the
national survey on gender-based violence in Spanish universities (Valls 2008),
applying the same questions and scales of measurement for the sample obtained in
the UCA. After conducting the surveys (see Annex 1, with the technical data on the
survey given in Annex 2) and the interviews held with students of the university, the
next step is to identify the following key aspects:

• University students level of recognition of gender-based violence (Table 3)

• Benefits and barriers of current behaviour for the target public identified
(results obtained in the personal interviews):
– Benefits of the behaviour
Those women victims who have presented a complaint to the Unit of Equality
have resolved their problem favourably; the offender has been removed
from the classroom, and the victim is now protected.
The women victims who have not presented a complaint are left with feelings
of failure and frustration because of what has happened to them.
Equality and Gender-Based Violence in the University: A Practical Case of. . . 213

Table 3 Recognition of situations that may constitute gender-based violence

Spain (%) UCA (%)
Yes No Yes No
Making insulting and offensive remarks 86.11 13.89 94.10 5.90
Preventing you from speaking to other persons 77.50 22.50 96.70 3.30
Criticizing and/or denigrating whatever you do 73.06 26.94 90.80 9.20
Making unpleasant observations on your physical appearance 73.89 26.11 91.40 8.60
Stipulating how you should behave in public, what you wear, 78.61 21.39 98.70 1.30
how you do your hair, etc.
Demanding to know who you are with and where you are 66.76 33.24 92.10 7.90
Throwing things at you, grabbing you, pushing you violently 95.93 4.07 97.40 2.60
Hitting you or using brutal physical force against you 96.67 3.33 98.00 2.00
Using force to have sexual relations with you 96.57 3.43 99.30 7.70
Systematically scorning you, undervaluing you 85.83 14.17 95.40 4.60
Intimidating and threatening you 95.00 5.00 97.40 2.60
Against your will, touching you, placing hands on any 93.52 6.48 98.00 2.00
intimate part of your body; trapping you physically in order to
kiss you or touch you
Pursuing you persistently 80.09 19.91 93.40 6.60
Causing you to receive unwanted or malicious calls, 74.61 25.39 91.40 8.60
electronic mails, letters, messages insisting on maintaining a
relationship with you
Source: Authors’ own elaboration and Valls (2008)

– Barriers to the behaviour

Fear of not being believed or of reprisals by the person accused.
Shame over what has happened to her.
Feelings that she is to blame for what happened.
The victim thinks that she will have difficulty proving her version of
what happened due to lack of evidence.
Lack of support from family and/or friends.

Objective 2: Purpose and Focus of the Campaign

• Working tools for the student:

In order to define the purpose, it is necessary to establish, in the light of the data
obtained from the research, what is the final objective of the campaign in
quantitative terms.

In this phase of the project, the students collectively should be capable of inter-
preting the results of the research carried out in the preceding phase and, from those
results, establish the purposes and the key focal point of the social marketing
campaign that will finally be put into operation.

• Results obtained for the University of Cádiz

214 J. J. Mier-Terán Franco and P. P. Marín-Dueñas

Purpose
To ensure that at least 20% of the total cases of GBV that take place in the UCA are
reported by the victim to the Unit of Equality, in a suitable virtual space provided for
this

Focal Point
To increase the preliminary complaints/accusations made to the Unit of Equality,
in line with the severity of the problem

Objective 3: Objectives and Goals of the Campaign

• Working tools for the student:

Among other differences, social marketing campaigns are differentiated from
generic social campaigns in that three types of objectives are established:
– Objectives of behaviour: What is it we want our target audience to do?
– Objectives of knowledge: What is it we want our target audience to know?
– Objectives of beliefs: What is it we want our target audience to believe?

Once the students have determined the purpose and the principal focus of the
proposed campaign, they must then define the specific objectives of the campaign,
guided by the social marketing model explained previously.

• Results obtained for the University of Cádiz

Objectives of Behaviour
For any student of the University of Cádiz who considers herself a victim of any kind
of gender-based violence perpetrated by any personnel of the University, what we
want that student to do is to inform the Unit of Equality so that the student affected
can be advised whether or not to present a formal complaint/accusation and, if so,
advised to which authority this should be done.

Objectives of Knowledge
We want all students to know that 42% of women university students suffer sexist
comments about the intellectual capacity of women or their role in society or
comments with sexual connotations that degrade or humiliate women; that 13%
state that they know of some situation of gender-based violence in the university
context; and that there are 24% of the victims of gender-based violence in the
university who do not say anything at all to anyone in respect of a known case.
We want them to know that 9.2% of the women students of the UCA do not consider
that criticizing or denigrating what they do constitutes gender-based violence
(although this is generally recognized as such).
Equality and Gender-Based Violence in the University: A Practical Case of. . . 215

Objectives for Beliefs

We want students to believe that the Unit of Equality has at its disposal mechanisms
for the defence of victims already proven on previous occasions and that have
resolved problems of this nature. We want them to believe that by reporting
behaviours of gender-based violence, it is possible to resolve the specific offence
committed against the student and that this is not going to have adverse
repercussions on the student’s studies or marks awarded.

Objective 4: Proposed Strategies

• Tools for the student:

The product strategy should facilitate the strengthening of the proposed behav-
iours. A principal product (the benefits of the behaviour) is defined (Kotler and
Roberto 1989), together with an enhanced product (this refers to all those material
elements necessary for supporting the principal product) and a personal product
(the particular benefit that the person who adopts the behaviour will receive). The
price and distribution strategies should facilitate the reduction of the costs incurred
in adopting the proposed behaviour. The communication strategy should facilitate
the transmission of the information, the persuasion and the proposed behaviour to
the target public; it will be implemented in conjunction with the Office of
Communication and Marketing of the University. The sustainability strategy
should facilitate that the behaviours adopted are maintained over time, after the
campaign has ended.

As defined in the social marketing model followed in this research, the last phase to
be implemented by the students is the proposal of the main strategies to be followed
in order to achieve the objectives. On this point, starting from these objectives, the
students should be capable of establishing the five strategies that make up a
social marketing plan; these cover product, price, distribution, communication and
sustainability. In this phase of the project, a very important role is played by the
interpretation that the participants have made of all the information collected and the
potential of that information for useful analysis. Equally, a key element in the defi-
nition of the strategies should be the creative thinking that the students are capable of
doing and putting into effect when formulating the proposals.

• Results obtained for the University of Cádiz

Product Strategy
• Principal product: Registering the complaint/accusation enables information
about the problem to be obtained, while at the same time, it activates a protocol
that safeguards the victim, protects her rights and freedoms and allows her to
describe what happened in her case, freely and anonymously.
• Enhanced product: An anonymous space is provided in the website of the Unit of
Equality where the victim can report the offence and request help.
• Personal product: The situation of harassment is eliminated.
216 J. J. Mier-Terán Franco and P. P. Marín-Dueñas

Strategy for Costs of Adopting the Behaviour

• The woman student who considers that she is a victim of gender-based violence
should report the offender, but that person will sometimes be a friend or a teacher.
This will create the fear or worry that her academic performance and her marks may
consequently be prejudiced. To reduce this obstacle, it is proposed that the victim’s
anonymity be guaranteed clearly and evidently when she makes the complaint/
accusation. The offender is not accused or made aware of the complaint until the case
has been studied, and the Unit for Equality considers that the complaint is viable.

Strategy for Facilitation of the Proposed Behaviour

• To facilitate the desired behaviour, it is proposed that a complaint, message or request
for help written by a victim should receive a response in less than 24 h and that a link
is included on the principal web page of the Unit of Equality that gives direct access to
the complaint/accusation with a closed format and an open space for comments.
• Minimum data to be included: name of the offender, campus school where the
offence took place, description of what happened and persons who support the
version of the victim.

Communication Strategy
• Media strategy:
– To circulate the campaign among the students, it is proposed that the main
social networks should be used, in particular Facebook and Instagram, both
used very frequently by students. Through the Office of Communication of the
UCA, the campaign is publicized in all the available media. The Unit of
Equality includes the campaign on its principal web page, and the website of
the UCA creates a link from its principal page.
• Creative strategy:
– What needs to be said? (Core of the message)
When any instance of this behaviour is suffered, the case must be reported and
described on the web page of the UCA’s Unit for Equality between Men
and Women.
The complaints/accusations are anonymous but are not actively followed up
unless the unit considers that it would be effective to do so.
A protocol that protects the victim is activated.
– How to say it?
Language
Relevant for the victims; bearing witness to the offence
Images
Cartoon drawings, illustrative but not amusing
Equality and Gender-Based Violence in the University: A Practical Case of. . . 217

Sustainability Strategy
• Tools for the student:
The campaigns should continue to be effective over time, since it is a natural
tendency for persons to revert back to their habitual forms of behaviour. There-
fore, in addition to mounting the campaigns, it is necessary to establish reminders
that will be effective over the required period of time.
• Results obtained for the University of Cádiz:
Reminder 1: Displaying posters in the Campus buildings
Reminder 2: Maintaining a link on the main web page of the UCA

Conclusions

The university is not insulated from the social phenomena of gender inequality and
gender-based violence: these issues are present in the daily life of university students.
In this practical case, we have presented a different way of approaching the problem,
involving one of the principal publics of the university: its own students. What we
have sought with this project is to set up a teaching model derived from work that has
been done from the perspective of social marketing and within the framework of
subjects related to non-profit-making marketing. This working methodology has
proved to be capable of generating a proposed strategy for confronting the problem
inside the university itself, from its own initiatives. The project is developed and
carried out by the students themselves, utilizing the models that are analysed in the
classroom and working in a coordinated way with other units of their university.

Discussion Questions

1. Could it be interesting to do a research study utilizing other quantitative tech-

niques in order to know better the benefits and barriers of current behaviours of
men and women? If so, what research techniques would you recommend?
2. What questions should be included to the persons interviewed?
3. What are the differences between social campaigns and those of social
marketing?
4. Are there campaigns about gender-based violence in your country? If so, is the
object of those campaigns to produce a change of behaviour or are they limited to
making people more aware and sensitive?
5. What strategies are employed in your university to reduce the incidence of
gender-based violence?
6. Do you think that social marketing campaigns are more effective than
generic campaigns? If so, why?
218 J. J. Mier-Terán Franco and P. P. Marín-Dueñas

Annex 1 Used Survey

Equality and Gender-Based Violence in the University: A Practical Case of. . . 219
220 J. J. Mier-Terán Franco and P. P. Marín-Dueñas
Equality and Gender-Based Violence in the University: A Practical Case of. . . 221
222 J. J. Mier-Terán Franco and P. P. Marín-Dueñas

Annex 2 Data Sheet

Universo Mujeres estudiantes en la Universidad de Cádiz ¼ 10.564 (female students

Uca)
Muestra 154 encuestas válidas (valid surveys)
Nivel de 95.5%
confianza
Error de 8.05% (utilizando el supuesto de máxima indeterminación o varianza para el
muestreo caso de las proporciones p ¼ q ¼ 50%)
Tipo de Por cuotas de titulaciones (By degrees quotes)
muestreo
Trabajo de Mediante encuestas realizadas en la plataforma de SurveyMonkey. Abril de
campo 2018

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Gobierno de 4 de mayo de 2016, por el que se aprueba el Protocolo de la Universidad de Cádiz
sobre atención a estudiantes víctimas de violencia de género.
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Social Marketing and Their Related
Challenges for the Limited Access
for People Living with a Disability: A
Serbian Case Study

Ana Vulevic, Dragan Djordjevic, Rui Alexandre Castanho,

and José Cabezas-Fernández

Abstract
Accessibility in Serbia is defined through the Strategy for Improving the Position
of Persons with Disabilities. Commitment activities started in 2010–2012,
through the project “No Obstacles” developed by the Centre for the Development
of an Inclusive Society (CRID) and the Accessibility Audit Association in Serbia
(AAAS) with the support of the Norwegian Embassy in Belgrade. Contextually,
the chapter aims to present a practical case regarding social marketing campaign
that was developed by NGOs, through the support of local governments, major
local agencies (urban planning, communal and architecture inspection bodies) on
a municipality level—a Serbian case study. The implementation of this social
marketing project creates the preconditions for increasing accessibility upon the
principles of Design for All and building communities where all citizens have

A. Vulevic (*) · D. Djordjevic

Institute of Transportation – CIP, Belgrade, Serbia
e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
R. A. Castanho
ICAAM—Institute for Agrarian and Environmental Sciences, Évora, Portugal
Environmental Resources Analysis Research Group (ARAM), University of Extremadura, Badajoz,
Spain
VALORIZA – Research Centre for Endogenous Resource Valorization, Portalegre, Portugal
Faculty of Applied Sciences, WSB University, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Poland
Institute of Research on Territorial Governance and Inter-Organizational Cooperation, Dąbrowa
Górnicza, Poland
e-mail: [email protected]
J. Cabezas-Fernández
Environmental Resources Analysis Research Group (ARAM), University of Extremadura, Badajoz,
Spain
VALORIZA – Research Centre for Endogenous Resource Valorization, Portalegre, Portugal
e-mail: [email protected]

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 223

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_19
224 A. Vulevic et al.

equal opportunities. The project used all the elements of the marketing mix and/or
primary intervention methods.

Learning Objectives
Ensuring access to the built environment and reducing the isolation of persons
with disabilities can be summarized through the learning objectives:

1. Architectural accessibility provides guidance for improving access to the

built environment for persons with disabilities with reducing and
overcoming barriers through good practice.
2. Architects, planners, policymakers, government officials and NGOs,
decision-makers in the construction sector and persons with disabilities
should promote and improve architectural accessibility.
3. Support better understanding of the core social marketing concepts and
principles.
4. Assistance in the promotion and the commissioning of social marketing
services.

Introduction

The present study aims to promote social marketing-related challenges for limited
access to people with reduced mobility’s (PwRM) social and community coopera-
tion in relation to their access as well as challenges to improve sustainability by
changing the behaviour of people for social well-being. Fully understanding social
marketing impact on changing behaviours amongst, and for, PwRM requires a
thorough systematic review. Access as the term can refer to many areas such as
transport, education, employment, buildings and public spaces, and most of these
areas are interdependent (CBM 2008). Low level of access leads to the marginaliza-
tion of people with reduced mobility (PwRM) in all spheres (the social, economic and
political) in an environment of the community (Levinson et al. 2006; Djordjevic
et al. 2017). The provision of an accessible building involves the following phases:
pre-planning phase, planning and design phase, approval or permission and construc-
tion and on-site monitoring and maintenance. These phases involve a multidisciplin-
ary stakeholder—e.g. architects and governmental authorities—fundamental for
the successful implementation is the awareness on the need for accessibility is
guaranteed throughout the whole process and amongst all stakeholders, a high level
of coordination and monitoring for which appropriate mechanisms (CBM 2007,
2008). Social marketing planning approach offers a good social planning framework
regardless of whether social goals will be achieved or that the costs will be acceptable
Social Marketing and Their Related Challenges for the Limited Access for. . . 225

(Kotler and Levy 1969; Kotler and Zaltman 1971; Kotler 2000; Hastings 2003; Kotler
and Lee 2008). In this regard, social marketing is seen as an effective approach
for people living with a disability—PwD—once it offers a useful framework for
effective social planning in a time when social issues become more relevant in
Serbia. Kotler and Lee (2008) define social marketing as “process that applies
marketing principles and techniques to create, communicate, and deliver value in
order to influence target audience behaviour that benefits society (public health,
safety, the environment, and communities) as well as the target audience”.
Although in the Republic of Serbia (RS) has a good legal basis for accepting basic
principles of creating an accessible environment for all citizens, especially for people
with disabilities still, several issues remain to be addressed, as precondition for social
inclusion.
Throughout the research, successful (practical) examples were identified as well
as the role of social marketing, community and structural changes—regarding the
RS reality. The exclusion of PwRM from infrastructure, services, social contact and
community activities results in limited social, educational and economic
opportunities, increasing the vulnerability risk of persons with disabilities to become
poor or falling further into poverty.
The struggle to create an accessible environment has begun through the associa-
tion initiatives (2006–2013), stakeholder engagement, education in 2012, individual
civil initiatives in 2013 and support at local level authorities in order to develop local
action plans (2014) and to reach them in individual cities of Serbia. These centres
also considered successful examples of social marketing in Serbia (Initial Report
2012; Government of the Republic of Serbia 2011). By the same time (2010–2012),
the Centre for the Development of an Inclusive Society (CRID), within the project
“No Obstacles”, carried out the work with local organizations of people with
disabilities in the cities as Majdanpek, Uzice, Pirot, Veliko Gradiste and Novi
Pazar. This Project was supported by the Embassy of Norway and realized in
partnership with the Accessibility Audit Association in Serbia (AAAS). Thus, the
main goal of the project is increasing of accessibility upon principles of Design for
All1 in five municipalities in Serbia by education and formation of Councils for
accessibility in municipalities and the implementation of concrete solutions to
inaccessible objects. In addition, promoting conditions for increasing the mobility
of persons with disabilities, the elderly, parents and young children and other people
with walking impairments and communication on the territory of the five
municipalities, through education and cooperation with municipalities, presents
important goals. From education and other activities of the project is expected to
increase the visibility of people with disabilities in five municipalities and to ease

1
Design for All is a concept that considers all potential users of a building or environment.
According to the Stockholm Declaration 2004, Design for All aims to “enable all people to have
equal opportunities to participate in every aspect of society. To achieve this, the built environment,
everyday objects, services, culture and information”.
226 A. Vulevic et al.

living conditions for their independence. Other residents will facilitate movement
through the city (CRID and AAAS 2012).
In line with those activities, the campaign establishes links to all NGOs and
governmental bodies involved in reconstruction providing technical advice,
resources and support on architectural accessibility both in the planning and imple-
mentation phases through an Accessibility Map as one of the main marketing tools
(CRID and AAAS 2012). The above-mentioned Map is the project of the AAAS—
which started in 2011 with constantly updated visually and functionally and with
new content—through internal and donor funds. The interactive “Accessibility
Map” provides PwRM and other citizens with relevant information on the accessi-
bility of locations in Serbia. Citizens, civil society organizations, local self-
government units, state bodies and other public administration bodies collected the
data for the Map. In addition to representing a basis for constant monitoring of the
situation in this field, the Accessibility Map also promotes good practice examples.
Ensuring access to the built environment and reducing the isolation of persons
with disabilities can be summarized through the learning objectives:

1. Architectural accessibility provides guidance for improving access to the built

environment for persons with disabilities by reducing and overcoming barriers
through good practice.
2. Architects, planners, policymakers, government officials and NGOs, decision-
makers in the construction sector and persons with disabilities should promote
and improve architectural accessibility.

Used methods and approaches in this campaign are financially and practically
sustainable. Throughout the promotion, all the elements of the marketing mix
(product, price, place and promotion) and primary intervention methods (inform,
educate, support and design) were applied (Cannon 1992; Grier and Bryant 2005;
Pilloton 2009).

Case Development

Background to the Project and to the Selected Practice There are no accessibility-
specific strategies and action plans in the Republic of Serbia. Accessibility issues are
a significant part of the Strategy for Improving the Position of Persons with
Disabilities in the RS.2

2
The new strategy and action plan for the implementation of the Strategy for Improving the Position
of Persons with Disabilities in the Republic of Serbia until 2020 is at the public debate (still not
adopted, waiting for the consent of relevant ministries includes time frames and responsible actors’
ministries, organizations of persons with disabilities and directorates and departments of relevant
ministries and other state institutions) http://www.minrzs.gov.rs/cir/aktuelno/item/6712-javna-
rasprava-unapredjenja-polozaja-osoba-sa-invaliditetom (Serbian).
Social Marketing and Their Related Challenges for the Limited Access for. . . 227

Additionally, there have been several initiatives during 2011 and 2012 for
accessibility action plans on a local level. These strategies and action plans provide
a framework for the establishment of bodies (teams for accessibility) at a local level
for support and monitoring of implementation, which would include representatives
of civil society and disabled people’s organizations and should report on the results
of the implementation to local governments/parliaments on an annual basis. Several
nongovernment organizations and organizations of persons with disabilities working
in the field of accessibility are members of the European Concept for Accessibility
Network. Their activities and efforts are calling for an application of the concept and
principles of the Design for All in strategic documents and policies. The state bodies
are referring to both Universal Design and Design for All (DfA) in relevant
documents, with general reference to accessibility standards on a European or
international/world level.
AAAS and CRID in Serbia are advocating for the development and implementa-
tion of accessibility standards in order to create an environment that benefits all
people. Individuals and organizations that make AAAS and CRID are also active
members of the European networks—European Concept for Accessibility Network
(EuCAN). AAAS is committed to the implementation of the concept “Universal
Design/Design for All”. As the project “No Obstacles” was done in partnership with
these two organizations, there was a decision-making body regarding the action
plans for the implementation, with the members. All the five organizations from the
above-mentioned cities that participated in the project had a local coordinator,
responsible for his organization activities.
The proposed activities represented a direct support to efforts made by the RS
towards the inclusion of persons with disabilities, the elderly and other groups with
mobility difficulty (PwRM) through the ratified UN Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities and adopted strategy of the position of persons with
disabilities in Serbia (2007–2014). One of the main priorities in every area of Serbian
social plans is accessibility, which is a prerequisite for all other social services.

Process/Strategy Used to Implement the Selected Practice Inaccessible environ-

ment is not a problem only to a person with a disability but affects up to 40% of the
population (according to the research experts EuCAN). The basic idea of this project
was to strengthen the organizations of persons with disabilities in the cities over
study to identify barriers to mobility in the environment and to map it in detail and to
motivate local people.
The main parts of action were the training of PwRM from organizations in these
five cities, which are involved in the project, animating the public through various
channels of communication, production of coarse picturesque solutions for the
perceived barriers and their presentation to the public and authorities. Training
was carried out to inform and to bring together activists and organizations of persons
with disabilities and also to provide many channels for communication with citizens.
Training included accessible chain movement (observation of architectural, commu-
nication and sociological barriers to the vulnerable PwRM—the elderly, the
disabled, pregnant women, children) for organizations of persons with disabilities.
In addition to this central theme, the training had included advocacy skills,
228 A. Vulevic et al.

communication, representation of interests, the establishment of partnerships at the

community level of organization and social action (CRID and AAAS 2012).
Between training partner organizations’ working team worked to strengthen the
participants of education in the direction of forming the Council of accessibility in
each of the five municipalities. The formation of the Council of accessibility is one of
the most important activities of the project because the Council is a link to the
cooperation with local governments and other stakeholders for accessibility within
each municipality. The Council operates as an independent body from the local
authorities (non-political); it consists of persons with disabilities, who have been
trained during the first year of the project. They worked with the local authority on
solving the problem of inaccessibility of their city.
Also, seminars on accessibility were held in all five cities. During the seminars, in
every city, an overview of the situation was made. The seminar was attended by
representatives of the municipality. Same representatives took an active role in the
writing and implementation of the action plan. The action team formed and team
members signed the declaration of accessibility. The project lasted 12 months and
had six main groups of activities (Table 1).

Table 1 The ordering of activities based on approved Action plan

Ordering Activities
1. Preparation activities of the project
First meeting with local partners
Signing the agreement on cooperation with local partners
2. First seminar in Veliko Gradiste, Pirot, Uzice, Novi Pazar and Majdanpek
Meeting of team members for accessibility at the local level
Media presentation of the project in the Media Center in Belgrade
Second seminar in Veliko Gradište, Pirot, Uzice, Novi Pazar and Majdanpek
3. Strengthening of organization capacity of local partners
Second meeting with local partners from five cities in Serbia—evaluation of previous
work and agreements on the next 6 months’ plan
4. Forming of the action team for accessibility, in five municipalities, and meeting of the
accessibility team members on the local level
Work protocol for action team for accessibility was formed
Tasks for action team for accessibility were formed
Presentation/promotion of action team for accessibility to interested factors on local
level (institutions, organizations of persons with disability, social work centres,
business, media)
5. Cooperation with local municipality authorities
Dissemination of action team for accessibility to municipal authorities
Design ideas for removal of architectural and other barriers in some municipalities
6. Media campaign; media presentation of the project in Belgrade in Media Center
Media appearances on local radio and TV stations and printed media
Forming of visual identity of the project (project logo)
Dissemination of notifications about the project on organization sites
Preparation and printing of leaflets for media activities of the project
Source: CRID and AAAS (2012)
Social Marketing and Their Related Challenges for the Limited Access for. . . 229

Changes Achieved In accordance with the main objective (increasing of accessibil-

ity upon principles of Design for All/Universal Design in five municipalities in
Serbia), improvements in the area of accessibility in four municipalities are gained.
Six new ramps were built, in Veliko Gradiste, accessible children’s playground was
built in Novi Pazar and a new swimming pool in Pirot includes elements of
accessibility (after the intervention from the local partner). A summary of the project
goals, indicators and interventions is shown in Table 2.
According to McKenzie and Smith (1999), “The goal of social marketing is to
influence the societies to change through interventions aimed at individuals. To
achieve large-scale behavioral change, social marketing campaigns are tailored to
target population that share common characteristics and who are expected to adopt
the desired behavior through the use of incentives and removal of barriers”. The
main idea of this project was to create conditions for increasing the mobility of

Table 2 Social marketing—target behaviour changes and outcome

Project goal, effect on the
target group (intended
outcome) Indicators Interventions
Increasing of accessibility Municipalities that comply Local government welcomes
upon principles of Design for with accessibility standards forming local action teams in
All in five municipalities in in accordance with relevant Uzice, Novi Pazar and Pirot,
Serbia by education and lawsa and, in these towns, action
formation of councils for plans are made with
accessibility in municipalities municipality support as soon
and the implementation of as possible for the
concrete solutions to implementation of
inaccessible objects accessibility standards and
relevant laws
Trained 100 persons with Total number of trainees was
disability in five 130. Representatives of the
municipalities municipality attended the
seminar. Each city has been
analysed
Formed at least five Local partners have defined
solutions for inaccessible sketches for eight solutions for
objects inaccessible objects in targeted
cities
Accessibility action team in Accessibility action teams
each municipality formed in each municipality.
Representatives from
municipalities took active role
in the writing and
implementation of the action
plan. The action team formed
and team members signed the
declaration of accessibility
Source: CRID and AAAS (2012)
a
This indicator can be measured only for newly created public objects and spaces and/or by
analysing local governments’ actions over prolonged period of time
230 A. Vulevic et al.

persons with disabilities, the elderly, parents and young children and other people
with walking impairments and communication on the territory of the five
municipalities, through education and cooperation with municipalities. The brief
analyses of the social marketing products and interventions is an achievement in
Table 3.
The present results can be grouped into different areas of interventions. The
practice achieved changes in the following areas (Table 4): urban layout, promotion
of accessibility and advocacy and awareness. The summary of application of social

Table 3 Analyses of social marketing products and interventions

Product and services (planned output) Interventions
From education and other activities of the Resolved architectural and other barriers on the
project was expect to increase the visibility of principles of universal design in five
people with disabilities in five municipalities municipalities with solutions that not only
and to ease living conditions for their include access ramps but also communication
independence barriers for people with sensory disabilities
Other residents will facilitate movement Increasing visibility of local actors trained to
through the city point out problems in inaccessible
environment. Activities monitored by regional
television stations, Facebook groups have 1265
members and a video from seminars, posted on
YouTube have 762 views
Increased capacity for the project
implementation of local partners is gained
Around 100 people from five municipalities
are networked and educated in skills and
knowledge necessary for advocating
accessibility issues in local communities
General overview of the situation (concerning
accessibility) in each municipality is written
At least one feasible idea per municipality for
improvement of accessibility in local
communities is proposed during the period
after the first round of training seminars
Increased capacity of local partners for their
everyday work is gained
Action team/working group for accessibility on
the local level is formed in each of five
municipalities
Increased capacity for project advocacy on
local level is gained
Established dialogue with local authorities/
institutions
Increased visibility of project and its goals is
gained
Awareness about accessibility issues on local
levels is raised
Source: CRID and AAAS (2012)
Social Marketing and Their Related Challenges for the Limited Access for. . . 231

Table 4 The application of social marketing—studied component data through the present study
Area of intervention Urban layout, promotion of accessibility and advocacy and awareness
Target audience PwRM
Target behaviour Increasing of accessibility upon principles of Design for All
Behaviour outcomes Positive change
Use marketing methods Marketing mix and interventions methods
Source: Authors

marketing, which was carried out in different areas of interventions through the
present study, is shown in Table 4.

How Change Was Monitored and Evaluated Monitoring of project activities is one
of the key elements for the success of the project implementation and is important for
a local organization that encounters problems and also for project partners. The basic
goal for all the monitoring activities of this project was to achieve maxim results of
the project justifying the investment from the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway in
Belgrade, through achieving the important goals. By monitoring the activities of
local partners, through regular reports, certain risks that could occur because of the
geographical distance between the organization and the partner have been overcome.
By the constructive and positive implementation of monitoring and exchange of
information throughout the project implementation, the primary stated project
frames are overcome and that the opportunities for dissemination of positive
experiences and good praxis examples have been given. Through evaluation of
educations, we had an insight into the quality of the programme that has been
implemented. Considering work progress the organizations had established a new
system of achieving of set goals and noticing of problems and the need for changing
the approach, providing quality. With the beginning of implementation for this
project, a new approach was introduced, regarding its monitoring, in which the
accent is put on strengthening the capacities of organizations—follow-up through
work reports and live meetings. Both kinds of monitoring consolidate three
functions: (1) preventive, giving the information about procedures and rules;
(2) advisory, recommendations about the content and financial aspects; and (3) regu-
latory, audit and evaluation of the success of the set goals (CRID and AAAS 2012).
Citizen protector organized a public invitation to municipalities and city
municipalities in the RS to apply for awards for contribution to the development
of all forms of accessibility on their territory in period from 2015 to the end of 2017.
The Citizens’ Protection Award was awarded to local self-governments that
contributed most to the development of all forms of accessibility on their territory,
“to draw public attention to the disadvantage of people with disabilities, who
account for 8% of the total population”.
With initiatives for developing accessibility for 2016, three local communities
applied (from the initial five covered by the “No barrier” project). In all three
applications (Table 5), it is stated that certain accessibility elements that they applied
for the award contribute to better mobility not only of people with disabilities but
232 A. Vulevic et al.

Table 5 The main initiatives for improving accessibility in the cities Pirot, Uzice and Novi Pazar
Initiatives Pirot Uzice Novi Pazar
(1) 1. Construction of the Adaptation of Local action plan for the
building of an inclusive centre facilities for public improvement of the
for people with disabilities and private position of persons with
2. Reconstruction of the purposes in the disabilities for the period
sidewalk in the central street goal of removing 2017–2021 was adopted
“Srpskih vladara” architectural The city of Novi Pazar has
3. Reconstruction of the barriers: design and a significant number of
sidewalk in the street Danila installation of a associations dealing with
Kiša and Save Kovačević mobile platform on problems and positions of
4. Construction of a space the promenade PwD
around the indoor swimming along the river The city administration of
pool and connecting it with Djetinja which is the city of Novi Pazar
the surrounding streets and an area of special finances the programme
primarily with the primary features activities of all
and secondary school associations that operate in
“Mladost” the areas: associations for
5. Local action plan: “Pirot the mentally
accessible to all 2013–2023” underdeveloped people,
the Society for Cerebral
Palsy, paraplegic
associations and
interstitial organizations,
civil invalids of the war
and Association of
Psychologists Novi Pazar
(2) 1. From 2015 to the end of 2016 2016
2017 year
2. From March 2016 to June
of 2016
3. From July of 2016 to April
2017
4. From December 2016 to
September of 2017
(3) 1. “Molijerova street”
2. “Srpskih Vladara” street
3. “Danila Kiša” and “Save
Kovačević” streets
4. “Koste Abrasevica” street
(4) 1. Disability people PwRM PwRM
2. PwRM
3. All citizens
4. All citizens
Source: Application form for public invitation to municipalities in the RS to apply for Citizens’
Protection Award for contribution to the development of all forms of accessibility on their territory
in 2016
(1) Description of the main initiatives for improving accessibility in the city/municipality, (2) the
time period in which the initiative was implemented, (3) address at which the initiative was
implemented, (4) target group of initiatives
Social Marketing and Their Related Challenges for the Limited Access for. . . 233

also of other groups of citizens, such as parents with children, elderly people, bikers,
etc. In addition, it is noticeable that in the years after the completion of the project
“No Obstacles”, the said local community (Pirot, Novi Pazar, Uzice) are planning to
build an accessible environment, specifically public amenities and spaces.
The city of Pirot was awarded, and the municipalities of Novi Pazar and Uzice
received prizes for contributing to the development of all forms of accessibility for
persons with disabilities on their territory. Table 5 shows the main initiatives for
improving accessibility in the cities Pirot, Uzice and Novi Pazar in an application
form for public invitation to municipalities in the RS to apply for awards for
contribution to the development of all forms of accessibility on their territory in
period from 2015 to the end of 2017 (application form fill-out the responsible
individual persons in the municipality—municipal presidents).

Conclusions

This project contributes to improving the environment for civil society, with more
effective dialogue between civil society and the government in five less developed
areas in Serbia. It results in more active and effective civic participation in policy
processes leading to strengthening the rule of law. This can be achieved through
strengthening the capacity of local organizations to act in the direction of creating an
accessible environment for all citizens, especially for persons with disabilities.
The main strategy is to further help and improvement of social inclusion and
accessibility services, evaluation and strengthening liaisons with other civil society
organizations’ (CSOs) and stakeholders. Promotion action team in the cities of
network members as an example of good practice. That lead to fostering other
PwDs in their business-oriented motivation and promotion of the concept of social
inclusion. Strengthening synergies and cooperation between stakeholders through
multimedia platform, web portal and form new initiatives, is basis for future new
services. Finally, project activities created foundation and social enterprises as a key
sustainability strategy. A strong media campaign is continued in all five cities by the
members of the No Barriers network as a sequel to activities that took place in the
first year of realization of the project. In the years after the completion of the project
“No Obstacles”, the mentioned local communities (Pirot, Novi Pazar, Uzice) are
planning the construction of an accessible environment, according to principles of
DfA, and have been rewarded for contributing to the development of all forms of
accessibility for PwRM on their territory in 2016.

Discussion Questions

1. Does the implementation of the project contribute to the improved environment

for PwRM with more effective dialogue between civil society and the govern-
ment in the five analysed cities?
234 A. Vulevic et al.

2. Could there be any gaps identified? Does Serbia have adopted standards on
accessibility and foreseen satisfactory sanction measures?
3. Can the education interventions change these behaviours?
4. Which strategies and tools existing face the exposed issues? Does the public
media should send out positive, yet informative, messages about this issue or
about adequate training on accessibility standards for architects and local
committees that issue building permits and use permits?
5. Are in fact the interventions responsive to the different needs and aspirations of
the various social groups?
6. Is social marketing being used correctly with maximum effectiveness?
7. In which way such good practice examples could have been improved?

The experience through this project shows the usual capacity gaps to monitor
indicators of strategic documents regarding the development and infrastructures as
well as timely given attention to the omissions. In fact, it should be highlighted the
great dependence of the organizations of disabilities persons from the local govern-
ment funds and absence of constructive dialogue between them. In other words,
organizations of persons with disabilities are rarely willing to criticize the work of
local institutions as well as to propose structural changes, even in cases of the law
violation and subordinate regulations.
Thus, the implementation of the project will contribute to the improvement of the
environment for PwRM with more effective dialogue between civil society and the
government in five Serbian cities. It also will result in long-time more active and
effective public participation in policy processes leading to strengthening the rule of
law, through strengthening the capacity of local grassroots organizations to act
towards the creation of an accessible environment for all citizens, especially for
persons with disabilities.

Acknowledgements We would like to express our sincere gratitude to CRID and URP
organizations, which are working for the last few years, alone or in partnership, on the advocacy
for accessible environment and for capacity building of various NGOs, institutions and companies
to implement Design for All in their environment, for their insightful comments and encouragement
but also for the hard question which incanted us to widen our research from various perspectives.

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Social Marketing in the General Directorate
of Traffic’s Campaign Called
“Caminantedigital”

Estela Núñez-Barriopedro

Abstract
Faced with the problem of a high accident rate in Spain, the campaign called
“Caminantedigital” is an important shift in the marketing strategies of the General
Directorate of Traffic (Dirección General de Tráfico or DGT in Spanish). For the
European Road Safety and the United Nations Global Road Safety Week, the
DGT focusses on the target audience. In this case it focuses not only in drivers but
also pedestrians, who have not been taken into consideration in past campaigns.
The main goal is to raise awareness through a photographic competition of the
high accident rate and to encourage walking as opposed to using motorized
vehicles, as well as promoting the enjoyment of public spaces. An innovative
factor is that this campaign has introduced a marketing strategy based on “Crea-
tive Gamification.” One of the keys for its success is that the receiver of the
information goes from being considered as a mere passive subject to being
considered an active participant.

E. Núñez-Barriopedro (*)
University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
e-mail: [email protected]

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 237

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_20
238 E. Núñez-Barriopedro

Learning Objectives
The current case study tries to achieve the next learning objectives:

• Identify what does the most creative social marketing campaign developed
by the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) consists of.
• Define who the target audience of this campaign is, meaning, to whom the
behavioral change is directed.
• Analyze what the social problem is and what behavioral change do we want
to achieve in the target audience.
• Study how innovative, creative, and highlight has the marketing mix been
developed.
• Discover why and how creativity is especially valued.

Introduction

The General Directorate of Traffic—in Spanish called Dirección General de Tráfico

(DGT)—founded in 1959, is an autonomous public organization dependent of the
Ministry of Interior of Spain. The DGT is responsible for the execution of the current
road safety policies, and among its powers are traffic and road safety enforcement
(Núñez et al. 2014).
The target audience is divided into two large groups: on the one hand, the drivers
and all items related to the security and awareness in the use of vehicles and, on the
other hand, the pedestrian, for whom the DGT has started various specific campaigns.
Therefore, its objectives are multiple and diverse:

• Road safety and reduction of accidents: carrying out awareness actions to both
drivers and pedestrians, as well as the improvement of the road infrastructure and
the intervention for the improvement of accident blackspots
• Traffic information and management: so that citizens have better accessibility to
public roads at all times
• Health: linked to issues that may affect driving, consumption of substances that
reduce driving abilities, visual impairments that can substantially influence
driving, etc. Undertake and develop specific research and articles and advice
about the effects and consequences of these substances and impairments
• Sustainability of the environment: sustainable mobility, encouraging the use of
public transportation and commuting by foot or bicycle as one of the measures that
reduces the environmental impact that is related to the use of the private vehicle
• Research and development: issues related to the increase of safety in vehicles
(researching child safety systems, etc.), on roads, urban areas, etc.

The annual budgets available to the DGT to achieve its objectives are around
840 million euros, of which it assigns 2% to road safety. This percentage is
Social Marketing in the General Directorate of Traffic’s Campaign. . . 239

distributed among three causes: education and dissemination, victims of traffic

accidents, and research in road safety.
The promotional strategies carried out by the DGT encompass traditional
channels and an increasing use of new ones based on information and communica-
tion technologies (ICT), such as those used in their latest campaigns highlighting the
use of social networks. Among them, we can point out the following:

• A Website, from which the bulk of the information is managed, centralized, and
disseminated and strategized
• Monthly digital magazine, digital broadcast channel with interactive content
• Publications and specific research works, related to road safety, to the use and
improvement of elements of safety in vehicles, health, etc.
• Advertising campaigns, which not only broadcast and converged in traditional
channels, such as television, radio, and press but also via the Internet to convey
them in other digital ecosystems (e.g., YouTube)
• Conducting events, with public institutions (town halls, meetings between cities,
etc.), and others
• Trainers and talks to raise awareness among the entire population and especially
in children. In addition, the work done with victims of traffic accidents that
incorporate them into their awareness strategy toward other groups through
their collaboration
• Mobile application, launched in 2013 to help and provide the driver with traffic
information and about your safety constantly
• Social networks, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. where it has its own Website

Case Development

#Caminantedigital is a different campaign led by the DGT where citizens’ participa-

tion and involvement are essential.
The target audience at which the campaign is directed to is primarily the pedes-
trian, due to the high accident rate in Spain. The global data reaches 89,519 accidents
and 1680 annual fatalities (DGT 2018), high figures if we remind ourselves that
pedestrians are the most seriously affected by traffic accidents in this environment
because they represent half of the victims in urban areas.
The data shows that for each accident, there are at least two people injured and
around ten are serious or fatal accidents in urban areas. To try to mitigate this, DGT
has undertaken a specific strategy to involve society and local public institutions. In
its “Road Safety Strategic Plan 2011–2020,” there are two of its strategic priorities
listed out, the protection of the most vulnerable users and the promotion of safe
mobility in urban areas (Table 1). These are topics that are aimed at the urban space
and the groups that coexist in it.
In the current dynamics, using the potential offered by the Internet and the new
information and communication technologies (ICT), the DGT launches this
240 E. Núñez-Barriopedro

Table 1 Road safety strategic plan 2011–2020

Strategies Target Aims
1. Protect most Children Provide safe environments and journeys when walking
vulnerable users school
Elderly Provide safe mobility spaces
Pedestrians Promote commuting on foot as a way of economic and
healthy mobility
Provide safe mobility spaces
Improve knowledge about pedestrian accidents and
mobility
Cyclists Promote the use of bicycles as efficient means of
transportation
Improve training and attitudes of cyclists and other
users
Provide safe mobility spaces
2. Enhance mobility Urban Provide an urban public space and safe environments
safety zone Promote discipline in urban areas
Source: DGT (2018)

campaign as completely new and different from the traditional or classic marketing
strategies that they have been doing so far, in search for pedestrian involvement and
collaboration, one of its main objectives. The hashtag for this campaign
#Caminantedigital was born on May 2013.
This campaign is part of the actions framed within the “World Road Safety
Week” of the United Nations and the “European Road Safety Day” of the
European Union, held on the 6 May 2013. In the case of Spain, various events and
actions carried out the following messages:

• Promote walking
• Provide safe mobility spaces for pedestrians
• Improve knowledge about pedestrian accident and mobility

Its slogan is “Let yourself be contagious and participate!”

#Caminantedigital developed through a photo contest that aims to raise awareness
through photography to the pedestrian, and also encourages travelling on foot
opposed to using motorized means of transportation, and promotes the enjoyment
of urban public spaces.
The organization invited anyone who wanted to express their vision as a pedes-
trian by taking a picture that could be uploaded to the Instagram platform, the digital
tool selected for that purpose, with the hashtag #Caminantedigital.
The campaign was launched on May 6 and it was in effect until the 26th of that
month. Immediately, it had a large impact on social media and high participation.
Nearly seven million people visited the Website and commented on different blogs,
and approximately 15,000 pictures were submitted on Instagram by a multitude of
participants.
Social Marketing in the General Directorate of Traffic’s Campaign. . . 241

In addition, PHotoEspaña, one of the main means of dissemination of photogra-

phy and the visual arts of Spain, collaborated in the campaign by organizing a
subsequent exhibition with selected and awarded pictures.
The use of mobile devices is key in the success and in such large amount of
participation, because digital marketing is more specific and allows a quicker
exchange of information with the user, thus, achieving a most direct communication.
Creativity is especially valued in every field (Núñez-Barriopedro and González
del Valle Brena 2016; Núñez and Ravina 2017). Therefore, an interesting and
innovative factor of this campaign in contrast to previous ones by the DGT is that
it has introduced a marketing strategy based on “Creative Gamification,” which
encourages the participation of people in the photographic contest, using the game
and the subsequent social recognition (publishing all the pictures on the Website and
displaying an exhibition of the winning ones) as the main element of “engagement”
with the target audience.
The two previous events resulted in a high participation and citizen involvement,
even when the duration of this campaign was only of 20 days, which helped make
society more aware of these issues.
The judges of the contest were staff from the DGT and PHotoEspaña; they
selected the 23 best pictures, which had in common the day-to-day representation
of people who walked through the different cities, turning the streets into a space of
more conviviality, safety, and kindness.
Furthermore, every picture sent by citizens was published in the specific
“microsite” created by the DGT with direct access through its Website. The
subsequent photographic exhibition, with the 23 winning photographs, was
organized by PHotoEspaña and the private sector collaborated through Fnac,
which participates in the initiative by lending its facilities located in Avenue
Castellana in Madrid to host the exhibition free of charge.
According to the marketing mix used by this campaign, the following could be
summarized:

• Given that the main aim of the campaign was to try to make pedestrians aware of
the importance of road safety for protection, the product in this case is an
intangible idea.
• The use of ICT and social media was the channel chosen by the DGT for its rapid
distribution, due to its easy accessibility through mobile devices.
• The promotion of this campaign was initiated by the DGT together with
PHotoEspaña, which launched it on social media, blogs, etc. and traditional
media, such as the written press, radio, or television. This made references to it
multiplying its repercussion.
• The time and effort expended constituted to the price that, in these types of
strategies, tends to be very high because it involves many people, both in the
design and implementation of the campaign, as in the subsequent participation
phase.
242 E. Núñez-Barriopedro

Conclusions

The reorientation that the DGT has made of its marketing strategies in the face of a
problem that had not been previously addressed with enough attention (high number
of accidents and victims in urban areas) has been an advancement, both in the
strategy itself and in the target audience. The DGT, with this campaign, adopts a
position that moves away from the traditional, with a search for greater involvement
and participation of the pedestrian.
This qualitative leap started with these new marketing actions; they have been
very positive and have managed to engage pedestrians in the initiative
“Caminantedigital,” establishing an emotional link with them through which
messages are shared, that being the main objective of the campaign. Listening to
the target audience is, currently, one of the keys to the new marketing strategies,
trying to solve problems or needs that arise using the media technologies available as
the main channel of communication.
The use of new technological tools (ICTs) and participation in social media are
fundamental in the DGT’s new strategy, providing new and more rapid dissemina-
tion channels appropriate to marketing actions (Santesmases 2009, 2012). The speed
and immediacy of interaction provided by mobile devices to users is today’s key tool
for receiving and transmitting information, because it is the ideal channel in which
they can be heard by companies or entities.
Along with the abovementioned strategy, the use of a “Creative Gamification”
marketing approach to the target, the pedestrian, has been very effective and has
become a decisive factor in this campaign.
The fact that the receiver of the information goes from being considered as a mere
passive subject to being considered an active participant, with the ability to provide
information, to feel heard by the institution, etc., is a breakthrough.
The implication of the user is immediate, because of the feeling of being part of a
game (since people like to play and compete in these type of contests), being part of
something collective (with the publication of the participants’ photographs on a
webpage accessible to everyone), and receiving recognition or a prize (through
selection and participation in a photo exhibition sponsored by PHotoEspaña).
These actions foster participation. Alongside, this enables the creators of the cam-
paign to have the perfect vehicle to promote the slogan or message on what they
want to raise awareness, which is the main objective sought.
The sum of both has produced a viral spread in the media and in social networks,
considerably multiplying the impact of the campaign, both in traditional media
(press, radio, television, etc.) and in specialized pages and online media (blogs,
Facebook, etc.). It is a good example that with a small investment and an attractive
campaign, a powerful message can be achieved (Goel and Goldstein 2014).
This first step or experience has served to verify that these types of strategies can
contribute to a public institution like the DGT, and it is a train of thought that would
be convenient to continue advancing and innovating with new similar actions. These
types of actions allow channeling different messages in a more direct and effective
way toward the target audience.
Social Marketing in the General Directorate of Traffic’s Campaign. . . 243

The high participation and repercussion achieved in social media should be taken
advantage of by gathering more information, problems, etc. provided by the pedes-
trian, in order for it to be used as support to the DGT. Other objectives and actions
should be considered when dealing with problems, like looking for solutions or
improvements on the urban road network or pedestrian public spaces or even raising
awareness focusing on the driver and the pedestrian, leading to a decrease in the
accident rate in these areas.

Discussion Questions

1. Considering the repercussion of the campaign, have the objectives been

achieved?
2. Until now, the DGT has led to a shift in the marketing strategy used with the
target audience, that is, from a consumer receiving information to a consumer that
can be heard. What changes have this marketing strategy introduced with respect
to those that have been made previously?
3. May have the use of new technological resources available to everyone been the
key to success?
4. Has the full potential of this type of strategies and tools been exploited?
5. What could be the future line of action and the new marketing strategies from the
DGT?

References
DGT. (2018). Dirección General de Tráfico. Retrieved March 9, 2018, from http://www.dgt.es/
Goel, S., & Goldstein, D. (2014). Predicting individual behavior with social networks. Marketing
Science, 33(1), 82–93.
Núñez, E., & Ravina, R. (2017). Análisis del nivel de competitividad empresarial en el panorama
publicitario colombiano fundamentada en el éxito creativo y la responsabilidad ética y jurídica.
JURÍDICAS CUC, 13(1), 9–28. https://doi.org/10.17981/juridcuc.13.1.2017.1
Núñez, E., Carrillo, F. J., Rojas, P., Uceta, A. T., & Vadillo, V. (2014). Caminante digital como
caso de aplicación del marketing digital en una entidad pública. En VI Congreso internacional
de casos docentes en marketing público y no lucrativo “Marketing for people: Let’s go digital”
(Vol. 6, p. 22). Coimbra: Asociación Internacional de Marketing Público y No Lucrativo.
Núñez-Barriopedro, E., & González del Valle Brena, A. (2016). Ranking de publicidad en
Iberoamérica ¿cuáles son las principales agencias? Opción, 32(8), 360–372.
Santesmases, M. (2009). Fundamentos de Marketing. Madrid: Pirámide.
Santesmases, M. (2012). Marketing: Conceptos y Estrategias (6a ed.). Madrid: Pirámide.
Combat to Abandonment
and Mistreatment of Animals: A Case Study
Applied to the Public Security Police
(Portugal)

Bruno Sousa and Daniela Soares

Abstract
Social marketing is based on the adaptation of the contemporary commercial
marketing theory and practice as a means of guiding and aiding social change
campaigns. In this context, animals are abandoned and mistreated every day.
Rescue organizations and public institutions spend countless hours working to
save these animals. Because animal cruelty has traditionally been seen as a minor
crime, basic quantitative information as to the nature and extent of animal cruelty
has been limited. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to systematize the
main determinant aspects of a campaign for the abandonment and mistreatment of
animals as a social marketing case study (i.e., “animal mistreatment is a crime”—
promotion). The case study is applied to the Public Security Police (in Portuguese
contexts), but the problematic evidence in this manuscript is common to several
countries in the world.

B. Sousa (*)
IPCA – Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, Barcelos, Portugal
e-mail: [email protected]
D. Soares
School of Economics and Management, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal

# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 245

M. M. Galan-Ladero, H. M. Alves (eds.), Case Studies on Social Marketing,
Management for Professionals, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04843-3_21
246 B. Sousa and D. Soares

Learning Objectives
1. The present case study aims at gaining a deeper understanding of social
marketing campaigns in specific contexts (i.e., combat to abandonment and
mistreatment of animals).
2. This study intends to present and discuss a social marketing campaign that
has been developed by case study Public Security Police in Portugal in 2015.
3. This manuscript is explored from the scoping and research stage to evalua-
tion, providing the reader with an overview of the social marketing theory
and how these can be applied to the real context of combat to abandonment
and mistreatment of animals.
4. Under an interdisciplinary perspective, this case study brings together
inputs from social marketing and local development.

Introduction

Since the 1970s, social marketing has been highlighted by its impact on social issues in
the areas of public health, safety, and protection of the environment and communities
(Andreasen 1994; Kotler and Lee 2011). Social marketing is not a theory in itself, since
it is a system that brings together several areas of knowledge from psychology,
sociology, anthropology, and communication theory, in order to understand the mecha-
nism of influence of human behavior (Kotler and Zaltman 1971; Peattie and Peattie
2009). Social marketing involves “influencing behaviors through a systematic planning
process that applies marketing principles and techniques, focusing on priority audience
segments, providing a positive benefit to society.” The principles and techniques
employed aim to “create, communicate, and deliver value” to the consumer (Kotler
and Lee 2011). Human behaviors are at the root of many social and health problems,
including the spread of the HIV virus, dangerous driving, death from tobacco use, or
abandonment and maltreatment of animals (MacFadyen et al. 2003). Thus, “social
marketing provides a mechanism to address these problems by encouraging people to
adopt healthy lifestyles” (Hastings et al. 2003: 694).
The phenomenon of maltreatment of animals and their abandonment is a problem
of a social nature that has gained importance every year. There are many reasons that
someone might abandon a family pet. Sometimes people receive pets as Christmas or
birthday presents, and by the summertime, the novelty has worn off, and the real
responsibility of having a pet has set in. The institutions speculate that longer
daylight hours and struggling to find someone to pet sit while families go on vacation
could be big contributing factors as well. Pets will never be able to understand why
they have been abandoned by the ones they love. Social marketing success relates to
the success of the influence of desired behavior (Kotler and Lee 2011). In this way,
the chosen target public is free to accept, reject, modify, or abandon behavior in
favor of society and individual good (Kotler et al. 2002). According to Kotler and
Lee (2011), the most challenging aspect of social marketing (and also the greatest
contribution) lies in the “reward of good behavior” rather than the punishment (legal,
economic, or coercive) of wrongdoing. The present case study addresses the “animal
Combat to Abandonment and Mistreatment of Animals: A Case Study Applied to. . . 247

mistreatment is a crime” (Portuguese campaign)—combating abandonment and

mistreatment of animals (by PSP—Portugal).

Public Security Police in Portugal

The Public Security Police (PSP) is the oldest police in Portugal. At the age of
150, this government organization was created in 1867 by King D. Luís. The law
published in that year created the Civil Police Corps in Portugal and with it lays the
foundations for the creation of the current Public Security Police, designated since
1927. According to PSP (2018), today, it is defined as “a security force, uniformed
and armed, with a public service nature and endowed with administrative autonomy.”
Also designated by PSP Portugal, this security force, enshrined in the Constitution,
has the task of ensuring democratic legality and guaranteeing internal security and
citizens’ rights. PSP Portugal works for the protection of the community (public
service). “Providing citizens with a sense of security” is a priority and a fundamental
one, as well as establishing a close relationship between police and citizens with the
aim of preventing crime (e.g., mistreatment and abandonment of animals).
The main functions of the Public Security Police (PSP 2018) are as follows:

• Guarantee security conditions that allow the exercise of rights and freedoms and
respect for the guarantees of citizens, as well as the full functioning of democratic
institutions, while respecting the legality and the principles of the rule of law.
• Ensure public order and tranquility and the security and protection of people and
property.
• Prevent crime in general.
• Ensure compliance with laws and regulations relating to road transport and
promote and guarantee road safety, in particular through roadworthiness, traffic
management, and discipline.
• Protect, assist citizens, and defend and preserve assets that are in dangerous
situations, due to human or natural causes.
• Prevent and detect situations of trafficking and consumption of narcotic drugs or
other prohibited substances by monitoring and patrolling the zones referred to as
places of trafficking or consumption.
• Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory provisions related to the protection
of the environment, as well as prevent and investigate their illegal activities.
• Contribute to training and information on the security of citizens.

Communication: PSP Portugal

At the end of 2015 and beginning of 2016, the Public Security Police (PSP—
Portugal) adopted a disruptive, relaxed, and creative communication posture
characterized by the relevance and timeliness of the messages transmitted. Currently,
248 B. Sousa and D. Soares

the communication made by PSP is focused on social networks, although communi-

cation on the ground takes place in various ways and takes on some dimensions. The
actions of raising awareness among the schools about the themes of “Safer Internet,”
“Bullying,” “Psychoactive Substances,” and “Preventing Dating Violence” among
the young are examples of interpersonal communication established with the popu-
lation and materialized along with social networking policing. However, one of the
major concerns of PSP Portugal in the last 2 years is the combat to abandonment and
mistreatment of animals.
With more than 600,000 followers, PSP is the institutional page of Facebook with
more followers in Portugal (i.e., represents a lot of interaction between the citizen
and the police force). With such a wide target, ranging from the smallest to the
oldest, it is necessary to adopt different languages and approaches, and therefore it is
difficult to be consistent and always have the same style in the publications. If the
communication is aimed at a younger audience, they use the logic of the trending
topic; on the contrary, if it is intended for an older age group, they resort to more
emotional and formal messages. The presence of PSP online, specifically through
social networks, arose from the need to pass messages without a filter and to
establish a more direct communication with the public, without being dependent
on traditional media. Through a smoother message, an informal tone, and the use of
intelligent humor, the PSP was able to establish a greater relationship of closeness
and affectivity with the consumer that, until then, had not reached.
The combat to abandonment and mistreatment of animals is a very sensitive
subject, which requires closeness. Proximity and trust established between citizens
and agents of the PSP are essential to create “bonds” that allow the exchange and
sharing of information, with the aim of preventing crime and changing wrong
behaviors toward animals. The publication of Internet posts, sometimes irreverent
but emotional and informative, has strengthened the relationship between citizens
and the PSP Portugal, leaving this institution to be seen as a distant and austere
element. Proximity policing came to humanize the figure of the police agents. PSP
marketing strategy reinforced the affective side, deconstructing the image of the
serious police. The publication of photographs, and even self-images, of smiling
agents on Facebook, alone or interacting with people of all ages or even caressing
and assisting the animals, makes the Public Security Police “cool” and transmits the
image of a safe Portugal, without prejudice to the authority, seriousness, impartiality,
and respect that characterizes this police institution. Facebook has not only had an
impact on the external communication of the PSP Portugal. It proved to be important
in the internal communication of the organization, since it came to feed the sense of
belonging of the agents and of the police, occupying the role of internal aggregator
of motivation. In addition, it served as a vehicle to break with misinformation and
speculation, taking over an official source of real and authentic information. It is
concluded that, in addition to the information component, it has become necessary
for the PSP brand to create value in order to increase proximity, involvement, and
commitment of the police to the consumer. Currently, PSP is the top of mind of
Portuguese police brand.
Combat to Abandonment and Mistreatment of Animals: A Case Study Applied to. . . 249

PSP Portugal Campaign: Combat to Abandonment

and Mistreatment of Animals

In Portugal, the law that criminalizes mistreatment and abandonment of animals

entered into force on October 1, 2014. Approved for more than 3 years, Law 69/2014
provides that “who, without legitimate cause, inflict pain, suffering or any other
physical ill-treatment of a companion animal is punished” (Art. 387 of the Penal
Code) and also protects pets by stating that “who, having a duty to guard, watch or
watch pet society, abandoning it, thereby endangering their food and the care they
are owed, is punished” (Art. 388 of the Penal Code). In this context, the Metropolitan
Command of Lisbon of the Public Security Police launched in July 2015 a campaign
entitled “Animal misconduct is crime” (animal abuse is a crime) with the aim of
alerting society to this awareness.
Thus, to facilitate complaints of these situations, PSP created a direct contact line
with the address [email protected] and the telephone contact 21POLICIA. This
awareness campaign also went through the placement of posters in schools, parish
councils, and municipal councils with images of dogs, in which one could read:
“Abandonment of Animals is Crime” (Table 1).
The Animal Defense Project eventually became permanent and spread through-
out the country. PSP publications on this subject continue to alert the population to
denounce these cases, reminding that the law criminalizes with imprisonment and
fines the abandonment and mistreatment of animals. Recently, the Statute of
Animals (Law no. 8/2017) recognized animals “their nature as living beings with
sensibility and object of legal protection,” leaving them to be considered as “things.”

Table 1 Campaign summary table

Campaign “Animal mistreatment is a crime”—combating abandonment and mistreatment of
animals
When? Started on July 22, 2015, by the Metropolitan Command of Lisbon (Portugal) of the
Who? Public Security Police
Where? The initiative is currently implemented throughout the police system: 2 regional
commands (Azores and Madeira); 2 metropolitan commands (Lisbon and Porto);
16 district commands (remaining district capitals)
Duration Permanent
Actions Creation of the email and phone contact 21POLICIA to report cases of mistreatment
and abandonment of animals; disclosure of posters with the message
“Abandonment of Animals is Crime” in schools and municipal services; awareness-
raising and enlightenment of actions through proximity policing; protocols with
animal associations; participation of public figures as “padrinhos” (godfathers) and
“madrinhas” (godmother) of the initiative
Promotion Social networks and media
Target Portugal residents and visitors
Results Recording an average of 1600 complaints per year since 2015. In 2016, PSP treated
3098 crimes related to ill-treatment, neglect, and other animal-related irregularities
(903 were ill-treatment crimes)
Source: Authors (based on PSP Subcommittee interview)
250 B. Sousa and D. Soares

The marketing promoted by the PSP in Portugal is strongly based on the idea of
affectivity and with appeal to the emotions. The following images (Fig. 1) show the
sense of greater proximity between the police forces and the local community, and
the abandonment of animals is a very sensitive issue for society. The figures illustrate
the feeling of belonging and the affective bonds with animals, and sometimes humor

Fig. 1 “Animal mistreatment is a crime”—Promotion. Source: PSP (2018)

Combat to Abandonment and Mistreatment of Animals: A Case Study Applied to. . . 251

is used to capture the public’s attention and make the message clearer and more
efficient. In one of the images, you can read “Report, they cannot” or “Hi, I have a
complaint. My owner abandoned me.”

Conclusions

The use of social marketing to design and implement programs that promote socially
beneficial behavioral changes has grown in popularity and use in the public health
and wellness community in general (Grier and Bryant 2005). Generally, in social
marketing, products are actually complex behaviors and intangible
elements (Andreasen et al. 2008), which makes it difficult to create a simple and
meaningful product concept (Hastings 2007). For instance, cause-related marketing
(CRM) has proliferated as a marketing strategy and is being employed by numerous
brands across product categories (Galan-Ladero et al. 2015). Social marketing has
experienced substantial growth over the last decades, and its utilization has spread
into various areas of social and public life (Alves 2010). In this context, the present
case study showed the problem of maltreatment and abandonment of animals as a
way to reinforce the importance of social marketing in changing people’s behavior.
The phenomenon of animal disrespect is of great importance to the general
population and to future generations. Abandoned pets are companion animals that
are either inadvertently or deliberately cast off by their owners. This commonly
occurs when an owner dies, when a pet becomes disruptive or grows too large, or if
the pet was acquired impulsively. Typical of this group are pets left behind when the
owner’s home is foreclosed. These animals can be left alone on the property or
dropped off at an animal shelter. They are often discovered after the foreclosure
process, when the realtor or bank enters the home. Animal abandonment is a serious
(social marketing) problem. Some pets find homes and, sadly, some do not.
The PSP Portugal case study reinforces the role of communication in social
marketing as a successful strategy for behavior change. Social marketing can
mimic the success of commercial marketing and mitigate the damage it sometimes
causes. Social marketing recognizes the value of new research techniques to help
build robust evidence to guide its regulation and helps avoid the less desirable effects
of conventional marketing. In this sense, the PSP Portugal is a successful case in the
fight against abandonment and mistreatment of animals as a phenomena transversal
to many world populations.

Discussion Questions

1. How can abandonment and mistreatment of animals affect the quality of life of
society in general?
2. How can social marketing combat this phenomenon (i.e., combat to abandonment
and mistreatment of animals)?
252 B. Sousa and D. Soares

3. Do you consider the communication elements of the Public Security Police

(Portugal) adequate for the proposed objectives?
4. What recommendations would you give to PSP Portugal to minimize the effects
of abandonment and maltreatment of animals and improve this social marketing
campaign?

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