Social Marketing:
An Evolving Definition  

William A. Smith, EdD

Objective: To review the essential elements of a social marketing approach. Methods: It places emphasis on 4 fundamentals—the marketing mix, segmentation, positioning, and continual marketing. It contrasts commercial and social marketing by focusing on their different objectives—profit versus subsidized social good. Results: Marketing is determined to be a voluntary means to influence human behavior based on a concept of exchange. Conclusion: Social marketing can be distinguished from education approaches that emphasize knowledge as the primary determinant of human behavior and regulatory approaches that use law, sanction, and force to influence behavior.

Am J Health Behav 2000;24(1):11-17