The impact of social marketing on consumer behaviour ' a study of muslims' buying behaviour' - Research Paper Example

The impact of social marketing on consumer behavior Research paper topic: ‘Role of social marketing strategy, when used positively by business companies, in promoting social wellbeing.’ Abstract There is not much research done in showing how social marketing approach could bring miracle in a society if employed on noble grounds and this is the basic reason for my conducting this research. I will use questionnaires for carrying out the research. The whole process will be based on one month which includes contacting people and distributing questionnaires.

Introduction Social marketing affects consumer behavior and perceptions in many diverse ways, of which some are mentioned in this paper. Social marketing concept can be used by entrepreneurs and business managers to achieve certain behavioral goals while taking every step for the societal well being. Literature review: Taking a consumer-centred approach through using social marketing can help achieve goals and resolve issues for the benefit of the society and mankind, at large (Merritt, Truss, and Hopwood, 2011).

For instance, notifying the growing use of cigarettes by people from every age group in Europe, the European Union made many tobacco companies to put pictures of diseased lungs on cigarette packets. Such a social marketing strategy was in fact an effort by the official authorities to reshape the consumer behavior. According to the Government’s chief medical officer in UK, such an action of promoting graphic images of people dying from lung cancer could actually influence many consumers to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked on daily basis (Daily Mail Reporter, 2011).

Social marketing plans rely to an indefinite extent on social advertising and advertisements target the dynamic consumer preferences (Foxall, Oliveira-Castro, and James, 2006, p. 114). The case histories discussed in the research report by Bloom et al. (2006, p. 50) suggest that big conglomerates like Starbucks, Avon, and American Express have been frequently seen employing the social marketing concept. A social marketing approach can also be used for the wellbeing of a society in a way by which consumers could be restricted or prompted to give up the practice of heavy use of a certain product.

For example, research study by Darian (1993) reveals that seeing the issue of alcohol abuse on a college campus, the alcohol manufacturing companies tried to use a marketing approach to deal with the issue. Product pricing, promoting, availability, and distribution strategies were reshaped and revised after deciding to apply a marketing approach. Methodology I shall distribute the questionnaires among people working for different companies and conduct a comparative research based on results received from companies which used social marketing approach to alter consumer perceptions and those which preferred to do otherwise.

I shall collect data and statistics and shall organize them in charts and tables. Results as Predicted I predict that the results will prove to be useful in giving an exact idea about the extent to which social marketing strategy can play a role in influencing consumer behavior in a society in a positive way and how it can be used by big manufacturing companies to shape or modify consumer behaviors like prompting the consumers to abstain from public smoking and speed driving. References: Bloom, PN, Hoeffler, S, Keller, KN, and Basurto, CE 2006, How Social-Cause Marketing Affects Consumer Perceptions, MIT SLOAN MANAGEMENT REVIEW, vol. 47, pp. 49-55.

Daily Mail Reporter, 2011, Graphic images of people dying from lung cancer to go on cigarette packets in most shocking anti-smoking campaign ever, MailOnline, viewed, 28 February, 2012, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2044734/Graphic-images-people-dying-lung-cancer-cigarette-packets.html Darian, JC 1993, SOCIAL MARKETING AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOR: INFLUENCING THE DECISION TO REDUCE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION, Advances in Consumer Research, vol. 20, pp. 413-418. Foxall, GR, Oliveira-Castro, JM, and James, VK, 2006, CONSUMER BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS AND SOCIAL MARKETING: THE CASE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, Behavior and Social Issues, vol. 15, pp. 101-124.

Merritt, R, Truss, A, and Hopwood, T 2011, Social marketing can help achieve sustainable behaviour change, The Guardian, viewed, 28 February, 2012,