Ready to Fly Solo? Reducing Social Marketing's Dependence on Commercial Marketing Theory

Peattie, Susan and Peattie, Kenneth John ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3969-0531 2003. Ready to Fly Solo? Reducing Social Marketing's Dependence on Commercial Marketing Theory. Marketing Theory 3 (3) , pp. 365-385. 10.1177/147059310333006

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Abstract

The past development of social marketing theory and practice has been based largely on the translation of ideas and practices from conventional, commercial marketing. The application of a customer orientation and conventional marketing techniques has often successfully revolutionized the pursuit of social goals and has led to the growing popularity of social marketing. There is, however, a danger that an over-emphasis on the direct translation of mainstream marketing principles and practices into social contexts may create practical problems and also confusion regarding the theoretical basis of social marketing. This paper provides a critique of the development of social marketing theory and its reliance on mainstream commercial marketing. It argues that social marketing’s future development may depend upon a better understanding of, and emphasis on, the differences between the social and commercial contexts. The paper concludes that social marketing needs the developmentof its own distinctive vocabulary, ideas and tools. To achieve this, there may beopportunities for theorists to follow the example of other marketing sub-disciplines, and also to reach back directly into the disciplines on which marketing is founded, including economics, psychology, sociology and communications theory, in search of new and better-adapted practices and theories to apply.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Centre for Business Relationships, Accountability, Sustainability and Society (BRASS) Business (Including Economics) Sustainable Places Research Institute (PLACES)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management H Social Sciences > HF Commerce
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Competition; ethics; exchange theory; marketing theory; social marketing; social marketing mix
Publisher:	Sage
ISSN:	1470-5931
Last Modified:	21 Oct 2022 10:46
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/41291

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