Looking to the Future for PA NEN Social Marketing

PA NEN Social Marketing Committee

Social marketing is an important activity for state nutrition education networks that are involved with Food Stamp Nutrition Education. Some state networks, such as Arizona and Rhode Island, have well-established social marketing programs. Along with individual and group learning activities, social marketing campaigns are designed to increase the likelihood that people eligible for food stamps will make healthy food choices within their limited budgets as well as choose physically active lifestyles.

To illustrate the importance of social marketing, one of the purposes of the Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Network (PA NEN) as stated in our By-laws is “To coordinate and facilitate social marketing activities.” Although PA NEN has been involved in some social marketing initiatives in the past, we are preparing to launch a more comprehensive effort in the coming fiscal year.

In PA NEN’s FY 2008 Plan, the work statement related to social marketing challenges us “To build a framework for formative assessment for state-wide nutrition education social marketing targeted to Food Stamp Program-eligible households.” The Network’s Social Marketing Committee working with PA NEN staff will be responsible for making this happen.

Before any specific plans can be made, however, PA NEN leadership will decide on an overarching philosophy for our approach to social marketing that will govern future directions. Two possible approaches, identified by PA NEN Chairman Pat Druhan, are (1) Define social marketing in the context of a “campaign,” or (2) refer to social marketing in a larger sense as the process by which the PA NEN operates, including ongoing research, outreach, network coordination, and individual campaigns.

According to Alan R. Andreasen, an early social marketing expert, “Social marketing is a specific mindset, a way of thinking about how one goes about influencing behavior. This mindset puts target consumers and their needs, wants, and perceptions at the center of everything. Behavior is the bottom-line objective.”1 Whatever the definition of PA NEN’s social marketing philosophy, Dr. Andreasen’s words should be the driving force for what we do and how we do it.

Look for more articles about PA NEN’s social marketing activities in future editions of the Newsletter. Direct your thoughts, comments and questions to:

Carolyn Gilles, Chair
PA NEN Social Marketing Committee
chg2@psu.edu
814-397-6750 (cell)

 

1. Andreasen, A. R., “The Promise of Social Marketing,” Social Marketing Quarterly (Best Start, Inc., May 1994).