Why Social Marketing is Misunderstood

I am preparing a speech for the Victorian Hub of the Australian Association of Social Marketers on changing the mindset of senior level bureaucrats and politicians of what social marketing really is.

All too often many people call themselves social marketers and all they have done is a massive advertising campaign. On LinkeIn I am a member of the Social Marketing Group. Fourty percent of posts are about behaviour change and sixty percent are about social media.

In Australia there are courses using behavioural change frameworks - Health Promotion and Health Population - but only one course actually called "Graduate Certificate in Social Marketing".

What are the behaviours and barriers to people understanding what is social marketing and a social marketer?

I have thought of many idea bubbles by myself and would be grateful to read your thoughts on what should be easy to understand.


Chris Noone
Australia