Societal Marketing Concept: Examples and Companies

The societal marketing concept holds that a company should make marketing decisions not only by considering the needs of the company but also by considering the needs of society. This means that a company should not only focus on making a profit, but also on making a positive contribution to society.

Another name for societal marketing concept is social marketing concept, or societal advertising. Sometimes, this marketing strategy may also be called differently by different authors; some people refer to the same societal marketing concept as societal orientation marketing, societal orientation advertising, social orientation marketing, or social orientation advertising.

The 3 considerations underlying the societal marketing concept are social responsibility, sustainability, and ethics. These are also known as the three main elements of the societal marketing concept.

The societal marketing concept is best described as a company’s marketing strategy that takes into account consumers’ wants, needs, and interests while also considering the society’s well-being. It is a long-term approach that focuses on creating sustainable value for both the customer and the company.

What is social marketing?

Social marketing is a branch of marketing that aims to effect social change by encouraging good social behavior and discouraging anti-social behavior. It is sometimes considered the same as societal marketing because any good social change that a company, non-profit organization, or government aims to achieve is also for the good of society. Their difference lies in the fact that social marketing is a branch of marketing while societal marketing is a philosophy; also, social marketing has no profit intention but societal marketing does..

Societal marketing definition

Societal marketing can be defined as a type of marketing in which the interests of customers and society are put first. This type of marketing should be treated as a long-term strategy and should involve the customer and the society in the marketing process. In other words, businesses should consider their long-term impact in determining the marketing strategy.

While the social concept of marketing focuses on customer satisfaction, it also incorporates other aspects of society and corporate social responsibility. This type of marketing requires businesses to think about what customers want, and how to provide it to them. But the key to the social concept in marketing is keeping the interests of society in mind because societal welfare and the environment are vitally interrelated. For instance, companies should never promote products that are harmful to the environment or the general welfare of society.

While there are many definitions of societal marketing, the main difference lies in the concept. Societal marketing considers the long-term welfare of society. It was once dominated by the individual needs of consumers, and this largely dictated how companies marketed their products. However, societal marketing concepts have allowed companies to adapt their products to run on lead-free petrol and promote social causes. In the process, they’ve managed to reinvent themselves as one of the world’s most influential marketing concepts.

Importance of societal marketing

1. The most important benefit is that it allows companies to create a sustainable competitive advantage.
2. It also helps firms to build relationships with key stakeholders, such as government officials and environmental groups.
3. Additionally, social marketing helps them to create a positive image for the company, which can attract more customers and investors.
4. The societal marketing concept is based upon a philosophy that companies use to make sure they satisfy the needs of consumers while also protecting and improving society’s well-being.
5. The objectives of societal marketing concept give more importance to creating a balance between making money and doing good. When companies focus only on making money, they can often harm society in the process. But when they focus on both making money and doing good, they can create products and services that make people’s lives better while also generating profits.

The concept

The societal marketing concept holds that a company should make marketing decisions based on what is best for society, not just what is best for the company. This means taking into account the environmental and social impact of marketing decisions. Another name for it is known as “cradle to grave” marketing or “sustainability marketing.”

The societal marketing concept calls on marketers to balance what is good for individuals and society in the present and future. The major focus of the societal marketing concept is to deliver value to customers in order to capture value from them in return, while at the same time being conscious of the larger societal impact of its activities.

Examples of the Societal Marketing Concept

Companies are progressively embracing the societal marketing concept. This strategy has several goals including building a long-term relationship with customers, developing a stronger image in society, and improving community awareness. It is important for companies to take a holistic view of their business, considering the needs and wants of the consumers. Additionally, societal marketing also ensures that their investments are benefiting society.

Examples of Societal marketing companies

1. Coca-cola societal marketing concept
2. Nike societal marketing concept
3. The Body shop societal marketing concept
4. Apple societal marketing concept
5. Adidas societal marketing concept
6. Nestle
7. Netflix
8. Ariel
9. Starbucks
10. McDonald’s
11. Amazon
12. Jollibee
13. KFC
14. Microsoft
15. Costco
16. Samsung
17. Tesla societal marketing concept

These are a few of the companies that are using the societal marketing concept.

Below, we will discuss more on some examples of companies with societal marketing concept.

The Body shop social marketing concept

Another societal marketing concept example is the fight against animal cruelty by The Body Shop. It has been fighting animal cruelty in ads since 1989, and its ad campaigns are regularly infused with the societal marketing concept.

The Body Shop is a company that uses the societal marketing concept in its advertising. Societal marketing means that the company takes into account the needs of society when creating its ad campaigns. The Body Shop’s societal advertising often focuses on social issues, such as environmentalism or animal rights. By doing this, the company hopes to raise awareness of these issues and encourage people to make changes in their own lives.

Coca-cola societal marketing concept

Examples of social marketing concepts include the Coca-Cola Company, which recently gave $126 million to support causes related to healthy living and water stewardship. In addition, the company has made contributions to education, women’s empowerment, and humanitarian and disaster relief programs. By taking part in social marketing efforts, Coca-Cola hopes to gain a better image and boost its public image.

Coca-Cola’s ‘hero journey’

Coca-Cola’s hero’s journey social marketing concept is all about connecting with consumers through content. The brand works with artists to create a social media campaign centered around positive energy and community. These ads are a mix of content and user-generated content. Coca-Cola’s campaign leverages nostalgia and positive sentiment to engage consumers and make the brand more personal.

In recent years, Coca-Cola has been working on various social marketing concepts, including ‘drinkable’ ads that encourage fans to be heroes. The most notable of these efforts is the company’s recent collaboration with the Shazam app. The company is also working on improving farming and women’s empowerment. In 2014 alone, the company donated $126 million. This campaign is aimed at fostering societal change through marketing strategies.

Benefits

In explaining the example of a societal marketing concept using the hero’s journey, a company identifies a problem and shows a solution. It also approaches all kinds of retail stores. By creating this concept, a company can connect with its consumers and build long-term relationships. Despite the difficulty of implementing a societal marketing strategy, many leading companies are already taking steps toward achieving a more sustainable future. Using environmental-friendly words and concepts in marketing campaigns helps companies create awareness about the importance of ‘green’ products.

The ‘hero journey’ campaign is another way Coca-Cola has embraced the power of nostalgia in social marketing. The company recently teamed up with Netflix to create a Stranger Things-themed pop-up arcade. Fans enjoyed a virtual journey back to Hawkins, Indiana, while playing the original video games featured in the show. Ultimately, the campaign was a great success for both companies and consumers, boosting the brand’s revenue forecast and beating analyst estimates for the second quarter.

Coca-Cola has embraced new social media features to engage consumers and reach a wide audience. For example, its Gold Room allowed visitors to create 360-degree images and encourages influencers to share the content on Instagram Stories. Additionally, Coca-Cola has partnered with Crisis to create an iconic Christmas truck that tours towns and cities in the UK. In addition to a new social media marketing concept, Coca-Cola is utilizing traditional advertising and offline marketing to reach consumers and fans in various ways.

In addition, Nike supports several social and environmental causes through its philanthropic arm, the Nike Foundation. The Nike Foundation works to improve the lives of girls and young women around the world by providing them with access to education, sports, and health programs.

Another example of societal marketing concept of Nike can be seen in its efforts to partner with athletes and celebrities who are positive role models, as well as its support of various social causes. By aligning itself with these values, Nike is able to create a positive brand image that resonates with consumers.

Adidas social concept of marketing

Adidas is another company that uses societal marketing concept. In the Adidas societal marketing concept, it has created campaigns to help end child labor, promote gender equality, and protect the environment; the company takes into account the well-being of society. Their goal is not just to make a profit, but to also improve the lives of their consumers and have a positive impact on society. To achieve this, they produce products that are environmentally friendly and that help people stay healthy and active.

In addition, they partner with organizations that focus on social issues such as education and poverty. By doing this, Adidas not only helps people live better lives but also makes a difference in the world.

Netflix social concept in marketing

Netflix is another company that uses societal marketing concept; as explained above, it partnered with Coca cola in 2019 to release “Stranger Things”.

Apple’s social concept in marketing

Societal marketing orientation

Societal marketing orientation is a business approach that takes into account the needs and wants of all stakeholders when making marketing decisions; it tries to satisfy society and customers while still making profits for the company. Societal marketing orientation provides better ways of satisfying the customers while still keeping society safe. This includes not only customers, but also employees, shareholders, suppliers, and the community at large.

The goal of societal orientation marketing is to create long-term value for all stakeholders, rather than simply maximizing profits for the company. This approach requires businesses to be transparent and responsible in their marketing practices and to consider the impact of their decisions on all stakeholders.

Societal marketing orientation covers various bodies such as businesses, governments, and non-governmental organizations. It is the process of planning, implementing, and monitoring programs that aim to improve the well-being of individuals and communities by changing from harmful behavior or activities to better ones. This includes activities such as promoting public health, protecting the environment, and improving social welfare.

Societal marketing orientation example

A good example of societal marketing orientation company is Tesla. Tesla’s mission is not simply to make money but to change the world by making sustainable energy affordable and accessible to everyone. To this end, they have developed electric cars that are much more environmentally friendly than traditional gas cars.

They have also been working on developing solar roofs, which would provide an environmentally friendly and renewable source of energy for homes and businesses. This is different from the usual norm of using petrol-powered cars; by doing this, Tesla is changing the norm and carrying out orientation on safer and environmentally friendly cars for society.

Other societal orientation marketing examples

Other examples of social marketing concepts are the Body Shop and Nike Foundation, which have pledged to promote animal, human, and environmental causes.

Apart from companies using the social marketing concept, public efforts have been involved in societal orientation also. Examples of these other social orientation examples are:

1. Public sector agencies use social orientation to educate the public on safe behavior. For example, the “Smokey the Bear” campaign aims to promote sober driving by displaying advertisements that promote wearing a seat belt.
2. Another prominent example of societal orientation marketing is the Rosie the Riveter campaign, which features a modern version of the iconic woman who fought to protect her community.
3. Other examples of social orientation marketing include campaigns to increase awareness of sexually transmitted diseases, food safety, and personal hygiene.
4. Another example of social marketing orientation is the “Smoking cessation” campaign. This campaign is aimed at reducing smoking and improving society as a whole. In this way, companies can achieve a greater public good by making their products and services more appealing to smokers and the public. By focusing on social responsibility, organizations can be more successful in meeting their goals and achieving a positive image among the general public.

A few other examples of societal marketing orientation campaigns are those that raise awareness for local or global issues. In these cases, the use of a hashtag across several platforms is common. Such large-scale campaigns can be difficult to track, but social listening tools can help you keep track of the entries, keep your campaigns running, and manage the campaign. It’s important to know the audience of your campaign before you launch it. They will help you decide which campaigns work best.

Social marketing orientation is an effective way to raise awareness about social issues and present a simple way to improve society. By leveraging social marketing, you can encourage viewers to engage in certain activities, whether that’s making a purchase or subscribing to a newsletter. Without a way to gather data on these actions, social marketing efforts will be worthless. When done right, social marketing can be powerful.

The Societal marketing strategy

Social marketing has a proven track record of reaching population groups and improving outcomes. As the first strategy in implementing social marketing, you need to define the problem and identify the target audience. You can do this by conducting a SWOT analysis and understanding the characteristics of your target audience. During this stage, you need to determine your budget, your target audience, and the intervention mix that will work best. Using social marketing can help you create a sustainable business model, which is good for your organization.

It helps build a network of potential buyers and customers. This network will make your message more credible and resonant. By providing interesting content, social media can also increase commitment and customer satisfaction. By incorporating social media into your overall marketing strategy, you can create a powerful brand presence. However, it is important to note that the benefits of social marketing are not always immediately apparent. You must be able to gauge whether it is effective for your business before making any decisions.

Societal marketing philosophy

The societal marketing philosophy holds that an organization’s marketing decisions should take into account consumers’ wants, society’s interests, and the environment. This philosophy calls for marketers to consider not only the wants of consumers and the interests of society but also the long-term impact of their actions on the environment. In other words, societal marketing is a way of thinking about marketing that takes into account the triple bottom line: people, planet, and profit.

Corporate societal marketing

Corporate societal marketing is a company’s commitment to making a positive impact on society. This can be done in many ways, such as through environmental sustainability initiatives, charitable donations, or community outreach programs. For example, a company might plant trees to offset its carbon footprint, donate money to build schools in developing countries, or sponsor a local youth sports team. Corporate societal marketing is about more than just making a profit – it’s about making the world a better place. It keys into the social marketing concept.

When did the concept of societal marketing first surface?

So when did the concept of societal marketing first surface? In today’s era, the concept has become more prevalent as businesses seek to create long-term relationships with customers while simultaneously increasing societal welfare. As a result, companies must consider societal concerns in all aspects of their business, balancing profits and consumers’ needs with the interests of society. Listed below are some important facts about societal marketing and how it can benefit your business.

The term societal marketing first emerged in 1972 after the unethical marketing practices of many large companies became public knowledge. In 1972, Philip Kotler introduced the concept to counter consumerism and promote a more ethical marketing strategy. Social marketing evolved from previous CSR concepts and sustainable development and was implemented by several companies that wanted to improve their public image. Regardless of its origin, the concept is now widely used in corporate America, as a means of making a positive impact on society.

The concept of societal marketing emerged when Philip Kotler and Gerald Zaltman proposed the term in the 1970s. The goal of social marketing was to increase consumer awareness of brands in the community. Examples of such efforts include sponsorship of health events and anti-tobacco campaigns. The term was already in practice before the term was used in a technological sense, but many marketers and strategists still use the term today.

Advantages and Disadvantages

There are many advantages and disadvantages of societal marketing concept to individuals, society, and companies.

Advantages

There are numerous benefits of social marketing for individuals, businesses, and society. These benefits are based on the social exchange theory and can include learning new skills, gaining financial benefits, and changing behaviors and attitudes about important issues. Some of the most common examples of social marketing include campaigns that promote helmet use and programs that encourage responsible drinking and responsible driving. For more information about the benefits of social marketing, read on. Listed below are some of the most important ones:

Benefits of social concept of marketing

1. There are several reasons why companies use the societal marketing concept. First, it helps them to identify social problems that their products or services can address.
2. The second benefit of the societal marketing concept is that it helps companies to develop products or services that will meet the needs of consumers and society.
3. It helps firms to position their products or services in a way that will appeal to both consumers and society.
4. Another advantage of the societal marketing concept is that it helps them to create marketing campaigns that will raise awareness of their products or services and their ability to solve social problems.
5. Finally, it helps companies to build relationships with stakeholders who can help to promote their products or services.

The societal marketing concept seeks to establish a balance between companies making profits and customers living healthy.

Disadvantages of societal marketing concept

The primary objective of social marketing is to change consumers’ behavior and achieve long-term co-benefits for society. While commercial companies have adopted the concept, they often focus on functional benefits. There are many potential disadvantages associated with the concept. Listed below are a few of the most common disadvantages of the social concept of marketing.

1. The societal marketing concept is not perfect. If it’s poorly communicated, it’s difficult to achieve any real social benefit. It also has some inherent limitations. If you don’t fully understand and apply the concept, it can be counterproductive.
2. One of the cons of societal concept of marketing is insufficient research on consumer behavior. Some critics of social marketing have pointed out that it’s harder to collect high-quality data than in product marketing. This is likely due to the smaller number of research studies conducted in this field. They’ve also noted a lack of good secondary data for the concept. Moreover, the validity of research studies is often questionable, as consumers generally respond to sensitive issues with more socially desirable responses.

Some examples of business practices that contradict societal marketing concept

The societal marketing concept is the belief that a company should make marketing decisions not only by considering consumer wants but also by considering what is in the best interest of society. However, there are some business practices that go against this idea. For example, a company might produce a product that is harmful to the environment or that is addictive and can lead to health problems. Examples include the production of products that are addictive, such as cigarettes or gambling products. The businesses are aware of the negative effects of addiction, but they continue to sell these products because they are profitable.

Additionally, a company might target marketing efforts at groups that are especially vulnerable, such as children or the elderly. By engaging in these practices, companies are not acting in the best interest of society as a whole.

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