London, 29 January 2009 – The Chartered Institute of Marketing is launching its latest Agenda Paper on social marketing – the use of marketing techniques to bring about positive behaviour change in people. The launch will take place at The Institute's conference centre near Maidenhead, Berkshire on 26 February.
The Institute firmly believes that social marketing has an important role to play in combating the perceived negative associations that the marketing profession sometimes suffers from.
Whether helping people to quit smoking, drive more carefully, or save energy, social marketing is increasingly being used by the government and other organisations to encourage people to move away from damaging or harmful behaviours, and adopt more positive ones. With heavy government investment, social marketing programmes are expanding rapidly – creating lots of new opportunities for the marketing industry.
David Thorp, director of research and professional development at The Chartered Institute of Marketing said; "Whilst mainstream marketing can struggle for respectability, social marketing shows how the techniques and tools of the profession can be used as a force for good. As more and more marketers apply their skills in this rapidly developing field, we may see a more favourable attitude towards marketing emerge - one that recognises the important role marketing can play in making the world a better place."
With this latest Agenda Paper, The Institute aims to raise awareness of social marketing and its increasingly sophisticated techniques, and demonstrate how its deeper and more strategic approach to long-lasting behaviour change can be applied successfully in the commercial sphere. The Institute argues that commercial marketers have much to learn and much to gain from understanding and adopting social marketing techniques.
The Institute's Agenda Paper on social marketing, 'Less smoke, more fire', will be launched on the 26 February at its headquarters, Moor Hall, Cookham. To book a place or for more information about all The Institute's events, please visit: www.cim.co.uk/events.