Human Behaviour

As human behaviour is very complex, a theory can offer social marketers a better understanding of the factors that influence the audience and their actions (NSMC, 2010).

As stated in the article, the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the do-learn-feel learning hierarchy and experiential learning were used to develop the GO:KA intervention (Rundle-Thiele et al., 2013).

The Theory of Planned Behaviour has three aspects to determine the intention (S. RundleThiele 7215 MKT lecture material, April 1, 2015):

• The attitude towards behaviour which consists of the instrumental and the affective attitude (S. Rundle-Thiele 7215 MKT lecture material, April 1, 2015). The instrumental attitude is to what extent the performing behaviour is an advantage (S. Rundle-Thiele 7215 MKT lecture material, April 1, 2015). The affective attitude presents the emotions caused by performing the behaviour (S. Rundle-Thiele 7215 MKT lecture material, April 1, 2015). There is clear evidence in the article that the pre and post survey contained questions asking about the attitude towards drinking to excess. Young adults feel good and valuable when they drink, drinking to excess is enjoyable and pleasant (Rundle-Thiele et al., 2013).
• The subjective norm has also two types, the injunctive norm and the descriptive norm (S. Rundle-Thiele 7215 MKT lecture material, April 1, 2015). The injunctive norm is what other people (family, friends etc.) think the person should do. The descriptive norm is how people who are important to the person behave. The article does not mention if the pre and post survey contained any question about the subjective norm.
• The perceived behavioural control (PBC) is how much control people think to have over their behaviour (S. Rundle-Thiele 7215 MKT lecture material, April 1, 2015). The article does not mention if the pre and post survey asked this question. However, in the thesis “Can change be achieved in co-educational schools? An empirical test of

Game On: Know Alcohol” it stated that PBC was measured during the pilot study (Dietrich, 2011).

• There were measures of behavioural intention in the questionnaire as presented in the

Table IV “All boys’ school and all girls’ school (pre and post)”

To summarise, social marketers did not follow all steps of the planned behaviour theory in the pilot study.

Experiential learning is when educators engage with students in direct experiences, students have to reflect on them in order to increase knowledge and to develop skills (Northern Illinois University, n.d.). Students in the GO:KA intervention had hands-on experiences which included a role-play (laying in the gutter) and playing other interactive games. However, it is not written if the students in the pilot study had to reflect on the experiences, which is important as it increases knowledge and develops skills.

The do-learn-feel learning hierarchy consist of low involvement and less thinking (Scribd, n.d.). The customer’s behaviour is habitual and marketers need to use various promotion techniques to get the customers attention (Scribd, n.d.). The article did not mentioned if binge drinking is a habit or if students are aware of what they do. There is a lack of evidence in the article which supports this theory.

2.4 Insight

Insight means to have a deep understanding of what moves and motivates the target (NSMC, 2010) An analysis was undertaken to understand why students would not adopt moderate drinking attitudes or behavioural intentions in current alcohol education programs (RundleThiele et al., 2013). Interactivity, relevance and creativity are three important elements that engage students and maintain their interest in alcohol education (Rundle-Thiele et al., 2013). Experimental learning through hands-on activities and digital content motivates students more than anything else (Rundle-Thiele et al., 2013).

It is not mentioned in the article if social marketers got any insights from analysing the pilot study which helped to develop the program further. To summarise, no other insights were found in the article.

2.5 Exchange

Social Marketing is the exchange of resources or values between two or more parties (NSMC, 2010). In the GO:KA intervention are two parties, the students and the social marketers.

Before people decide to change, they usually go through a cost-benefit analysis (NSMC, 2010). As mentioned in the article the GO:KA intervention had an understanding of the cost and the benefits for students (Rundle-Thiele et al., 2013). When students would stop drinking, social exclusion and shyness are the social costs they have to pay (Rundle-Thiele et al., 2013).

GO:KA tried to reduce social costs by demonstrating benefits of moderate drinking which are social inclusion, more control over the body and less hangovers (Rundle-Thiele et al., 2013). Furthermore, social marketers need to identify and replace the current benefits students receive from binge drinking (NSMC, 2010). The current benefits for the students are that drinking alcohol to excess gives them a sense of confidence and being a part of a social group. The GO:KA campaign tried to replace these benefits by promoting moderate drinking benefits.

To summarise, students will need to give up their confidence which they have when they are drunk in order to gain the benefits of moderate drinking. However, the author cannot see any other evidence of significant exchange as students do not need to give up social inclusion when they start drinking moderately. Also, there was not any financial exchange between the two parties.

2.6 Competition

Social Marketers need to understand what competes for the audience’s time and attention to behave in a particular way, it is important to address direct and external factors (NSMC, 2010).

Marketers have to develop strategies to minimise the impact of competition, clearly linking the exchange offered (NSMC, 2010). Furthermore, they need to work with or learn from the competitors (NSMC, 2010).

The GO:KA intervention analysed the direct competition and external competition (RundleThiele et al., 2013).

Direct competition for the GO:KA program are other alcohol education programmes, especially programmes which offer hands-on and online activities (Rundle-Thiele et al., 2013). The social marketers analysed 43 different programs (Rundle-Thiele et al., 2013) which could be potential competitors.

Indirect competition for the GO:KA program are marketing messages for alcohol products, containing positive messages, relating alcohol to relaxation and fun (Rundle-Thiele et al., 2013). Alcohol advertisements are everywhere, on TV, on banners on the street or on the internet and social media. Other competitors are licensed venues. (Rundle-Thiele et al., 2013).

To summarise, the GO:KA program as to compete against the entire alcohol industry.

2.7 Segmentation

It is important that social marketers identify audience segments (NSMC, 2010). Segmentation is not just demographic or geographic, people can also be segmented by their behaviour or by the readiness to change.

The GO:KA pilot study uses 2 segmentation bases, psychographic and demographic (Dietrich et al., 2015). Demographically the students got segmented in age and sex groups. The students were between 14 and 16 years old. Besides the demographic segmentation, psychographic segmentation measured knowledge about alcohol, attitudes toward binge drinking, and intentions toward moderate drinking (Dietrich et al., 2015). The psychographic segmentation was not mentioned in the article “Moderating teen drinking: combining social marketing and education”. However, the psychographic segmentation was part of the pilot study in 2011 as it was stated in the article “One Size (Never) Fits All: Segment Differences Observed Following a School-Based Alcohol Social Marketing Program.” (Dietrich et al., 2015).

Also the article “One Size (Never) Fits All: Segment Differences Observed Following a School-Based Alcohol Social Marketing Program.” mentioned three segments in a student population based on factors of the students alcohol consumption behaviour. “Good Females” showed the most positive attitude change and they were most satisfied with the GO:KA program (Dietrich et al., 2015). GO:KA received the lowest satisfaction scores from the “Skeptics” (mix of males and females). However this segment featured the lowest-risk drinking attitudes and intentions to drink alcohol (Dietrich et al., 2015). “Risky Males” had high-risk attitudes and high-risk intentions prior to taking part in the GO:KA program (Dietrich et al., 2013). This segment also had the lowest overall alcohol knowledge (Dietrich et al., 2015).

To summarise, there is clear evidence of segmentation in the GO:KA pilot study.

2.8 Methods mix

Social Marketers should use all elements of the marketing mix (NSMC, 2010). Just to communicate a message is not enough, promotion should be used to ‘sell’ the product, price, place and people to the target audience (NSMC, 2010). Have a brand which is target to the audience (NSMC, 2010). However, social marketers need keep their methods and approaches financially and practically sustainable (NSMC, 2010).

The Game On: Know Alcohol used a variety of marketing methods (Rundle-Thiele et al., 2013):

3. Social change initiative improvements

The pilot study which was presented in the article “Moderating teen drinking: combining social marketing and education” is limited to a convenience sample. The GO:KA pilot study was undertaken in two metropolitan single sex education schools in Queensland, Australia with a catholic background (Rundle-Thiele et al., 2013). Generalisations are not possible with this sample (Rundle-Thiele et al., 2013). There is a need to extend testing beyond single sex education catholic schools to guarantee that GO:KA can achieve attitudinal change in a wide variety of settings (Rundle-Thiele et al., 2013). The GO:KA program should be extent to public schools as there are different values and different co-educational contexts (RundleThiele et al., 2013). The GO:KA pilot study targeted 14-16 years old students, extending the testing to different ages will ascertain if education is equally effective in earlier school year levels (Rundle-Thiele et al., 2013). Furthermore, additional research needs to be done, going beyond examining gender effect (Rundle-Thiele et al., 2013). Previous research showed that the culture background plays a role in program effectiveness, suggesting that additional demographic variables should be used in future to improve interventions (Rundle-Thiele et al., 2013). Furthermore, smoking status, previous drinking history, behavioural problems, and family history, would strengthen the segmentation analysis (Dietrich et al., 2015). Moreover, it is possible that students that are at greater risk were those who did not engage in the survey’s potentially increasing the positive outcomes observed in the pilot study (Dietrich et al., 2015). It would be important that students who are at greater risk get the most attention.

References

Dietrich, T. (2011). Can change be achieved in co-educational schools? An empirical test of Game On: Know Alcohol. Main Beach, Queensland: Griffith University.

Dietrich, T., Rundle-Thiele, S., Leo, C. & Connor, J. (2015). One Size (Never) Fits All: Segment Differences Observed Following a School-Based Alcohol Social Marketing Program. Journal of School Health, 85(4), 251-259.

Eagle, L., Dahl, S., Hill, S., Bird, S., Spotswood, F. & Tapp, A. (2013). Social Marketing. Edinburgh, United Kingdom: Pearson Education Limited.

GO:KA. (2010). Changing alcohol attitudes: Sponsorship opportunities. Brisbane, Australia: Griffith University.

MRA. (n.d.). Focus Group. Retrieved from http://www.marketingresearch.org/issuespolicies/glossary/focus-group.

Northern Illinois University. (n.d.). Experiential Learning. Retrieved from www.niu.edu/facdev/resources/guide/strategies/experiential_learning.pdf

NSMC. (2010). Criteria for success. Retrieved from http://www.thensmc.com/content/criteria-success.

Rundle-Thiele, S., Russel-Bennett, R., Leo, C. & Dietrich, T. (2013). Moderating teen drinking: combining social marketing and education. Health Education, 113(5), 392-406.

Scribd. (n.d.). Customer Behaviour. Retrieved from http://de.scribd.com/doc/7008203/Consumer-Behaviour#scribd.

Shear, J. (n.d.). What Is Ethnographic Research Marketing? Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/ethnographic-research-marketing-25205.html.